"Open Office" (1 Viewer)

John Cantelo

Well-known member

• Jun 5, 2011

• #1

I'm sure most of computer savvy types already know all about 'Open Office' www.openoffice.org/, but the existence of this free software was a revelation to me. I've been looking to get a small laptop/netbook recently for when I'm on my travels, but was somewhat disappointed that 'Word' only came with the package for an extra £50 - a substantial % of the overall cost for a cheap netbook.

Co-incidentally, though, a friend recommended I try Open Office which is free. I have downloaded the latest edition of this software today and am rather impressed. It seems to do everything that Microsoft Office does and more (I can create a PDF with the click of a button, something I don't seem able to do with 'Office'). I also seem able to save documents created in Open Office' in 'Word format.

However, I am a computer innocent in technical matters so are there any advantages in using Microsoft Office rather than the current version (recently updated I think) of 'Open office? I can think of at least 50 reasons not to get the microsoft product all by myself,

 

Last edited: Jun 5, 2011

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Jun 5, 2011

• #2

Well, so far I'm seeing no difference between Microsoft Word and openoffice and I've been using it about 6 months.

 

delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment

Staff member

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jun 5, 2011

• #3

I've been using Open Office for some years now and really like it.

The only difference I've noticed, is that the spreadsheet hasn't all the features of Excel, but as I'm no longer working in an office environment, it does all I want it to (some of the things I didn't understand anyway, LOL).

D

 

Paskman

Well-known member

• Jun 6, 2011

• #4

For home, occasional, use I can see no advantage of using Office over Open Office. I use the latter on my Mac and it does all that I need.

Paul

 

C

Chris Oates

Why does a Black-headed Gull have a brown head...

• Jun 7, 2011

• #5

You need to look at LibreOffice as development of OpenOffice by Oracle has ceased.

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jun 8, 2011

• #6

Chris, on the Openoffice web page, there is a beta version downloadable with date from April 2011. That does not look like something where development has ceased???

Niels

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2011

• #7

Oracle have stopped developing OO, really

 

alancairns

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2011

• #8

Andrew Rowlands said:

Oracle have stopped developing OO, really

Click to expand...

Yes, they have. But they have donated their assets to Apache Foundation, who are undertaking further development.

Alan

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2011

• #9

alancairns said:

Yes, they have. But they have donated their assets to Apache Foundation, who are undertaking further development.

Alan

Click to expand...

Thanks, Alan,

That comes as no big surprise as the link I pointed to has "OpenOffice proposed as Apache project" as the title

 

John Cantelo

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2011

• #10

Thanks to all who've responded. I've looked at 'LibreOffice' but having already downloaded 'OpenOffice', which seems to meet my demands, will probably stick with it,

 

alancairns

Well-known member

• Jun 9, 2011

• #11

So far, they're not much different as far as I can see. That may change in the future, but who knows how?

Alan

(I must admit a preference for MS Office. I like shiny new things, and all OO versions look to me like Office 2000.)

 

Last edited: Jun 9, 2011

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jun 9, 2011

• #12

alancairns said:

(I must admit a preference for MS Office. I like shiny new things, and all OO versions look to me like Office 2000.)

Click to expand...

and I don't like the cumbersome workflow I have to apply in the newest MS Office, endlessly trying to find where the important commands have been hidden. Additionally, with the world going to wide screens, why is it that MS insists on taking up more and more space at the top of the page?

However, given that my workplace lives with MS, there is not much I can do to remedy that. Just have to get used to it I guess.

Niels

 

McMadd

You should see the other bloke...

• Jun 11, 2011

• #13

njlarsen said:

and I don't like the cumbersome workflow I have to apply in the newest MS Office, endlessly trying to find where the important commands have been hidden. Additionally, with the world going to wide screens, why is it that MS insists on taking up more and more space at the top of the page?

However, given that my workplace lives with MS, there is not much I can do to remedy that. Just have to get used to it I guess.

Niels

Click to expand...

Hear hear! Bloody ribbons weren't designed by people who have to use the crap Gates & Co dump on us that's for feckin' sure...

*opens new bottle of wine and navigates away in order to calm down...(calm down)"

McM

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Jun 11, 2011

• #14

I use OpenOffice at home for many of the same reasons outlined by John. One big advantage is that you get more columns in the spreadsheet with OO.
I think I'm right in saying that there's no equivalent to MS Access? But as I don't use a database it doesn't affect me.
Ken

 

alancairns

Well-known member

• Jun 11, 2011

• #15

I use Office 2011 for Mac, which allows you to hide the ribbon, and still has all the commands available from the Mac system menu.

Alan

 

Aahzmandus

Member

• Jun 16, 2011

• #16

Surreybirder said:

I think I'm right in saying that there's no equivalent to MS Access? But as I don't use a database it doesn't affect me.
Ken

Click to expand...

Actually, you are wrong.
There is an Open Office Database application as well.

Ever since I started using Linux, my dislike of all MS products just keeps growing and growing.

Sadly, I am still forced to use Windows, and more specifically Internet Explorer, for my everyday work...