Scan & Fix 50 registry issues FREECNET Editors' review
Bean is a free, compact, easy-to-use text editor that occupies the middle ground between bare-bones apps like TextEdit and more full-featured (and more expensive) word processors.
Bean launches quickly and uses minimal resources, while giving you access to rich features such as live word count, tabbed documents, templates for boilerplate and automatic dates, page layout settings and in-line graphics, dictionary integration, word completion, plenty of import and export options, a search panel that can handle regular expressions, and an Inspector panel for making tweaks to text, format, and spacing.
Bean can't handle some specialized tasks, like footnotes and predefined styles, but this open-source editor gives you a lot of functionality at no cost--in a well-designed, pleasant-to-use interface, including optional split-screen editing and a two-up layout view.
Anyone looking to get a little more out of a free word processor with strong basic features and some extras should give Bean a try.
Publisher's Description
From Bean:
Bean is lean, fast, and uncluttered. If you get depressed at the thought of firing up MS Word or OpenOffice, try Bean. If you use TextEdit but have to jump through hoops just to get a word count or change the margins, try Bean. If you desire a simple, beautiful writing environment, try Bean.
What's new in this version: Bug fix.
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All versions:
4.2 starsout of 82 votes
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Current version:
0 stars Be the first to review this product -
My rating:
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"App froze when I added a photo"
Version: Bean 3.2.0
Pros
None that I can think of since it froze on me. I could not center the photo in the document and it just quit on me.
Cons
See above. Cannot save file is many various formats such as pdf, jpg, etc.
Summary
Maybe it will work for you.
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"flick it ;-)"
Version: Bean 3.0.9
Pros
I switched from TextEdit because I'd had finally enough of Lion's save issues and ridiculous headache-inducing glitchy zoomy animation when opening a file. I'm so glad I did.
Love the tabs but also that you can still have separate windows.
Love the fact that you have some white space at the bottom of the document so that you're not writing up against the bottom of the screen.
Love the full screen option, great for beating procrastination.
Adore the simple, no-fuss word and character count.
View options - excellent.
Love the easy zoom change so I can have things at 12 point as required, but can use zoom to make viewing easier on my small screen.Cons
I have to work out how to get a new document to show how I want it (have changed the prefs?) but that's probably me not Bean.
Summary
It's just the little things that make Bean so great for writing reams of text — I don't care about formatting, I want it down in a simple no-clutter way, and this just works, intuitively and very fast.
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"Really Great and Efficient Productivity Application"
Version: Bean 3.0.9
Pros
Free, Really fast, Full Screen Mode (no distractions), most formatting is available
Cons
- Not COMPLETELY compatible with formatting in full-fledged word processors such as Word, LibreOffice (OpenOffice)
- Some formatting features are cumbersome to accessSummary
Bean is a great productivity application. If you do note taking, write essays, or write anything that doesn't require a HUGE amounts of formatting, then Bean is a great option! It's not the most compatible word processor on the planet, but its one of the fastest! Opens in no time. Overall, it is a great, lite word processor. NOTE: use the "inspector" if you want easier access to formatting
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"Great Product"
Version: Bean 3.0.9
Pros
Works flawless all the time
Cons
None to report
Summary
Thanks for a Great program!
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"So far, does everything I've asked it it to do!"
Version: Bean 3.0.9
Pros
Easy formatting
Cons
Nothing so far
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"Best word processor"
Version: Bean 3.0.9
Pros
GUI is much better than any other word processor, lots of functions.
Cons
I have no cons.
Summary
The aplication is just what i need and it works smart and fast. Strongly recommended.
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"compact,easy to use"
Version: Bean 3.0.7
Pros
Ease of use
Cons
Did not find any
Summary
Great choice
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"For free it is one of the best."
Version: Bean 3.0.7
Pros
Does exactly what you want it to do.
Cons
Latest version 3.0.7 seems to have it all working. No problems yet.
Summary
Not quite as sophisticated as some more expensive word processing apps. but for FREE it is one of the best for the Mac. It is streets ahead of TextEdit. It will do me. AAAA
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"Does its job quite well ..."
Version: Bean 3.0.6
Pros
Zippy and neat; does its job very well.
Saves as ... a good variety of doc types.Cons
Has a strange printing quirk for me ... the bottom line of a page only gets half or less recognised.
May be to do with bottom margin.
I use a Samsung CLX-3175 mf printer.Summary
Zippy, clean and able to clean up other docs.
I use it for quick work on smaller docs .... does it have a limit on the number of pages one can post into it?
Columns and pagination would be nice but I guess that is for the big (expensive) boys. I really like Bean and am grateful to the kind souls who have supplied it. -
"Never had a problem w/this one."
Version: Bean 3.0.6
Pros
It has opened documents that others wouldn't or couldn't. It's never overly loaded w/application buttons
Cons
The application buttons could be enhanced somewhat so the user can better manage his/her work. It's a great work environment, and stands up to the best w/few to no crashes for me using Tiger on my iBook.
