More Word Processors for the Mac

[I first posted the information on this page to my computer blog, On My Mac, on 10/24/2007.]

In previous posts I have written about Mellel, Nisus Writer Express, and Microsoft Word. My favorite for academic writing is Mellel, though I often use Nisus for smaller documents. Here are some other options to consider.

If you have a new Mac, Pages is probably already in the iWork folder in your Applications folder. This Apple product is not only a word processor, but also a page layout program. Its focus is not only on writing, but making text look good. So far I have only used it to create a syllabus, because I wanted more control over the layout than a traditional word processor gave me. Pages was overkill for the project, but it could be perfect for newsletters and brochures. See its built-in templates for ideas.

If you want a full-featured suite of applications like Microsoft Office, but do not want to deal with the high price tag, check out OpenOffice, a free open source suite that includes word processing, drawing, data bases, spreadsheets, and presentations. Unfortunately, the application is only available in X11. This environment is built in to your Mac and works perfectly well, but it is not user-friendly and feels unfamiliar. (The application is also available natively for Windows and Linux.) If the look and feel of OpenOffice bother you, try the free NeoOffice, a java version of OpenOffice that feels more like a normal Mac application and does not require you to run X11.

If you like free, open source software, but only need a word processor, not a full office suite, take a look at Abiword. I would not use it for big projects, but it is perfectly adequate for the little stuff. Like OpenOffice, this application works with the Mac operating system, Windows, and Linux. The other big plus: Abiword can handle a wide variety of document formats, including even WordPerfect, an application that deserted the Mac. (I wonder if Corel is regretting that decision, considering the growing popularity of the Mac.)

Mariner Write is a nice old-fashioned and relatively inexpensive word processor that offers footnotes and adjustable style sheets. The downside: it is not cocoa and so does not integrate with the built-in dictionary that Apple added with Tiger. I also found that I had less control over the layout of my footnotes than I wanted. I could preset styles, but Mariner Write tended to forget them. I prefer more modern word processors, but some will appreciate Mariner Write's old-school look and feel. It also works well on older, slower computers.