All I need is a basic word processor with a spellchecker (I'm lazy), so I do most of my writing in the simple text editing program that came with my mac.

I also have the latest version of MS Word for the mac, but I rarely use it -- too many unnecessary bells and whistles that just get in the way. Word has no problems with reading the text edit files, which makes conversion easy.

Sometimes I get tired of working on the computer and rough out my stories on a notepad (legal size). It's nice to always have that option.

Another nice mac feature is voice activation: I can have the 'puter read my stories back to me. Even though this is done by a rather monotone computer voice, it makes me look at my stories from a different perspective and helps me catch bloopers I might otherwise have missed.

I use Microsoft Word. While it is true that it has a tremendous amount of bells & whistles available, I have not found it to be the case that any of those features encumber me. Any features that are not to one's liking can simply be turned off. However, the program does include many features that I am sure I will never use.

As I indicated to Paul on the thread where he submitted his article for critique, a good program like MS Word (there are a number of others) will make you a better writer. In addition to spell checking, a program that checks grammar is also a great boon to novice writers. Word also checks grammar.

As to the choice of platform, (Mac vs. PC) I prefer the PC. I know that Mac users love their machines but the fact remains that the business world runs on PC. If your computer needs include other business applications, Mac is often at a disadvantage, particularly if file sharing is required. However, if desktop publishing is your sole enterprise, Mac might be the obvious choice.

IronBelly

Scrue Gates...for text I use StarOffice or PrintMaster depending upon what I need. For brochures and booklets it's definitely PrintMaster. For anything really quick I may type myself an email and save in drafts as I go along.