I downloaded Writer recently, because I noticed it while checking out the author's new PodUtil software. Even though it hadn't been updated since 2002, its features sounded good enough to give it a try. I especially liked the author's tag line:
Ever want a simple tool to write with? Sure, TextEdit is fine for simple stuff, but often it is too simple to create anything useful. The most popular word processor is Microsoft Word, but it is a processor and memory hog. Sure, it's powerful, but when you're writing a simple letter to your boss, Word tends to be overkill.
Enter Writer. A balance between simplicity and power, Writer allows you to just get on with what you want to do, while at the same time offering powerful features to get the most out of your work...
Unfortunately, 4 years is just too long to go without a software upgrade these days. Especially if you want anyone to actually buy your product. Though it's not obvious from the website, Writer 3.0 is a shareware product that will nag you to get a license.
It didn't take me more than a minute or two to determine I'd be moving this package to the old-software dustbin. Two items failed me, and a third disappointed me:
- Writer can't open Microsoft Word files. This is such a standard capability since Tiger (TextEdit can now do it), that it's a glaring omission to not include this. The first Word file I opened failed to translate styles, fonts, etc., and was filled with binary gobbledygook.
- No antialiasing. Sorry, I just can't live without my Smooth Fonts, folks! Non-antialiased fonts is so Microsoft Windows.
- No Cocoa! The more Cocoa apps there are, the more I realize how great they are. I've got so many cool Cocoa-only add-ons that I really miss them when I have to use a non-Cocoa app. Writer is Carbon of some kind.
All of that said, I do hope the author finds the time for an upgrade to Writer, since he's got a lot of great ideas going on here.
