Ask HN: Lightweight Word Processors?

3 the__alchemist 3 8/6/2025, 2:26:00 PM

Hey! Has anyone found a lightweight and responsive word processor? It seems I've been using the same bloated office suites decades! (Libre/OpenOffice, or MS). I suspect the integration of spreadsheets, PowerPoint-like tools etc detracts from the simplicity of what a word processor could be.

A sticking point is being able to open ODT files. I've tried recently:

  - WPS: Feels bloated, and no ODT support
  - Abiword: Discontinued Windows support
  - Atlantis: Not ODT support

Comments (3)

Rotundo · 4h ago

I've professionally used WordPad on Windows for a couple of years as my only word processor. It did everything I needed, including ODT support.

Someone · 4h ago

> À sticking point is being able to open ODT files.

Doesn’t that imply supporting spreadsheets, PowerPoint-like tools etc inside text documents?

If so, you’d either want your tool to only open a subset of ODT files or have it discard parts of documents it doesn’t support (possibly with a warning on opening, or replacing them with a warning message)

the__alchemist · 3h ago

Nope! Just looking for text files (ODT)

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Ask HN: Lightweight Word Processors?

Comments (3)