Words on a page

Word processors are useful tools for writers. But for the most basic of our tasks – writing – a word processor can be overkill at times. While I do a considerable amount of writing in a word processor (mainly OpenOffice.org Writer or TextMaker), I actually use a text editor for most of my writing.

Why? Ease of use, low system overhead, and the fact that there are no features that I really don’t use cluttering up the interface or tempting me. A text editor is perfect for getting words onto a page. Or, in this case, onto a screen and into a file, which can later be imported into a word processor if needed.

I’m not the only one who thinks this way. Here’s another take on using a text editor to write.