Need an easy-to-use word processor on Linux, that loads in a matter of seconds and pulls in Word documents without any fuss?

That's where TextMaker from Softmaker shines. Although there are other word processing packages that have similar features, none start as quickly as TextMaker. Well... I guess you could use vi. That's faster.

Seriously, fast application load times can be a real productivity boost, especially for the word processor only user. Mobile users carrying around a laptop also hate to wait for their word processor whenever they power up in a new location.

As Linux desktops replace other systems, one of the first applications a business owner thinks about is word processing. Many offices don't use spreadsheets, drawing or presentation tools on a regular basis. OpenOffice.org offers all of these in a nice integrated package. And it's available for free download. It's a great package, but OpenOffice.org could be a little overkill for some users.

The TextMaker application is virtually painless to load and use. It has all of the great features of a mainstream word processor, including text and graphics formatting, lots of cool fonts, and merging capabilities. I found the package so consistent with other word processor interfaces that anyone ought to be able to start it up and use it productively in a matter of minutes.

I don't think a rehashing of word processing is appropriate for this story, so instead I want to focus on some of TextMakers's more useful and labor saving features. I'll also point out some areas that might present difficulties for readers.

You want easy? Here we go.

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