The general problem is that word processors produce coded output that cannot be read directly. It must be decoded. It is thus an imposition on people to include coded attachments, unless you know that all the recipients of your email can read them without extra steps. Editors The best way to do this is to use an editor for writing. You do not need a word processor.
Editors deal simply with what is on a typewriter keyboard.
If you want to use them to indicate formatting, you need to use formatting symbols such as those in LaTeX . But formatting is usually not needed until the very end, if at all. It is also installed on all of Penn's unix computers. If you use Emacs, you will need the GNU Emacs reference card . Pico, also available on Unix systems, is a very simple editor with just a few commands.