@Joey @Mysterier Do Google Docs or OpenOffice have the same Track Changes editing capabilities as Microsoft Office? I might have to disagree with what is considered standard
I used to use with Google Docs when I was a social worker and it
is good for file sharing amongst a team in smaller outfits. But that is nothing a simple attachment to an email or a link to a filesharing server can't handle. One of my side hustles is working part time as an editor of technical reports for a huge multinational consulting company that nobody has heard of. The Track Changes function alone makes MS Word a lifesaver when proofreading, recommending edits, and/or adding commentary to a document. In fact, using Microsoft Word on a PC (not the Apple version) is required for my job. Same as when I was in grad school. If you are a writer, having your work critiqued and edited is 100 percent part of the game. Literally no one just writes and goes straight to publishing without going through at least one third party editor.
MS Word has tons of features for building a Table of Contents, page numbering, headers and footers, formatting, layout, design, etc. I'm the first to admit that not all of these features are user friendly but there is a Youtube video for everything on this word processor. And once these functions are learned, they become easier and faster to implement. Google Docs has hundreds, if not thousands, of add ons that you have to wade through and fish for and hunt down and read the reviews for. Why not use a word processor that already has everything you need in place? And if it doesn't, there are still add ons you can download for Word as well.
I also like that you can save a Word document as a PDF if needed, not to mention other file formats. It may cost a little money but IMHO you get what you pay for. I don't know any serious writer or grad student who
doesn't use Microsoft Word. It seems to be the standard that all the others try to copy. Yes I am biased but only because I have used it so much. I don't think it's an accident or coincidence why so many graduate programs and companies that employ professional writers on their staff require the usage of MS Word. If anything, that fact alone is the biggest clue as to why it is the best word processor on the market right now, and has been for years. Google Docs' biggest selling point is that it's free. Meh.
@neversickanymore you already said you make a good living. I don't know why you wouldn't want to invest in something that wasn't the best. No, I don't earn a commission if you buy Microsoft office. I'm just passionate about writing and editing. And don't get me started on PowerPoint!
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