Alternatives to Word

[speedemonV12]

hey guys! just got my new MBP and it is amazing!!! but of course my mom needs me to get some school done, so i need an alternative to Microsoft Word, i dont feel like spending the money for it, and would like something that is freeware... any ideas??

thanks!!

 

[Scarlet Fever]

Pages, which is included with your MBP, is a great piece of software.
It's free for 30 days, although there are ways of making the trial last infinitely. I think i'm not supposed to post ways and means here, though. i'll just say that it doesn't involve modifying the application, and its very simple to do.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

For a full office suite: NeoOffice

If you just need a word processor: Try TextEdit (comes with all Macs and is extremely underrated).

Both free. Both can open and save .doc files...

 

[ChickenSwartz]

NeoOffice
Enough said.

 

[j_maddison]

You could give the following two companies a try

http://www.marinersoftware.com/

http://www.nisus.com/Express/

I believe both companies offer a demo download of their software.

Neo office is of course free, and a pretty useful app. I've never really used pages so I cant comment on its usefulness, many seem to like it though.

Jason

 

[speakerwizard]

sorry if i get this wrong but, you are aware of microsoft office for mac right?

 

[Warbrain]

sorry if i get this wrong but, you are aware of microsoft office for mac right?

The OP is hoping to find an alternative to it.

 

[speakerwizard]

yes, but from what i gathered, he is new to macs, and maybe doesnt realise word is available for mac, thats all

 

[ChrisA]

...so i need an alternative to Microsoft Word,

www.openoffice.org

This is a full Office Suite. It's 100% free and Open Sourse. You can thank Sun Microsystems for it. It runs on Mac OSX, Windows, Solaris and Linux. I use it a lont under Linux and Solaris. It works well with most Office files

If you need somwething a little lighter weight look here
http://www.abiword.com/

Also Apples' "text edit" can read and edit Word files

I see some others have recommended "neo office". This is a reasonable option too. It is a "port" of an older version of Open Office to the native mac environment. It works but is less up to date and lags Open Office in terms of features and bug fixes. Also open Office is the SAME on all platforms. You can move between the Mac, Linux, Solaris and Windows and Open Office looks and feels the same. But neo office is more "mac-like" so you get to decide. Both are free. get both. It depends on if you need to be truely "cross platform" and if you need the up to the minute features.

 

[Warbrain]

yes, but from what i gathered, he is new to macs, and maybe doesnt realise word is available for mac, thats all

I'm sure he does know.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I see some others have recommended "neo office". This is a reasonable option too. It is a "port" of an older version of Open Office to the native mac environment. It works but is less up to date and lags Open Office in terms of features and bug fixes.

NeoOffice 2.0 Aqua Beta 3, which uses aqua menus, hence the name, and doesn't requirer X11, is based on OpenOffice.org 2.0.3 code, so it's not that old...

Another possibility, of course, is Google Docs & Spreadsheets.

 

[speedemonV12]

thanks for all the replies... I tested out Abiword, and just wasnt as smooth as i liked... so i went with NeoOffice... based off of OpenOffice... i had used OpenOffice on linux and my windows pc... but didnt realize they made it for mac till it was posted here... anyway, i love NeoOffice, has everything i need, thanks a lot!!!