LyX is an interesting piece of software with a unique set of capabilities. So, if you are frustrated with a clunky word processor and own a Mac, Bean might be worth a look. It is geared toward convenience and efficiency, and because of this fact, does not have some of the features of Word. That being said, as the developer says, Bean is not intended to be a replacement for Microsoft Word. One thing that potential users should note is that Bean is only partially compatible with Word. However, it will run on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. This word processor runs only on Mac OSX 10.4 through 10.6. Fewer distractions = more focused writing. Bean is a simplified word processor that allows the writer to focus better. Sometimes it just makes more sense to simplify. Instead of focusing on doing one thing well, software has become bulky and, at times, a bit inefficient for the task at hand. In today’s fast-paced world, the technology and software that we use has become a reflection of the way we try to multitask. One final, useful thing about AbiWord is that the developers offer real time support through chat and also provide a user manual. System requirements for AbiWord seem to be pretty reasonable, overall, and it seems to work much like its non-open source counterparts. Mac OS X (10.2 or later, Intel and PowerPC).However, SourceGear stopped developing the software, and a group of open source developers took over creating the later versions of the product.ĪbiWord is unique in that it can be run on a myriad of different operating systems: This word processor was developed by SourceGear Corporation as an alternative to other office software.

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