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“Angela, Can You Recommend An Affordable Laptop And Software For Writers?”

March 1, 2018

“Angela, Can You Recommend An Affordable Laptop And Software For Writers?”
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Q –

Hi Angela,

A friend of mine wrote a book via typing. It’s 196 pages. He would like me to type it onto a computer, and get it published. I am researching buying a new laptop or desktop to help him. I was wondering if you could help me narrow down a computer choice, or at least let me know what type of software to use.

Thank you,

SK

A –

We all use ASUS laptops here. And, we’re very happy with them. Not only is the price really good, but you can still order them online with Windows 8. Windows 10 had tons of glitches. When my system forced me (tricked me?) into downloading it one day, most of my software programs then didn’t work. We had to jump through hoops to uninstall Windows 10 because I wasn’t keen on spending thousands on new software. Also, I would have missed several days of work because Windows 10 made my work impossible to do.

For writing, I recommend MSWord. However, don’t sign up for their online service because, rather than paying once for the software, they’ll charge your credit card $9.99 per month, which is ludicrous!!

You can buy older versions of MSWord, which work just fine, on ebay.com. And, you’ll receive the CD in the mail so you can reinstall it in the future if you ever have computer problems. We order other software this way as well since so many software companies are switching to the “pay-us-by-the-month” (subscription) method.

Since we embarked on our minimalist lifestyle over a year and a half ago, I’m all about saving money, and not getting stuck with yet another ongoing monthly financial obligation.

So, readers, feel free to ask me any questions you might have about money-saving ideas for writers. 🙂

Angela

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5 Responses to "“Angela, Can You Recommend An Affordable Laptop And Software For Writers?”"

  1. pamelaallegretto  March 2, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    I am also a fan of MS Word. It’s interesting to learn about your Windows 10 experience. I have Windows 8.1. When they were offering a free upgrade to 10, I hemmed and hawed, but ultimately declined. Glad I did.

  2. Logan Harbaugh  March 2, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    OpenOffice is an excellent substitute for MS Office, and is free. The most recent version easily handles documents formatted as Word files, and can save in Word format as well. While Windows 10 has improved a lot since the original Windows 8 upgrade scam, Linux is an excellent alternative, and also free.

    • By Angela Hoy - Publisher of WritersWeekly.com  March 3, 2018 at 11:44 am

      OpenOffice is not fully compatible with MSWord. When we exchange MSWord files with authors using OpenOffice, they come back with broken formatting.

  3. wmba dams  March 2, 2018 at 11:10 am

    For mere wordprocessing a much cheaper linux machine will run the free libreoffice and have fewer problems and annoyances than any windoze box. You can get a raspberry pi kit for under $35 that will use a tv with hdmi for the monitor; add a keyboard and mouse for $20 plus borrow a couple of other items you already have like usb charging cable and your pc is ready to use. The alternative is to get a dell on sale. I got a win10 dell laptop for $129. You can still run libreoffice or other free word processors on it.

  4. James Archibald  March 2, 2018 at 1:31 am

    Hi Angela;
    I don’t know if you have ever looked at the open source software called “Open Office”?
    It is a free software package very similar to MS Office.
    The only thing missing is the Email client “Outlook”.
    It has a word processor just called “Writer” that is very close to MS Word.
    I have both and must say I prefer Word but if someone is on a tight budget Writer might be a good choice, and it’s free.
    Cheers
    Jim