(Sounds of a struggle are heard)
Recently, when my old computer died and I had to switch to a new one, I had to switch word processors; from the normal Microsoft Word to OpenOffice, a program that was free and came with the computer.
My dad encouraged me to give the cheap program a chance, so I did.
I didn't like it.
As a budding author, one of my favorite features from Microsoft Word was the handy thesaurus available with a right click over a highlighted word. I was extremely disheartened by the fact that Open Office had no such feature, which slowed down my writing process quite a bit.
Also, even though I'm an avid reader and writer, I can't spell worth crap. So the spell check use was vital. Open Office does have spell check, but when you're adding words such as names of characters it hasn't heard of or creating new words for your story, the 'add' button on Open Office was extremely inconvenient. Not only did I have to choose which dictionary to put the new word in (why should I care? as long as it's in the database, I'm fine), but I also had to decipher what each dictionary even was. Also, the spell check on OpenOffice is apparently not as smart, because it has problems guessing what word you're trying to type, wheres Microsoft Word picks it up much easier and has a wider knowledge of words.
Also, when adding pictures to your document, OpenOffice doesn't have a very clear 'picture toolbar', so it's harder to move it around and work with the settings. In Microsoft Word, it's much simpler and more clearly labled.
In addition, Microsoft Word also has a cleaner, clearer look than OpenOffice, making it easier on the eyes, and more aesthetically pleasing.
One thing I do like about OpenOffice is that you can change the case (UPPER or lower) without typing the whole thing over. (ex. you accidentally hit Caps Lock, and you don't want to have to re-type everything, so you just change the case). I don't think that Word has this feature, but I could be wrong.
So, basically, if all you're looking for is a basic word processor with limited features for things like letters or school projects that don't require much creativity or originality, then OpenOffice is for you. But if you're like me, someone who writes frequently and is in constant need of adding new words to the dictionary or assessing a thesaurus quickly, then stop being cheap and get Microsoft Word. It really is worth it.
-Can I get Microsoft Word now, dad?