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December 4th, 2009

Quiet Writing Apps

I don’t know about you, but I pretty much can’t deal with Microsoft Word anymore. Years and years ago I saved up money to just get Word 6 for Windows, back when I lived in a word processor for school and other things, but as time carried on Word just started adding more and more things I didn’t care about.

I tried other word processors such as Ami Pro (remember that one?) but didn’t find anything that fit until Apple Pages, to be honest with you. The thing I like most about Pages is that the interface is quiet compared to Word; in lieu of toolbars and ribbons and margins and gobs of chrome, Pages mostly focuses on… the page. Sure, features are still there, but they’re tucked away if you need them and generally just stay out of your way when you don’t.

But Pages is a loudmouth compared to some writing apps. There’s a whole generation of apps which allegedly help you focus on writing by removing all UI elements, taking over your screen, and generally sticking to a simple presentation. WriteRoom is a popular option, and Kottke linked up the aesthetically pleasing Ommwriter today.

I like the ideas behind these apps. Anyone in the Pingiverse using them?

Posted in Technology

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