Those interested in Microsoft Office should consider OpenOffice. Rob Pegoraro takes a close look at the Office Suite Software Without the Sticker Shock. His findings are mixed, but he likes the price.
Fortunately, there’s another choice — a free one, called OpenOffice.org 2.0. This open-source release doesn’t do much to alleviate the complexity of office-suite software, but it has brought the cost down to a figure most people should like: nothing.
This set of programs (Win 98 or newer or Linux, free at http://www.openoffice.org/ ) is built around its Writer, Calc and Impress components, counterparts to Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint. OpenOffice also throws in database, drawing and math-equation tools — but it lacks an equivalent to Microsoft’s Outlook e-mail/address book/calendar. …
OpenOffice, more so than most other programs competing with what comes out of Redmond, has to live in a Microsoft world. It can’t just function on its own, but it also has to read and write Microsoft’s closed, proprietary formats.
That’s a challenge OpenOffice can usually meet.
Thanks to Nora for the link.