Download: OpenOffice
OpenOffice is a free productivity suite compatible with all major office suites. Currently there are 2 versions available (both free), the older stable v1.1.4 and the newest v2.0 Beta.
An estimated 16 million people have downloaded OpenOffice, which is a great, inexpensive way to get Microsoft Office compatibility. OpenOffice includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, a drawing program, and database tools that allow you to access databases. There are a few compatibility issues, most minor, but most home users won't notice any problems. One thing that OpenOffice doesn't come with is a database comparable to MS Access, instead they allow you to use any database, such as MySQL, Oracle, or even MS Access. It does, however, have the ability to create flat-file dbase databases. The new version 2.0 Beta will improve upon v1.1.4's database components.
One of the best things about OpenOffice, other than its price, is that the features are familiar to MS Office users, and many common things are even easier to do, such as mail merge. A number of support options are available, including paid commercial support. For home use, OpenOffice is a great product, and for corporate use, I recommend a formal evaluation to see how it addresses your company's needs.
An estimated 16 million people have downloaded OpenOffice, which is a great, inexpensive way to get Microsoft Office compatibility. OpenOffice includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, a drawing program, and database tools that allow you to access databases. There are a few compatibility issues, most minor, but most home users won't notice any problems. One thing that OpenOffice doesn't come with is a database comparable to MS Access, instead they allow you to use any database, such as MySQL, Oracle, or even MS Access. It does, however, have the ability to create flat-file dbase databases. The new version 2.0 Beta will improve upon v1.1.4's database components.
One of the best things about OpenOffice, other than its price, is that the features are familiar to MS Office users, and many common things are even easier to do, such as mail merge. A number of support options are available, including paid commercial support. For home use, OpenOffice is a great product, and for corporate use, I recommend a formal evaluation to see how it addresses your company's needs.
posted by Peter at
11:30 AM
