Less is more with back-to-basics text processing

Some knowledge workers are dumping heavy-duty word processors like Microsoft Word and switching to plain text editors.

Plain text appeals because it is a lowest common denominator. It always travels smoothly between applications, operating systems and devices. The same can’t always be said for Word documents.

Text is compact, efficient, quicker to search and easier to manage than word processor documents — geeks write small programs to merge, sort and otherwise process text files.

They already spend large parts of their working life dealing with plain text. The format is widely used for settings and configuration files.

Simpler than word processors

Text-editing programs are simpler than word processors. Many have been around for 30 years or more with roots in the pre-graphical-user-interface computing world.

They use keyboard commands — writing memos and other notes this way may look scary to non-technical types, but it isn't much of a stretch if you've used the same tools to handle your everyday technical tasks for a decade or more.

There's an added bonus to simple text editing; the applications can bypass the computer mouse. Given that mouse movements are one of the most troublesome sources of strain injury, switching to more keyboard-oriented writing tools can make a lot of sense for those technical types who spend hours hunched over their machines.

Ergonomics

Similar ergonomic concerns explain why some professional writers are turning their backs on conventional word processors. However, this group has another problem: modern word processors are busy-looking. It's hard to concentrate on writing when there are so many distractions.

It's tricky, but the old Dos favourite WordPerfect 5.1 can be shoehorned into working with Windows XP. Making it work with Vista is more of a challenge. A small but vibrant user community at WP Universe provides tips and even drivers to make the software work with modern operating systems and hardware.

You'd need to buy WordPerfect. Two recently developed applications channel its spirit for free. Darkroom and Q10 are both stripped down text editors designed to offer distraction-free writing.

Darkroom fussily requires Microsoft .Net 2.0, a deal breaker for some, while Q10 mainly gets on with the job, but I did detect some beta-software strangeness with both programs. Perhaps for now, this is a trend to watch and not follow.

There's a useful review of Darkroom, Q10 and a number of similar programs at bweaver.net.