When comparing AbiWord vs Word Grinder, the Slant community recommends AbiWord for most people. In the question“What are the best open-source word processors for UNIX-like systems?” AbiWord is ranked 4th while Word Grinder is ranked 5th.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Lightweight and loads quickly
Pro Lightweight
Pro Good UI
Adjusting the options of the used terminal, you can get a nice retro look of the 80s, great deal if you run it on cool-retro-term.
Pro No mouse required
Your hands will always be on the keyboard and not jumping to the mouse.
Pro Simple learning curve
Only 1 key to remember: ESC (show the main menu).
Pro Minimalist
Just the tools needed.
Pro Distraction-free
Just you and your words.
Cons
Con Word alternative only
Not a complete office suite, you may require additional software.
Con Spell check not included in other languages
Dictionaries not included for spell checking in languages other than English. Hard to find or install.
Con Limited
Less powerful, with more limited typesetting, than other CLI apps such as Vim and Emacs.