Consider to try RagTime 3.2. This is a fully integrated office solution, including a word processor, a quite capable layout module with basic vector drawing tools, and a spreadsheet module with data visualisation. I produced several large documents using RagTime 3.2 on a PowerBook 180 with System 7.1. RagTime 4 is still usable on a PB180, but RagTime 3.2 is really snappy. If you want more than just a text processor but not all of the sophisticated layout gimmicks in QuarkXpress, look for RagTime 3.2. The application (vers. 3.2) is official available in a version to be used free of charge for non-commercial purposes. There is only one hitch: as far as I know, it comes with menu commands in
French and
German language and I did not find an English version, yet, There are only a few professional support
experts left for RagTime 3.2. However: as opposite to Word, you may fire up ResEdit at any time and dig into the ressources with ease. My copy has been hacked and modded, early. If someone would step in to localise a version in another language I would be willing to contribute (like proofreading).
A most recommended
manual is available at the used books store.
The current incarnation of this software is
RagTime 6.5.2, It is available in several languages, supporting Mac OS X 10.4.2 up to 10.10 as well as Win 2000 up to 8, and working with Linux using Wine (plenty of). On a Mac it does extensively support AppleScript! Current versions of RagTime do at least open and convert ancient RagTime documents, even on Windows systems.
The workflow is simple in any version of RagTime: choose the paper size, draw a container (frame) of selectable orientation and shape (i.e. a rectangle) and place content into the container. One may choose from content types as text, picture, spreadsheet, diagram (and more in recent versions), format containers and content at any time, set up rules to automatically create new pages with new containers and control the flow of content from one container to other containers. This application is still my favourite solution for desktop publishing, even in the presence of M$ Office (which costs less bucks but more time to achieve similar output) or OpenOffice (which is slow and lacks some beauty of the user interface). I would vote against Word 5.1 for layout work because of mediocre typesetting and layout results. Word can be considered as one of the least Mac-like programs you could find for Classic Mac OS (no matter if you look for the user interface or the programming style).
