WordSmith or Quick Office?

[mape245]

Which application is better. I want something where I can easily edit word documents on my laptop and clie and easily sync the files with each other.

[Lucid]

Well, I can't speak offer any insights regarding Quick Office, but I started using WordSmith back on my Handspring Visor. I like WordSmith, but at first glance it doesn't offer much beyond the integrated memo tool that comes pre-installed with the OS. Dig a little deeper, and you'll start to find the added features that make the difference.

Probably the most obvious is the ability to change the typeface -- bold, italic, underlined -- plus right, left, and center justification. It's simple, but let's face it, those are the fundamental adjustments that you really want to be able to make. WordSmith can count words and characters for you -- which can be useful when you're trying to guage how much you've written.

The most recent version, which I upgraded to when I got my Clie, adds several nice features. First, it now offers a spell checking feature and a thesaurus. I really thought that was impressive! It's not as good or as complete as the spell check software on your desktop computer, but I think it's quite impressive.

Also, the clipboard has been expanded, so that it can accomodate pretty significant chunks of text -- at least 500 words. On my Visor, it would take two or three seperate "cut and paste" maneuvers to move that same quantity of text. I also understand that there is a limit to the size of an ordinary document on the integrated memo tool, and that this is not an issue with WordSmith.

WordSmith has a small application that is installed on your desktop computer, that you must use to move documents onto your Clie. It's painless, but I don't think you can use a generic tool like MS Import. Every time you Hot Sync, it makes a copy of all your documents onto your desktop, in whatever directory you specify. They load up great in Word -- all the formatting comes through fine.

WordSmith also comes with a great manual, in .DOC format. It really looks like a lot of effort and thought went into the manual, though I must confess I have not used it except to look up the answers to specific questions. I suspect that WordSmith can do even more than I have uncovered so far -- I just learn about features as I need them, and its doing everything I want.

I'd like to hear what other users think about WordSmith, and about alternative packages...

Cheers!

Lucid

[MarieC]

I've tried QuickOffice Premier (the new version) and had some problems (freezes) especially with large Excel sheets.

But if you only want to use QuickWord, it's a great tool, especially since you can read native Word files without any conversion - just drop them in the MS using MS Import ;)

[jbarr]

I know this wasn't one of your choices, but what about Doc-to-go? It comes free with your Clie, suports Word and Excel syncing, retains most formatting, and has a relativly small footprint in comparison. It's quick, supports VFS, and I have yet to had any crashing issues.

[theredtomato]

I have tested Docs to Go, Quick Office, and Wordsmith at length, and I am leaning toward Wordsmith. Docs to Go is by far the easist to navigate. The scrolling is smooth and the "find" feature is outstanding. Also, there is live support. However, it kept on freezing when I used large documents and tech support, though helpful, did not solve the problem. THey told me it was probably caused by other programs that were not OS5 compatible, but was unable to identify any. The support at Quick Office is by Email, and it is mediocre. The product is just too flawed to use regularly. Wordsmith has mediocre scrolling, mediocre support, a mediocre "find" function, an excellent manual, and a simple workable interface. It is a little slower than Docs to Go but it works without kinks. None of the software really synchs properly. If you make changes in your address book on the PDA and on the desktop you know that when you synch all the changes will be incorporated in both places. For all three of the word processing programs, you can make changes to either the desktop or the PDA - but not both - before synching. Otherwise, extra files are created and it is very cumbersome. Actually, Docs to Go is the closest to a complete synch, but it is simply too full of bugs on larger documents to make it a real choice.

[redvette_ragtop]

I've used all three (Doc2Go, Quick, & WordSmith) and for editing, syncing, formatting, etc. it's WordSmith. I like Docs, it's not bad. Quick Office Premiere I am not impressed with at all. But WordSmith is great.

Brad

[elysian9]

WordSmith. A true miniature word processing app.

QO and DTG trail well behind in terms of word processing ability. Native office format on QO is great but DTG has announced that as a forthcoming feature and I'm sure WS will follow. Conversion are soon to be a thing of the past.

[itsBob]

just been testing quickoffice and frankly I can't stand it.

Quickpoint is a waste of effort, you're better off viewing your slidewshows is pictures.

Quickword, as has been said, doesn't compete with Wordsmith. The native formats thing would be nice if the formatting came out better on the clie (NR70 for me). After editing those native format documents, some of them lost formatting when viewed on my computer. Another ceased to open at all. And alothough it's an insignificant thing, fontbucket just doesn't compare to finetype.

Quicksheet, along with quickchart, is the only redeeming part of this package. Although it doesn't seem any more functional than the latest docs to go version, and I don't care much for quicksheet's interface, it does work. Someone else mentioned difficulty with large spreadsheets: I successfully opened and edited a 2000 name spreadsheet (8 collumn). That's not tremendous, but it's more than I would expect on my pda, and it even opened and edited fairly quickly. Don't try sorting though, that seems to hang (or take so long you can't tell the difference). I've also tried linear plots with quickchart and was impressed; a real helpful tool for personal use, if not presenation quality.

All in all, not a bad product, but not for me. I find myself hoping Bluenomad would come out with a spreadsheet app. Not holding my breath.

[Caleb_pearson]

I just can't figure out why qo premier is out right now, this is the buggiest program I have used in a long time, it is slow, doesn't look nice, doesn't format word documents well, and is all around shoddy... I deleted dtg on my clie because I thought this would easily take it's place... I was wrong, back to dtg for me.

[Sheltowee]

I have to take issue with the criticism of quickoffice. Yes it is buggy, but it is a public beta. It is also the first program that I can open NATIVE Word and Excel files. This is HUGE to me. I need that functionality so I can leave my laptop behind. I used Snappermail this weekend while traveling, was able to save the Word and Excel files to the memory stick and then open them with QO. For me this is a pivotal change that adds an extremely important functionality that now allows me to leave my laptop at home.

[Badandy]

Yes. I was thining of getting QO when I get the NX, but all of these things are persuading me. I NEED native file support, so I guess I will wait for the new version of Docs to Go. Will the version of Docs to Go be a free upgrade for use Clie users that already have the full version, or do the people have to pay for the new version?

[CrakerZ]

You can bet that it will be a charge for the D2G upgrade, but it shouldn't be much. When the Sony came out with the Hi-res screen, D2G gave NR users a free upgrade for Sheets-to-Go, in an attempt to get them to upgrade to the Pro version. I only use the Clie for Excel - in fact I have several hundred of them at any one time, and it works beautifully.

[Rick 098]

Wordsmith,only wordsmith.:D

[gyffes]

I've had to reinstall Docs To Go repeatedly as using it creates massive fatal errors. Further, I had a helluva time getting docs to actually move OUT of the docsToGo "loading platform" and onto Fred. Brutal.

Much easier to get WordSmith up and running.

[zeke87]

Do you think wordsmith will impliment native document viewing in the future?

[rob_squared]

I tried using both at once but it caused an incompatibility issue. When I reformat everything I'm going to try to install QuickSheets only and see how it works out.

[jlbunting]

i use quickoffice and love it. 6.0 version

[rxmedicine]

wordsmith all the way

[contempt]

Glad to have found this discussion. I was actually thinking of shelling out all that money for Quick Office Premier. Is there anyone who actually likes this program?

I've been a die hard Wordsmith user, but wanted an editable app for direct ms office files (not like Picsel or Repligo)

[gyffes]

I've been using the QO demo and I do not see much in it that WS can' do.

Though I suppose one should applaud native Word.

If, that is, there's any real reason to applaud ANY MS product...

[ErnieB]

If all you want is a word processor, I'd get WordSmith.  It is slightly better than the word processors in QO or Docs2Go.  It's faster, much more intuitive, and integrates nicely with your built-in memo app (so your Memo button fires up WordSmith).

If you need the other apps which QO or Docs2Go offer (like a spreadsheet), I'd just use the word processor that comes with those packages.

I purchased QO 6.0 and got Docs2Go 4.0 with my Clie.  I installed them both at one time or another and discovered I never used the spreadsheet.  On a recommendation, I tried WordSmith and really liked it.  Now QO and Docs2Go are off my Clie.

If you need to do some heavy-duty word processing or spreadsheets, I'd definitely recommend you purchase a laptop.  Nothing on any PDA beats the real thing on a laptop.  Or, if you really want to waste some megabucks, take a walk on the bleeding edge of technology and buy a TabletPC. :eek:

[gyffes]

Ah, Ernie, but then you'd be back to dancing with "the Beast of Redmond" (as the Register refers to 'em), and ain' that why we're Palming in the first place?

[Puppy]

EEK! Instability on the NXs with Docs to Go?!? Now you guys are making me nervous! I've NEVER had trouble on other handhelds. Is this a problem everyone's had, or some kind of software conflict?

Anyway, interesting to hear about Quick Office. It's the one package I haven't used. IMO Docs to Go and WordSmith do roughly an equal job of syncing. Docs to Go seems faster (at least on slower hardware). But WordSmith is definatly a more full-fledged words processor, right down to a spell checker and the ability to use actual truetype fonts if you want.

Also nice that you can use WordSmith as your memo editor too, which has the handy side-effect of being able to launch both your memos and word processing from a single hardware button.

Both are great programs, although I guess I'll probably be using Docs to Go now that I'm actually using the spreadsheet on it every day (the word processor is definatly worse IMO).

BTW, why do some of you care about editing stuff in Word's native format? What difference does it make, since it gets translated back when you sync it to your computer? Plus, the native formats of Docs to Go and WordSmith take up MUCH less space than the Office docs on your PC do.

[Sheltowee]

The native format support, along with SnapperMail, makes QO the only Office suite that allows me to leave my laptop at home. I love it, and will love it even more when I can save the files natively.

[Puppy]

Why though? Are you mailing Word files out from your Palm? I can't figure out any other reason you'd need the native format.

[muldermx]

im having a strange problem with the new quick office spellcheker - although it has been installed and all the files are there. when i try the speller it tells me the dictionary is not installed...

any1 have a clue?

[yoopermjm]

Wordsmith is the best. Works flawlessly and you already know how to use it!

I tried to go with docs to go because it came on my clie, but eventually came back to wordsmith. Why? For word processing, it's the best.

[Puppy]

Yeah, Wordsmith's the most full featured one I've used. Using it and the spreadsheet portion of Docs to Go would be perfect, I guess.

[theredtomato]

I tried various programs at length and ended up chucking Documents to Go and purchasing Wordsmith. Each of the programs I tried, including Quick Office, have flaws, but for striaght word processing Wordsmith is the best.

[Vince]

Funnily enough I have just canned WordSmith because for some reason I started having problems syncing it to my Mac (OS 9.2) But the application is a nice one. I am now using DTG and I have been enjoying the no-fuss syncing and keeping my nice wee tables looking all neat. I do wish you could have full screen view like with WS, and I miss the spell check. But with WS I had to save each file to RTF before I could put it on my Clie, a bit of a pain sometimes. Still, WS has WAY more features, but maybe your Palm device is best left for doing drafts out on the road, and leaving all the proper editing for on your desktop. I have to say that I am looking forward to native compatibility that works properly (ie when you make changes to a doc, you don't strip it of all it's native formating your Palm doesn't agree with - leave that to Pocketword methinks! - Sorry PPC people, that was a low blow!) I am also enjoying having a syncable spreadsheet - since there doesn't seem to be much out there for Mac OS 9.2 users. Maybe it's time to reinstall Mac OS X and learn! I think I am going to have to when I upgrade to Palm OS 5.xx... Though I AM kinda waiting for Palm OS 6.xx, since I think that will be the worthy upgrade for me and my precious pennies.

Sorry to rave on. I have time at the moment, and I am bored!

Vince

[lal2707]

I tried D2G and QuickOffice - in the end went went with D2G as it provided batter handling of attachments etc. Neither is perfect though!

[jdonalds]

I like QuickWord. I like the way it interfaces with Word on my PC. It has all the features I want.

[muldermx]

QO doesnt show pic is word docs...