AbiWord is a great little word processor for Windows, Linux, and OS X. It can handle DOC, RTF, TXT, and HTML files, as well as a few other other formats. And AbiWord takes up an awful lot less disc space than OpenOffice.org. So it's certainly worth checking out if all you need is a lightweight but full-featured word processor.

Version 2.6 is available now for Windows and Linux. It looks like the latest version of AbiWord for OS X is still version 2.4.6. The latest release includes a ton of updates including:

• GNOME office plugin that allows you to embed Gnumeric charts in documents
• Ability to open files on remote shares using samba, ftp, or ssh shares
• Improved language support
• Experimental collaboration plugin
• Experimental new Office Open XMl import filter
• Native Windows vista menus
• Drag and drop images in and out of Unix version of AbiWord

For a full list of updates, check out the release notes.

[via CyberNotes]

What's the first word processor you remember using? Word, WordPerfect, Works or something else altogether? On the one hand, word processing has come a long way in the last two decades. On the other hand, the image above shows Microsoft Word 1.0, which is almost 20 years old. And you know what? You could still use it to write most of your daily correspondence if you really wanted to.

ImpressionSoft@Work has an overview of the history of MS Word, from version 1.0 all the way up to Word 2007. Do you remember when Microsoft added real-time spell checking or the ability to draw to Word? What about the first version to include the annoying paper clip pop-up assistant?

If the trip down memory lane is making you nostalgic, don't forget that you Microsoft made Word 5.5 for DOS available as a free download a while back. And the download link still works.

[via WinBeta]

There are dozens of alternatives to Microsoft Word for people who need to create or edit text documents but don't feel like shelling out the cash for Microsoft Office. We're rather fond of AbiWord and OpenOffice Writer around here. Both are full-featured MS Word alternatives that are capable of opening and editing Word documents. And they both come in portable versions which can be installed to a USB flash drive for carrying from computer to computer if that's your cup of tea.

Jarte is another portable word processor. Although you can install Jarte to a Windows PC, you can also download a zip file that contains all the files and settings you need to run Jarte on any computer using a flash drive. Jarte is based on Microsoft WordPad, but it includes a ton of features that you won't find in WordPad including advanced formatting options and a spell checker.

The program also has a rather unusual interface, including tabs for switching between multiple open documents. And while most word processor have a ton of toolbars atop the text field letting you change fonts, colors, or page formating, Jarte has just a few large buttons. You click on these buttons to find submenus with all of those other features, many of which you probably don't use very often. The concept is nice, as it saves a lot of screen real estate. But it's kind of annoying that it takes two or three clicks to perform some functions that take just one click on other word processors.

Jarte is available as a free download. But if you want some of the more advanced features like real-time spell checking, you'll have to cough up $19 for Jarte Plus.

[via Techie Buzz]

Looking for an online word processing application but you don't fancy Google Docs, Zoho Writer, or ThinkFree? Adobe has launched a public beta of Buzzword. Previously, you could only access the online writing/collaborating application with an invitation.

Buzzword is a slick web application that looks unlike any other word processor we've sen. It supports tables, images and page breaks. You can create and store documents online, share them with other users, print or download them. The one thing you can't do is insert hyperlinks in a document.

[via Digital Inspiration]

While Microsoft is taking steps to web-ify its offline office suite, Adobe is joining the crowded field of companies offering web-based office applications. Adobe is buying Virtual Ubiquity, makers of Buzzword, a new online word processor. At the same time, the company is launching a beta of a new document sharing service cleverly titled "Share." (Don't worry that's just an internal codename. Rest assured it will probably be renamed something like "Adobe Share" by the time it's officially launched).

Buzzword was already built using Adobe's Flex environment, which means it runs inside of a web browser using the same Flash player you need to watch YouTube videos. An offline version of Buzzword is expected next year.

It's a full-featured word processor, with support for tables, images, page breaks, and pretty much anything you'd want in a word processor. Well, almost. Apparently it doesn't support hyperlinks, which is a bit baffling. Adobe plans to integrate Buzzword and Share, letting you create documents, store them online and share them with other users.