Some years ago I spent a long time looking for wordprocessing software that would be good for the students I was teaching, good for the teachers in the school I worked in, and good for me. There was such a program: it was called Microsoft Word. But back then the licences were very expensive. It simply wasn’t feasible to buy, in effect, 200 copies of Word. This was before the days of Google Docs and similar free programs.

The challenge I faced wasn’t simply a matter of budgeting. I wanted software that would enable me to address the higher aspects of the then ICT Programme of Study. They included efficiency, which equated to automation, which equated to (or could equate to) programming. Word, with its Visual Basic for Applications, would have been ideal. But, as I say, it was out of reach because of financial constraints.

There was cheaper software around, of course. Some of was even free. The trouble with it all of those programs though was their in-built limitations.

It may be true, as we’re often told, that most people use only 20% of the features of Word and other “high-end” programs. That may tempt you to buy or rent less pricey software that do not have so many features. Although that makes sense, I think it’s a mistake. My view is that it’s better to obtain the most advanced software you can afford, so that when the day comes that you do need a particular feature, it’s there at your fingertips.

As for Google Docs, it’s great, but advanced features seem to be mostly add-ons. I much prefer Word, although perhaps that’s because I’m so accustomed to using it.