Where can I find me a word-like program...

[Greizer85]

...Where when I click at a place on the screen, the cursor moves RIGHT THERE, regardless if I've clicked there before, and won't budge once there unless I type or click in some other place? It would also help if there's no 'tabs' or somesuch nonsense; I want the page to look exactly the way I typed it when I print it.



Good day,

Greizer

 

[GravityWave]

Most word processors tend to work that way. Have you tried using text boxes, they are on the drawing toolbar/ribbon.

 

[Onionsoilder]

What are you currently using? It would help us to know which program so we can try and figure out exactly what you don't like about it.

Personally, I use Open Office. I works great, it's free, and until I encoutered the problem of being unable to open .docx files(Microsoft decided to alter their word document format for some bizarre reason) I haven't have any problems.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

What are you currently using? It would help us to know which program so we can try and figure out exactly what you don't like about it.

Personally, I use Open Office. I works great, it's free, and until I encoutered the problem of being unable to open .docx files(Microsoft decided to alter their word document format for some bizarre reason) I haven't have any problems.

The reason isnt so bizarre. The irony is though, they used the new format to be more open which has led to problems.

 

[GravityWave]

I use Open Office. I works great, it's free, and until I encoutered the problem of being unable to open .docx files

My version of OpenOffice (3.1.1) can open .docX files - though I ain't tried anything too complicated.

The reason isnt so bizarre. The irony is though, they used the new format to be more open which has led to problems.

This is probably one of the few occasions I'd back MS, but considering what MS has managed to patent its really a case of them being hoist by their own petard.

 

[Padma]

The reason isnt so bizarre. The irony is though, they used the new format to be more open which has led to problems.

Actually, it's more like

1. They were trying to force users to upgrade to (read -> buy) the newer version
2. They were trying to make a new "standard" that was their own, thereby increasing lock-in

There was never any true attempt to make anything more "open". They manipulated the iso process (bribery, stacking panels, etc.) to ram their "open" standard through, and then actually dropped it. The current default Word save format (.docx) doesn't follow that standard. They have admitted that even they cannot produce output that meets their own standard.

And while they have now accepted importing/exporting the Open Document Format standard (.odt files), they have interpreted that document so narrowly that they have crippled the functionality. While they have truthfully claimed to have followed the format specifications to the letter, they have done so in such a way as to make it very difficult to interoperate with any other word processor that follows the standard.

That's why I save in Word-97-compatible .doc format anytime I need to be sure the end user can read a Word-compatible file.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Actually, it's more like

1. They were trying to force users to upgrade to (read -> buy) the newer version
2. They were trying to make a new "standard" that was their own, thereby increasing lock-in

There was never any true attempt to make anything more "open". They manipulated the iso process (bribery, stacking panels, etc.) to ram their "open" standard through, and then actually dropped it. The current default Word save format (.docx) doesn't follow that standard. They have admitted that even they cannot produce output that meets their own standard.

And while they have now accepted importing/exporting the Open Document Format standard (.odt files), they have interpreted that document so narrowly that they have crippled the functionality. While they have truthfully claimed to have followed the format specifications to the letter, they have done so in such a way as to make it very difficult to interoperate with any other word processor that follows the standard.

That's why I save in Word-97-compatible .doc format anytime I need to be sure the end user can read a Word-compatible file.

I should have said "to seem more open" rather than what I did say. YOu are exactly right though

 

[Greizer85]

Well, right now I just use Notepad since Wordpad takes ages to open files... And it messes up the prints every time, although I rarely print stuff so it's not as big a concern.

Really, this is the 21st century and there's no such program? My God, when did simplicity become a sin?

I have a very bad memory and an 'uncontrollable' mind, so I need a program where I can make notes on the sidelines, so to speak, or write stuff there right now that I'll possibly add later in detail.

Still hoping, still searching,

Greizer

 

[Genocidicbunny]

There is an excellent program for that. Its pretty cheap too, I think you can get it for like 50c
Best of all, its sold in almost every store.

Its called a notepad and pencil/pen. If you need to make a lot of notes, its your best bet.

 

[warpus]

It sounds to me like Pablodraw would suit your needs - wherever you click - that's where the cursor goes!

If that's your only requirement, then Pablodraw is your man.

 

[Greizer85]

There is an excellent program for that. Its pretty cheap too, I think you can get it for like 50c
Best of all, its sold in almost every store.

Its called a notepad and pencil/pen. If you need to make a lot of notes, its your best bet.

I like your tone of voice, man, I really do. However I have one question for you, no in fact I have two:
1. Which do you think is easier: having a real folder where you keep tons of papers (until it becomes full and you need another) that you have to flip through to find what you need, if it hasn't been eaten by your dog/little brother/quantum-sock-continuum yet - or a virtual folder where you can see all the files at once, can add as many as you like, and never lose one unless you fry your hard drive or accidentally delete one?
2. Which do you think is faster: write/erase on computer or write/erase irl?



Now that that's done with, thank you Warpus. I find Pablodraw a perfect solution otherwise (love the black canvas btw, so easy on the eyes) but it has one fatal flaw: it doesn't keep the 'canvas width' parameter when you save, and then when you open the saved file and adjust the width again (which is a pain in itself but one I could live with), the text looks like a total mess. I'll try to find info somewhere on whether someone has already solved this problem; there must be a way to do it since otherwise the extended canvas is a useless feature.

Edit: Argh... Cut/copy & paste do not work either; they're greyed out for some reason. I only just realized that this program is over 6 years old and active support seems to have totally faded. Damn, close but no cigar. What search words did you use to find this? When I try "cursor click stay program" I only get some custom mouse cursors and stuff.

 

[warpus]

I used to be an ANSI artist - PabloDraw came out right about the time when I retired from teh ANSI scene.

I was pretty sure they have been releasing new versions of PD.. but if not.. there's gotta be an up-to-date ANSI editor out there.. Maybe give AcidDraw a try - google it.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

I like your tone of voice, man, I really do. However I have one question for you, no in fact I have two:
1. Which do you think is easier: having a real folder where you keep tons of papers (until it becomes full and you need another) that you have to flip through to find what you need, if it hasn't been eaten by your dog/little brother/quantum-sock-continuum yet - or a virtual folder where you can see all the files at once, can add as many as you like, and never lose one unless you fry your hard drive or accidentally delete one?
2. Which do you think is faster: write/erase on computer or write/erase irl?

1.Which is more accessable? A real folder, or a folder on your computer? To get to the computer folder, you gotta bring it with you, you gotta turn it on, you gotta find the folder. Then you gotta know what your cryptic filenames mean, because im betting you dont remember exactly what is what. Then you have the matter of handouts. Suddenly you need to keep a real folder too.
I just keep my folders well organized and often in the time it takes a person on a pc to find the right file, I can have it out as well.

Oh, then there's the fact that you gotta keep all that backed up, make sure you dont damage your hard drive, and for gods sakes, dont get your expensive piece of tech stolen. Who's going to jack a folder full of papers?

2. Erase on a notepad is easy -- cross out the page, the line, the paragraph. When you're taking notes, you're not going to bother with actually erasing. As for writing -- well, it depends. I can write pretty fast and when Im writing on paper my ideas are much more freeflowing. I can take an idea and expand on it in the side margin, or easily go back to something I wrote earlier and add to it. Takes a lot longer on a computer without special software.

 

[Greizer85]

1.Which is more accessable? A real folder, or a folder on your computer? To get to the computer folder, you gotta bring it with you, you gotta turn it on, you gotta find the folder. Then you gotta know what your cryptic filenames mean, because im betting you dont remember exactly what is what. Then you have the matter of handouts. Suddenly you need to keep a real folder too.
I just keep my folders well organized and often in the time it takes a person on a pc to find the right file, I can have it out as well.

I don't do handouts (not yet, anyway). I am a bad poet (not emo though, thank God) and try to be a good one; for that a lot of writing is needed. I have a very disorganized mind, which helps with getting ideas but not with keeping things coherent; with the program I am searching for it would be possible to have many different concepts and ideas and even just words visible at the same time, so it's easy to make connections.

My comp is on nearly all the time that I'm up, since I'm an unemployed recluse and rarely leave my apartment. (At least I'm true poet material... )When I do venture outside, I carry paper all the time and use my cell phone as a mobile notepad.

Oh, then there's the fact that you gotta keep all that backed up, make sure you dont damage your hard drive, and for gods sakes, dont get your expensive piece of tech stolen. Who's going to jack a folder full of papers?

I do keep backups of all my files on a memorystick, although I admit to being careless and only copying them every few weeks or so.

2. Erase on a notepad is easy -- cross out the page, the line, the paragraph. When you're taking notes, you're not going to bother with actually erasing. As for writing -- well, it depends. I can write pretty fast and when Im writing on paper my ideas are much more freeflowing. I can take an idea and expand on it in the side margin, or easily go back to something I wrote earlier and add to it. Takes a lot longer on a computer without special software.

To the bolded: I don't really have to comment, do I?

Poems take a LOT of editing, believe me. I'd soon run out of paper. I've no idea how the ancient poets did it... Without computers I'd be totally lost. Sure, I can start on paper and usually have a better 'flow' that way, as you put it; but I always continue on the comp.

I have zero patience (which is why I cannot even write good short stories), zero organising abilities. Right now I must have over 300 files full of fragments in my Writings-folder (not nearly all of them in use, mind you). Some large, some small; some coherent, most not at all. As for actual poems, I cannot say I've had much success. I write in Finnish so it would be hard for you to judge.

I have one further question for you: what happens when you run out of space in the marginal, or have no room to add something between sentences that desperately needs to be there? Do you make a star* in the paper and continue on another piece of paper? 'Cause that's the path to ultimate chaos for me. You will lose that other paper, and you cannot remember what was that brilliant sentence that was on it. Except ofc that it was Pulitzer material. It's happened to me so many times; otherwise I'd already have won multiple awards.

(With the state of Finnish poetry these days I do have some real chances, although I must admit wasting 6 years on physics and chemisty etc certainly didn't help... Don't worry, you great rational minds; I am still searching for a day job, and I won't quit it right away even if I do get published. )

@Warpus: AcidDraw was clearly drawn on acid since I didn't get anything that made any sense out of it... But if these Ansi/ascii things are the thing to search for, I'll run through a couple of 'em and see if anyone's any good.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

I have one further question for you: what happens when you run out of space in the marginal, or have no room to add something between sentences that desperately needs to be there? Do you make a star* in the paper and continue on another piece of paper? 'Cause that's the path to ultimate chaos for me. You will lose that other paper, and you cannot remember what was that brilliant sentence that was on it. Except ofc that it was Pulitzer material. It's happened to me so many times; otherwise I'd already have won multiple awards.

Thats where your inherent organizational skills come in handy. How well you organize and plan things out really makes all the difference.

Now, since I dont wish to overly derail this thread: have you tried OneNote? May be what you're looking for, may not be. Certainly worth a look.

 

[Perfection]

Try Notepad. It rules.

 

[Greizer85]

Try Notepad. It rules.

It would if only the cursor would go where I click without already having been there.

@Geno: Thanks, I'll try that, although since it's a Microsoft product I won't hold my breath.

 

[PeteAtoms]

I think I used to have the formatting problem you did, and I found a simple to way to fix it.

Use OpenOffice. When you are ready to print, you can export the file as a .pdf file. It has worked great for me.