AI word processor for Mac that uses only open source local AI models

[ittaboba]

Hi everyone,

I write essays on my blog and I built a word processor called Manzoni focused on minimalism and privacy. These have been proven valuable elements for writers over the years but I haven’t seen anything entirely built on these principles from the LLMs wave yet.

Think of Jan, LM Studio, GPT4All, etc., but instead of a chat interface, a word processor with inline local AI.

Key features:

• Clean UI to feel calm and focused while writing (in dark and light modes!)
• Inline prompt bar for brainstorming ideas and get unstuck without losing flow
• Inline edits to check grammar and polish text
• Prompt templates to start the writing process without staring at the blank page

Everything is powered by local AI models. 100% offline. No accounts. No tracking. No data leaves your device.

I would be happy to hear more of your feedback ❤️

Thank you!

 

[User #07242024]

I’m rarely on computer but interesting app nonetheless. On iOS / iPadOS I think—not sure—there are keyboard apps that use AI for word creation/paraphrase which allows us to use it anywhere.

Since macOS doesn’t have keyboard app, how can this concept be carried out? As menu bar app perhaps?

 

[ittaboba]

I’m rarely on computer but interesting app nonetheless. On iOS / iPadOS I think—not sure—there are keyboard apps that use AI for word creation/paraphrase which allows us to use it anywhere.

Since macOS doesn’t have keyboard app, how can this concept be carried out? As menu bar app perhaps?

Thanks for your comment! Yes, it could be a menu bar but it depends on what you want to achieve, without more context is difficult to say. What I am trying to achieve here is to provide safer, faster and cheaper inference by staying local. I also think the chat UI as primary way to interact with LLMs is suboptimal for some tasks like writing and coding

 

[User #07242024]

Thanks for your comment! Yes, it could be a menu bar but it depends on what you want to achieve, without more context is difficult to say. What I am trying to achieve here is to provide safer, faster and cheaper inference by staying local. I also think the chat UI as primary way to interact with LLMs is suboptimal for some tasks like writing and coding

Agreed, local is good for privacy.

For further context, some people have preferences for word processor e.g. Word, Docs, Notepad, Scrivener, Ulysses. If Manzoni can reside in menu bar and context menu, and be accessible anywhere other than its dedicated processor, I think it would be a big plus.

 

[ittaboba]

Agreed, local is good for privacy.

For further context, some people have preferences for word processor e.g. Word, Docs, Notepad, Scrivener, Ulysses. If Manzoni can reside in menu bar and context menu, and be accessible anywhere other than its dedicated processor, I think it would be a big plus.

I appreciate the feedback, thank you

I'd say Word, Docs etc. really come from a different era and you can tell the retrofit when it comes to AI features. It's everything but smooth experience. They probably don't even care about making it better. For some better options (not all) there's still a subscription fee which is quite incomprehensible to me. A word processor is a tool, not a service...

But you make a very fair point and it's something worth considering. Thank you!