AbiWord
This alternative word processor has many of the features, but less of the bloat, found in Microsoft Word. It can read and write industry standard document types, and is able to put together quite a spiffy layout.
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&mdash 3 so far
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Bean
An open source word processor that does more than TextEdit and is much speedier than Office-style software.
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&mdash 1 so far
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Celtx
Celtx specializes in story development and script writing for film, TV, theatre and new media. Features include a project schedule, media rich breakdowns, production reports, and collaboration. Amazing that you get all this free.
DreamDiary
Keep track of your dreams — or any other notes — by date and subject.
Eddie
Text editor features worksets you can save between sessions.
JDarkRoom
Simple full-screen text editor keeps distractions to a minimum.
Linotype FontExplorer X
Font management is taken to a whole new level with this widely praised program. If you’re not happy with the built-in solution provided by Apple, give FontExplorer X a try.
NeoOffice
Tired of paying tribute to Microsoft Office? NeoOffice is coming along quite nicely, thank you very much. It includes word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, vector drawing, database, and macro functionality.
Nisus Thesaurus
Pump up the free TextEdit that comes with your Mac by adding the well-done Nisus Thesaurus. Just select a word, and look it up with your Services submenu.
Ommwriter
An amazing and beautiful word processor that makes writing a true pleasure, with an innovative interface, soothing music and a tranquil background. One of the best new apps I’ve seen in a long time.
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&mdash 3 so far
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OpenOffice.org
Now that a native Mac version is available, this open source alternative to Microsoft Office is a worthy option to consider along with NeoOffice.
Schnippselchen Pro
Store, track and manage your code snippets. Supports syntax highlighting and dragging to your editor. Data is stored in the app itself for portability. Designed for programmers, but could be adapted for general use.
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&mdash 2 so far
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Simple CSS
If you’re looking for a simple way to generate style sheets for web pages, Simple CSS will do the trick. It even shows previews.
Smultron
Smultron is one of the best text editors around for the Mac, with a large and devoted following. This open source project is no longer being developed, but it works great the way it is.
TeXShop/MacTeX
An editor for writing TeX/LaTeX/XeTeX, that comes bundled with the MacTeX distribution. LaTeX is widely used by mathematicians, scientists, philosopers and scholars because of its ability to create complex typography and formulas.
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Also try: MacTeX
TextForge
A fast and efficient text editor featuring advanced search capabilities and customizable browser previews.
TextWrangler
Bare Bones has updated TextWrangler and is making it free. It’s got a lot more features than BBEdit Lite, so why not go for it. But watch out — you may find yourself wanting to upgrade to the wonderful BBEdit.
Tofu
It reorganizes text into narrow columns and let’s you side-scroll through it — making it easier to read. I was skeptical, but once I tried Tofu, I was impressed with how well it works.
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&mdash 1 so far
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WordService
Add a number of services to your free TextEdit, along with Nisus Thesaurus, and you’ve pretty much got a free, full-featured text editor. Find a bunch of other freeware you might like at the WordService website.
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&mdash 2 so far
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