[CrypticShift]

As a "text editor", in MS Word (desktop), I know you can double-click anywhere and start writing (and rewriting on the same line won't affect the position of other inline "text cells").

As an "infinite grid", there is https://strlen.com/treesheets/, but it is not exactly geared toward your aim (more like a spreadsheet/outliner combo, or "hierarchical spreadsheet").

[vfinn]

MS Word, huh. Hmm... Yes I guess it satisfies this one condition I have. Haven't used it for ages. But it's a key feature for me not to be cornered right from the start, so I would think it's ruled out anyway. Also, moving along the axes should be difficult without changing the document first, which is quite annoying, iirc.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned a Microsoft product, since I like Unix more. I just thought the problem is understood more easily that way.

Treesheets seems quite nice. Maybe I'll try it out, but I'm still hoping to find a cleaner alternative.