OpenOffice - MS Office alternative?

[Tom]

Anyone tried OpenOffice out or use it regularly? I was reminded of it today when updating Java. I tried it a while ago and found it was a little iffy with MS Office compatibility but it might be better now. Would be nice to use a free open source alternative to MS Office, especially as I'm a bit out of date myself and still use 2000!

While I'm on the subject what about Google docs? Don't think I like the idea of using an online system.

 

[d-tour]

been using it for about 4 years, wont ever go back to MS.

The export to PDF feature is superb!

 

[Tom]

Strong recommendation, will have to take it for another spin now.

 

[TheMenace]

Personally I prefer MS Office. Open Office is really good but familiarity is a bitch. I can't afford Visio though so I use Open Draw instead for wireframing and that kind of thing. Really good.

 

[louie]

I have MS Office on my desktop (latest version) and I am used to it and always like it.

The laptop has Open Office and the only thing I like is the PDF export feature, otherwise not very friendly.

 

[Redfly]

been using it for about 4 years, wont ever go back to MS.

The export to PDF feature is superb!

Been using OO for a little over a year now. PDF export was NOT a feature I was aware of until after I installed. Now I could not live without it.

Of all the changes I made in the past year, OO was the hardest to get used to. Once I did though I will NEVER go back.

This change was a result of trying to migrate all my machines over to Ubuntu. Unfortunately, there is one application left that I use that is not yet available on Linuc.... AdWords Editor. The day that is available for linux is the day I say goodbye to MS forever.

 

[Gavin]

I'm driving myself to get used to Open Office and get away from MS Office. As Ken said, its a bitch for familiarity.

I haven't used Google docs that much, no need for it really.

 

[saufen]

Open Offfice

OO is fast catching up on MS Office. That said, it is not quite there yet.
MS Office, i-m-h-o, has made a huge leap with the new suite. I teach MS Office in my capacity as an MCT, so I am perhaps biased.

I have installed Open Office on several occasions for clients, who just want the basics but would still like interoperability with Microsoft programmes such as Word. Open Office manages that.

To summarise; if you like to be up-to-date with technology and can afford the arguably exhorbitant price, then MS Office is for you. If you want to pay "zip" but want to enjoy a suite of programmes that are not perhaps "leading" edge but work just fine and are interoperable with Word, Excel etc., then OO is worth a try.

...and a final thought...too few people are even willing to try non Microsoft programmes these days. They stay "close to home" and will not try Linux, Firefox, Opera etc. At the very least, download Open Office and try it out. You may be surprised...

 

[Geoff]

Firefox is great! I'm getting a new study laptop soon so I will go for OO and give it a whirl..

 

[Tom]

Well I downloaded it last night and after a quick look, it looks very impressive. It will take me a while to get used to the different apps, but there's so much there and the prospect of using something that's newer and fresher than what I've been using is very exciting.

 

[squibs]

What is MS office<->Open Office document support like? Would I have any hope of exporting a complex doc from one to the other and back, and have it still looking like it should? I'd love to switch, but most of my clients use office and if I cant exchange documents with them painlessly I can't contemplate the move.

 

[Forbairt]

What is MS office<->Open Office document support like? Would I have any hope of exporting a complex doc from one to the other and back, and have it still looking like it should? I'd love to switch, but most of my clients use office and if I cant exchange documents with them painlessly I can't contemplate the move.

I've recently been caught looking a bit of a fool in relation to this ...

I was using open office on my main machine and noticed some errors in the documents ... got back to the origin about it and was told it was fine for them ... opened it on another machine with 2007 and hey presto it was all there.

Another client just mailed on a doc and the formatting was very screwed on it in open office ...

So its great but there are differences