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An increasingly credible rival to MS Office, OpenOffice.org includes powerful applications for making text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, diagrams, and databases, as well as HTML and XML documents. Not only does it let you edit basic documents, such as letters and faxes, it also handles complex and multipart documents with bibliographies, reference tables, and indexes.
The interface is similar to that of MS Office users, and even advanced Office users will find almost everything they're used to: templates, collaborative features (versions, recording changes), macros, and even a programming language. OpenOffice.org lets you open and save documents in formats as diverse as MS Office, PDF, HTML, and XML. However, it normally saves files in the open-standard Oasis OpenDocument XML format, for maximum compatibility with other applications. We were pleased to find that stability has improved too. No doubt about it, OpenOffice.org is a compelling option for anyone in search of an alternative office suite.
OpenOffice.org:Publisher's Description
From OpenOffice.org:
OpenOffice.org is both an open-source product and a project. The product is a multiplatform office productivity suite. It includes desktop applications such as a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a presentation manager, and a drawing program, with a user interface and feature set similar to those of other office suites. OpenOffice.org also works transparently with a variety of file formats, including those of Microsoft Office.
Localizations of OpenOffice.org are available in 27 languages, with more being constantly added by the community. OpenOffice.org runs on Solaris, Linux (including PPC Linux), and Windows. Written in C++ and with documented APIs licensed under the LGPL and SISSL open-source protocols, OpenOffice.org allows any knowledgeable developer to benefit from the source.
Among other new features, bugfixes, and improvements, version 2.1 adds multiple monitor support for Impress, improved Calc HTML export, and enhanced access support for Base.
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All versions:
4.3 starsout of 1,951 votes
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Current version:
4.6 starsout of 35 votes
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My rating:
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"Don't bother with MS office"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
I switched to openoffice a couple of months ago and I don't see myself going back to microsoft office any time soon. This program has most of the features that office has without the hefty price tag. All of my regular office documents transferred over to openoffice without a problem. I also like its interface which is similar to the pre-2007 MS offices. This makes it easy to switch from MS office to open office (in fact its probably easier to switch from MS office 2003 to openoffice than it is to the cluttered interface of MS office 2007).
Cons
It does take a couple of seconds to load up.
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"Gets the job done"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
I only installed the word processing portion of the application but I can say that it's quite solid and gets the job done. I am a student it's good enough for me.
Cons
the interface is a little different from Microsoft Office so if you are a diehard office user with no room for brain updates, stick to Office.
File sizes can be quite big if saved in .doc format, however saving in its native format is efficent. 68kb .doc file compared to 7kb odt
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"Amazing office suite, and FREE"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
I can't say enough about this porduct. I have had both microsoft office and corel wordperfect (still have wordperfect X3 on my computer now) but for a person who is univerisity and writes a large number of papers, openoffice is the one i always choose over the other two. Since it is free i have gotten many of my friends from school to also use it all the time now instead of the usual office and wordperfects. Some of the classes i have documents like spreadsheets are required, and you always here students either say they dont have the program and cant afford it or they'll just go and download an illegal copy for free from the net. Whenever i here people talk like this i always point them to openoffice and i think its a program professors should always mention to their students because it is free and its small download size and ease of use.
Cons
Only cons ive come across with this product so far is that it took me awhile to figure out you had to put headers on the page first to number them, and i wish more backgrounds were including for presentations or it was easier to incorporate your own backgrounds, cause I still got to corel presentations for class presentations.
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"Works great with Vista"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
FREE, My Vista HP laptop came with a trail of Microsoft. I was searching for a free Office Suite on Cnet and found this. Its great you can even go to Microsoft website and download all the templates and load them on this so it works and looks just like Office at about $150 cheaper. Also I noticed it only takes up half the hard drive space and far less RAM when you have it open. I think I will keep this instead of purchasing Microsoft Office.
Cons
None found so far.
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"Outstanding alternative to MSOffice..."
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
This is an excellent FREE substitute for the Microsoft Office Suite but even better is it's ability to read and write its documents in the Gates product format. Totally interchangable yet comfortable in its originality. Great Product - No problems aside from a lengthy download.
Cons
none that I have discovered to date...
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"Amazing, better than MSoffice"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
I like it.
It's free!
It's in many ways better than Microsoft Office.
Cons
not yet widely used
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"Fantastic"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
Free. Easy to use.
Cons
So it's 2 microseconds slower than MS, did I mention that it's FREE?!
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"I'd Actually Pay 4 OPEN OFFICE!! I wouldnt Download MSOFFICE if it were FREE!"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
It's user friendly and easy to use and learn. It's help menu is complete and easy to browse and understand. I have always been able to put it to use as opposed to any MS application.
Cons
Nothing yet found that might be dissatisfying in any way!!
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"GREAT !!"
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
this is a must download. you can even directly export files as PDF. That is as good as a PDF Creator. Aaaaand, it's FREE !!
Microsoft better watch out, you've got a tough competitor around here.
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"Excellent alternative to MS Office at an unbeatable price."
Version: OpenOffice.org 2.1
Pros
First and foremost, it is free. You get much of the features in Office that you'd care about for general use, but instead of paying an arm and a leg, you pay zilch, nada, 0.00 in any currency. It supports the OpenDocument formats, can edit and create Office documents and can export documents to PDF, a handy feature that Office does not have or requires you to find a plugin. It's interface is easy enough to get around if you've had prior experience with Office, and may be a better alternative to Office 2007's new UI for users who are used to Office's current UI. It is also cross platform, not locked to a particular OS like Microsoft's products.
Cons
It may lack features that Office has, but for general use it has all the facilities you'll need and I've yet to encounter any serious shortcomings. The interface might not be as pretty as Office. The major con is that it is slower than Office to open and load files, but a few extra seconds isn't exactly critical, considering it's pros.
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