word processing changes so fast and so often that leave us behind if we are used to one program, typewriting machine is almost dead, and one of few reason that they survive is because there are people that still stand for the class and uniqueness of it.
my first experience to a type writing machine was not to type, but to change the ribbon based ink. it was also the first time i was introduce to red ink. where the machine has a function of setting the color phase you want, which it was either black or red. My first character that left on that piece of paper was a ! and it follows with other alphabets that does not makes it in to a word.
using a type writer is basically fun, it was fun to play compare to a keyboard. not that it is easy to use, when you need a UPPERCASE character for every word when you begins a new paragraphs or when you continue to write after you finish a sentence with a full-stop symbol. But it was just fun. the sound of it when every character is imprinted on the paper itself, and you begin to type fast, and you will get the sound of a human-machine combo of "tat, tat, tat, tat, tarrat, tat tat tat", and it also make you frustrated when you found out that there is a typo when you finish at the last line of the whole page of article.
the texting machine change so fast that after i was introduce a computer, the first thing i learn was the layout of the keyboard, unlike the type writer, you just play on the paper, and i was being taught of QAZ, WSX, EDC, RFV, TGB, YUH, IJN, OKM, PL<, {:>, }"? and other keys on the board. After few classes of printed-keyboard knowledge, we were then being introduce to a real keyboard, of course putting up a full article won't be easy at that time, instead of writing sentences, we play a DOS spelling game, where you need to type few different words in order to win the game, as usual, i suck at it.
leaving primary school with much of using the technology, in secondary school, i was then learn about MS word, the most powerful word processing at that time, which you can align words, font style and a couple more stuff. Then it was follow by other MS product of excel and powerpoint which basically everyone used. no doubt that until now, MS still hold its market share as many businesses still use MS office as their core word processing structure, being it online or offline.
my first move that leave MS office, was basically notepad, and the only trick that i know that time was ".log" where everytime when you open your notepad, it will automatically insert the time and date of access, making it a log file for later revision. notepad was not the best, but it was at least the easiest thing to use, with no fancy type face, no dressing on your text as well as no pictures or links that you can network all your files. notepad is the last thing i need to get things moving.
after couple of years in using winXP, which i ended playing games more other things, i learn about open office, the first free word processing software that show you the simplest thing you need. open office layout no doubt is ugly (nothing change much on the layout, i still ugly), but it give you the basic functions that you are looking for to perform a full word documentation. when MS decide that XP is getting old, and with too many hacks around it, they moved to a new platform of Vista, vista introduce MS word 2007, where never seen before that WYSIWYG interface of word processing. word 2007 revolutionize many of the people i know, it gives a lot of learning experience for people who does not know much of word editing.
until the recent change to ubuntu, i was back on openoffice; well, noting much changed, except that the word processing is faster than it was back then and spelling check was improved; i also learn about google docs, where you get to prepare your documents online, as it negates the need of software installation expect that you still need the browser, but you may required a real proper internet connection.
But still no matter how you look at word processing, you will always need a chuck of software to perform. G docs may be fun to use, but in a country with unstable internet connection, you may pee in your pants when your 10 page documents is suddenly lost in transfer.
Back to basic, i think i may not be like those who are used to fancy typeface and visual based content; still now, i am using notepad and gedit to perform most of my stuff, maybe my.opera notes get my attention as it still display the same output as notepad.
For you that not used to notepad or gedit, try searching for online tips such as "notepad/gedit hacks", or "notepad/gedit tips", its fun, and you may also see that 9-11 has already been predicted a long long time ago.
