A list of
powerful word processing software that are completely free
Everyone
needs a great word pro cessor. And Microsoft Word is one of the best, thanks to
its wide format support and integration with other Office apps. But that power
and convenience doesn't come cheap -even with Microsoft's Office 365
subscription model, which spreads the cost throughout the year. Free software
has come a long way in recent years, and there are now great alternatives to
Microsoft Word that don't cost a rupee.You could switch to any of these
programs today and start working immediately.
1 WPS
Office Writer The best free alternative to Microsoft Word, with a smart
interface, full Word compatibility, cloud backup, and free mobile apps
WPS
Office Writer's slick design is similar to the current version of Microsoft
Word, with a ribbon interface and almost identical icons. If you like using
Office 2007 or later, the move to WPS Writer will be seamless.
There's
tabbed browsing for multiple documents (a feature not found in Word), and WPS
Office Writer can open pretty much any text document format you can throw at
it. It has its own file format (WPS), but new documents default to Microsoft's
DOCX format for convenient sharing with Word users.
2
LibreOffice Writer The best open source Microsoft Word alternative, with a
buzzing developer community and regular updates
If you
feel comfortable using the older, pre-ribbon versions of Microsoft Word, you'll
love LibreOffice Writer. Its interface is similar to Word prior to the
introduction of the Ribbon in 2007. So if you're familiar with the older
interface, you'll be up and running in seconds.
It will
take a little longer if you're used to the newer versions of Microsoft Office,
but the menus and icons are simple and intuitive, so don't be put off.
LibreOffice Writer is compatible with Microsoft Word documents (including DOC
and DOCX) and other text file formats.
3 Apache
OpenOffice Writer Another open source Word alternative. Not quite as fresh as
LibreOffice, but still an excellent option
LibreOffice
is a part of Apache OpenOffice and the two share the same code base, so it's no
surprise that there's little to choose between the two. Both offer excellent
compatibility with Microsoft Word documents, and work seamlessly with their
linked database and presentation applications.
There's
almost no difference between the programs' features or interfaces -both use a
classic Microsoft Office style system, with a handy sidebar for formatting
options.
4
SoftMaker FreeOffice TextMaker TextMaker is good, but would be superb if it
could save documents in DOCX format
SoftMaker
FreeOffice TextMaker's interface is less cluttered than most free Microsoft
Word alternatives, but it doesn't skimp on tools and settings. Some features
are tucked away in sub-menus, but you can customise the toolbar by rearranging
the icons.
Its
drawback is the inability to save your work in Microsoft's DOCX format.
However, you can open files in DOCX format using FreeOffice TextMaker, so you
won't be locked out of your existing documents.
5 AbiWord
AbiWord replaces Microsoft Word's key features, but its developers have chosen
to focus on Linux rather than Windows
AbiWord
is the most pared-back of the options here, but could easily replace Microsoft
Word for your writing and editing if you don't rely on Word's advanced
features. It's an open source project, and is less demanding than the other
Microsoft Word alternatives here.
AbiWord
has excellent format support, including DOC and DOCX, making it a good choice
for document-sharing. It's also an ex .cellent text editor, but AbiWord has a
shortage of volunteer Windows developers
Source: THE ECONOMIC TIMES-3rd february,2017
