You just got your new Mac and the trial versions of iWork and Microsoft Office are almost up. That paper is due next week and you can't afford to be without a word processor. Before you go and do something foolish like actually paying for these program suites, put down your wallet and check out some of these free applications that get the job done just as well.

Bean

A pretty straight-forward word program. It's basic but, because it's slim, isn't a memory hog like more robust apps such as Word or Pages. If you don't need a lot of bells and whistles and just want to write a good paper without a bunch of toolbars cluttering up the screen- check this out. Make no mistake, this little app has enough to get the job done. Those used to Word might spend a long time looking for font options on the toolbar. Thankfully, the Inspector button offers quick and easy access to all of your font settings. A real-time word counter on the bottom keeps you aware of how close you are to your assignment's requirements.
Bean is compatible with a lot of file formats including .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf and more.

Download Bean at: www.bean-osx.com/Bean.html

Writer

Writer is for those who have a little bit of ADD. It's a unique word program that's basic for a reason. After loading up the application, you'll be surprised by the lack of a user-interface. There are no toolbars, you can't change the font- it's just a blank sheet of paper with a few buttons up top. Now get to writing! The program comes with a set of really cool features for those of you that have trouble focusing. Writer mutes all sound, blocks your network so you're not tempted to get back on Facebook, and it goes full-screen to block-out any other apps that are running. All of this can be turned off through the Preferences menu, of course, but it's refreshing to get back to basics and just write. The program only reads Rich Text Format so keep in mind it's for making new documents- and won't read things like your old .doc or .docx files.

Download Writer at : supertart.com/qisoftware/Writer.html

Open Office

Here it is. The mother of all Office freeware. Open Office has been around for a long time but Mac users have only recently gotten a native version for Intel Macs. Not only does the suite of programs come with a great word processor, it also comes with a lot of other apps for spreadsheets, presentations, drawing, and more. It's compatible with any of the Microsoft Office file formats so you can edit, create, and publish anything from a Word doc to a Power Point. It works great and is, essentially, the same thing Microsoft is charging bucks for. Depending on your setup, the suite can be a bit of a memory hog but nowhere near as bad as some of the pay-for programs. With Open Office, you're just putting that college brain to good use and getting something free and legal. For those of you looking to get the feature set of Microsoft Office or iWork for free this is the best way to go.
Open Office is compatible with just about every Office file format from .ppt to .docx and more.

 Download Open Office at : www.openoffice.org