Jolly exciting thread for a sunny Sunday: I desperately need a wordprocessor. I can't afford Microsoft Office. What can I do?

[ShowOfHands]

Scintillating isn't it?

DH is doing an NVQ, I'm trying to write a novel. The infernal queue for a lethargic and uninterested library PC is no longer amusing.

What options are there? Microsoft Office would be ideal but it's soooo expensive.

Any ideas?

download open office for free

here

Ooh that was quick! Thank you.

Have you used it? Do you know if you can convert Word documents using it? DH's work stuff and NVQ stuff is all sent in Word documents and he would need to convert apparently.

Yes, you can convert from/to Word. I've used Open Office in the past and it's good.

It might also be worth checking whether your DH can get MS Office on a home user licence, his work may run this as a scheme (mine do although as they're the NHS this may be why MS offer us the scheme). Then Office costs about 20 quid.

DH is a`police officer so it's possible I suppose. Especially since he's supposed to be doing an NVQ in Policing in order to keep the job. I'll get him to check before I download Open Office.

I prefer writing by hand but I don't think thousands of pages of illegible scrawl would ever get published.

Thank you.

Open Office is lot less bloated than microsoft as microsoft office comes with a lot of junk 90% of people dont need.

This may still be a lot for you with one income, but Microsoft Word on its own - Home and Student edition - is available from Amazon for under £80. Cheaper than if you need other Microsoft applications as well.

How about using google documents? No idea what it is like, but it is free....knowing google, it will be compatible. I know I have opened word docs in it.

I would still say open office. The people who have been making open office have been going for lot longer than google documents.