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Advanced Word Processing

RymRym
edited September 2008 in Suggestions
Since no one has yet to answer this question, I feel that it deserves its own thread.

Outside of the actual formats used to save files (docs, etc...), what features or capabilities does Microsoft Word have, which you need, that are not available in alternative word processing programs?

I can think of a few that exist, but I want to hear someone else actually articulate their usefulness.
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Comments

  • I'm pretty sure its only an issue with opening other .doc files. There has never been anything that I have needed to do that an alternative couldn't.
  • I'm pretty sure its only an issue with opening other .doc files. There has never been anything that I have needed to do that an alternative couldn't.
    While doc is technically a proprietary format, there are many many other applications that are fully capable of opening and saving doc files. The only times you will have trouble are if people do incredibly weird things in their doc files such as embedding videos, or other weird objects. Even then, the doc files will usually work, but will simply be formatted strangely.
  • "The only thing I find annoying when using OpenOffice is, that sometimes the formatting gets screwed up when importing .doc files."

    As I said previously: when editing documents in school and at home the formatting keeps getting screwed up.
  • I like how no one is answering the question, and instead bringing up the one and only thing I specifically didn't wish to discuss.
  • "The only thing I find annoying when using OpenOffice is, that sometimes the formatting gets screwed up when importing .doc files."

    As I said previously: when editing documents in school and at home the formatting keeps getting screwed up.
    Yeah, docs don't work quite right Open Office.

    Even I admit that I only use 1% of Word's abilities, the program is capable of so much. I'll have to ask my mom about this, she spends her days drafting and reviewing documents and is far more skilled with Word than I.
  • edited September 2008
    I like how no one is answering the question, and instead bringing up the one and only thing I specifically didn't wish to discuss.
    Fine. Do your open source offerings have an equation editor?
    Post edited by Rym on
  • Fine. Do your open source offerings have an equation editor?
    Yes, it is powered by either MathML or LaTeX. Take your pick.
  • ......
    edited September 2008
    Fine, do your open source offerings have an equation editor?
    LaTeX. And you can convert it instantly to perfectly formatted PDFs, while only focussing on the actual content, and not the formatting. Just type out your equations, and it will be drawn for you. Great, no? Personally I, because my university demands PDFs made with LaTeX, no longer use word processing programmes. And if I ever have to again, I'll use Google Docs for quick stuff, and perhaps bother with Abiword when I need something bigger.

    EDIT:
    Fine. Do your open source offerings have an equation editor?
    Yes, it is powered by either MathML or LaTeX. Take your pick.
    32 freaking seconds. :\
    Post edited by ... on
  • I use notepad, and that's about it. The only real feature that I need is to be able to store text for reference later, if I need extra formatting, I turn to Word or Open Office, or whatever is installed in my PC, Word at the office, InDesign at home (since extra formatting probably means something for class or a formal thing, I use InDesign to add imagery and plot my text easier)
  • Outside of the actual formats used to save files (docs, etc...), what features or capabilities does Microsoft Word have, which you need, that are not available in alternative word processing programs?
    None.
  • Is there a difference between Word and Open Office? I've never used Open Office, so I don't really know. Anyone care to inform the uninformed please?
  • What about a system for adding comments to a file digitally?
  • edited September 2008
    At the company I worked at this summer I had to develop tools for Microsoft Office. I had to program custom data consolidation tools for office which allowed easy interoperability with our web based budget management system. The big pull for Office was it's use of OLEobjects which allowed easy embedding of other office documents into your current workspace. If you wanted to import an excel chart, you just embed the object right into your work document for quick presentation. This could then be edited right on the fly if you wished or you could open it up in a new instance of excel. I also developed a way to use Web Service methods, during runtime, right from the Word interface. Users could browse for anything from Amazon's webservices to custom developed ones and complie and use them right from their document. It's also useful because it's easy to interact with documents uploaded to Sharepoint Servers which also were modded with a workflow management tool that allowed offices to control who has access to certain budget documents. Not to mention easy integration with inserting of database queries into your excel sheet/word document as well as simple formatting of documents.

    Again, most users of Office don't use 90% of Office, and the ones that do use the other options either don't want to change or are too computer illiterate to know how to learn anything new. I'm not defending Office, just giving a perspective from someone who has had quite a bit of experience with it.
    Post edited by Andrew on
  • Yeah, but you had to program that OLEobject functionality. Pretty much every open source office app has a plugin architecture that would allow you to achieve similar results. Also, because they are open source, you can add the feature even if they don't have a plugin architecture. In fact, you could add a plugin architecture. In fact, you could add OLEobject support. OpenOffice has some support for OLE, but of course it isn't perfect.

    In other words, the only features that count are the features that are ready out of the box. If you have to program the feature, then it doesn't count.
  • In other words, the only features that count are the features that are ready out of the box. If you have to program the feature, then it doesn't count.
    Most of the reason why Office is so pervasive is because of name brand recognition. Business people don't understand what a generic word processor is, but they do understand Microsoft Word. If you want people to move away from Office products, you need to teach them how a computer actually works with installed software. Most of the people using Office today don't know the difference between Windows and Linux. Hell, they probably don't even know what Linux is. If you want to fix the problem, you have to raise computer literacy.
  • In other words, the only features that count are the features that are ready out of the box. If you have to program the feature, then it doesn't count.
    Most of the reason why Office is so pervasive is because of name brand recognition. Business people don't understand what a generic word processor is, but they do understand Microsoft Word. If you want people to move away from Office products, you need to teach them how a computer actually works with installed software. Most of the people using Office today don't know the difference between Windows and Linux. Hell, they probably don't even know what Linux is. If you want to fix the problem, you have to raise computer literacy.
    We know this. This is not the question we are asking. What we're discussing here is features.
  • We know this. This is not the question we are asking. What we're discussing here is features.
    I think it's a bit of a loaded question to be honest. We all know that there is not really anything that Office has that OSS solutions do not or can not have. If the point Rym is trying to make is that there is no difference then the real question is why people still use Office, not the features it holds over others.
  • We all know that there is not really anything that Office has that OSS solutions do not or can not have.
    Well, this discussion started because someone claimed differently.
  • edited September 2008
    The truth is all about branding, people are programed to think that if you pay for it, its good. Aside from that, general experience with free software (in the early years) gave the constant stigma that open source = buggy software and butt ugly user interface, since most of it is made by programmers only and no attention to aesthetics is made or it's made with a programmers mentality, when your market is not probably other programmers. Even if that's less and less the case nowadays, the stigma is still there.

    So that's the true advantage of office over all the rest, a big fat check to promote itself.
    Post edited by MrRoboto on
  • We all know that there is not really anything that Office has that OSS solutions do not or can not have.
    Well, this discussion started because someone claimed differently.
    I was just telling people they could get office for cheap.
  • I was just telling people they could get office for cheap.
    And then you made the referred claim.
  • edited September 2008
    I was just telling people they could get office for cheap.
    And then you made the referred claim.
    (sarcasm) I'm sorry for not knowing of all the far-reaching features of AbiWord! Can you ever forgive me?!? (/sarcasm)
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • I actually have yet to find an open source program that fulfills my Word Processing needs with the same efficiency and convenience that Word does. I've tried Pages and OpenOffice on my Mac. Pages is great for minimal formatting, but it's pretty minimalistic in most respects. Word lets me do all kinds of transformative things. OpenOffice pretty much runs like shit on my Mac. I couldn't get it to work well. And no, I'm not going to install WINE...I don't whine about not being able to use certain programs on my Mac. I knew that would be the case when I bought it. I'm just saying that without a lot of modifications, OpenOffice doesn't seem to work well in the Mac OS.

    The main thing is that while there are programs to do all kinds of things to your document (equation editor, outline, header/footer, track changes, etc), Word wraps them all up into one program. I am familiar with the program, so it's easier to use. Granted, I'm not going to pay extra for it, but if it happens to come with my computer (which it did when I bought my desktop used from a friend at work) then I will gladly use it. As far as I know, OpenOffice is the best alternative on Windows, but I'd still rather use Office if I have it. It all comes down to convenience...is it worth the price of the software to not have to go through the hassle the alternatives would present. For different people, that is a different amount of hassle.
  • I only use MS-Word for making my essays MLA. Other than that, I use the plaintext editor Darkroom.
  • Nuri, if you haven't already give Neo Office a spin on your Mac. Unlike the pile of wank that is OpenOffice for Mac, this is an OO spinoff that actually works.

    As for Word only features, I used to use loads of features in Word but as my work changed I've dropped about 95% of what I do, and since moving to Neo Office on the Mac I've hardly missed a thing. The only thing that I could do real easy on Word but haven't found half as simple on other programs is to make a full page watermark under all the other text. I know it can probably be done, but without Word I've found it easier to run off a page with just the watermark printed, then use the same paper for the actual content. Fiddly, but for the very few times I use it now it is easier than learning a whole new interface and workflow.
  • Nuri, I've got to throw some support behind Neo Office. It doesn't suck, and I use it instead of Office on my home machine.

    At work, it's a different story. Even if I were able to install programs on my work machine, I wouldn't. Free Source alternatives do not support Applescript. I use scripting at work to speed along many tasks, and Neo Office doesn't offer the tools.
  • How has no one mentioned this yet?

    CLIPPIT! THE PAPERCLIP!! THAT FSCK'ING PAPERCLIP!!!

    What other editor needlessly harasses you to use ugly templates with an animated stationary binder?
  • I don't know, for all his uselessness, Clippit is kinda adorable.
  • I don't know, for all his uselessness, Clippit is kinda adorable.
    I always used to use the dog or the robot. Now, I just use the sidebar.
  • How has no one mentioned this yet?

    CLIPPIT! THE PAPERCLIP!! THAT FSCK'ING PAPERCLIP!!!

    What other editor needlessly harasses you to use ugly templates with an animated stationary binder?
    OpenOffice has a lightbulb.
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