# How does one do Word Processing on a Chrome Book? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 2, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976 "2013-06-02T21:16:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/1 "2013-06-02T21:16:35Z")
I am using a Chrome Book tomorrow for a lesson I’m teaching. I have zero time in advance to work with one and haven’t before. Am I right in assuming that, in a wi-fi environment, they can access Google Documents? If so, can one use Google Docs with zero Google account? If not, where does one do basic, very simple word processing on a Chrome Book? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/2 "2013-06-02T22:54:31Z")
Moved Cafe Society --\> IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/3 "2013-06-02T23:52:36Z")
Chromebooks have a certain, very small, amount of hard drive memory, so in theory you should be able to save google docs to the hard drive and find it under the “files” app. I have never done this before, although I have saved .doc files to my chrome hard drive. The only word processing you can do, though, is through google docs, and I believe you have to have a google account to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/4 "2013-06-03T01:51:00Z")
Even if it can’t save, where can one do word processing on a Chrome Book? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/5 "2013-06-03T02:03:50Z")
[Here’s some.](http://silasbrooks.com/2013/02/04/top-5-word-processors-for-chromebook/) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/6 "2013-06-03T14:10:03Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > If so, can one use Google Docs with zero Google account? Why not just set up a Google account? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/7 "2013-06-03T15:40:42Z")
The basic concept of a Chrome book is that you use only web apps. It’s essentially a web-based operating system. If you want to avoid using Google Docs, the best solution is to use another online document service. Microsoft has one (with similar features for free users) if you’d rather use them. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/8 "2013-06-04T02:22:02Z")
Thanks, folks. I had to teach a sample lesson for a job interview today and I was told they would have Chrome books. As it turned out, they did and all had school provided google drive accounts and all was fine. I got the job, too! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-do-word-processing-on-a-chrome-book/659976/9 "2013-06-04T13:13:14Z")
Congratulations!