Looking for easy & free word processing program

My computer suddenly won't read any Word docs. I have struggled on by using WordPad, but it won't let me put page numbers, etc. on things. I tried uninstalling and re-installing Word, but it still freezes up, so I was wondering if there is another word processing application that would have some of the useful things - like page numbers and "Track Changes" - without needing a bunch of bells and whistles. My Dell came loaded with WordPerfect, but honestly I'm too slow-brained to use it well (that's why last year I took my old Word disc from the defunct puter and installed it on my new laptop, and it worked great until recently).

Does anybody know of an application that would let me open and critique people's Word docs and compose my own?

 

www.openoffice.org

Free and easy to use

 

Downloaded and test drove it ... how wonderful! As Miss Piggy would say, "Thank you for helping moi - kissy-kissy!" My writers' group will be indebted to you forevermore!

 

No problem

 

Oh, dearie, dearie, me -- now Open Office is hanging. When I try to start the Writing program it says it's trying to recover a document. The only way I can get it to close is Ctr+Alt+Del and then End program.

Anybody know what I did to make this fine application quiver in fear the first day I used it? I run AVG Free and use Zone Alarm firewall and run spybot and spyware blaster and ccleaner and probably some other stuff I've forgotten, so I am *hoping* this is not virus-related.