Many first-time computer users and veterans alike always complain about not having Microsoft Word or Excel on their computer. They’re always surprised when the system they buy from Wal-Mart or Best Buy doesn’t come with the entire Microsoft Office Suite, or with a short trial version. These are the standards when it comes to business computing and are pretty much required when it comes to operating your business. The catch for many bugdet-minded computer users is that Microsoft Office can become quite expensive if you want the entire suite of programs. Fortunately, there is an alternative.
The OpenOffice.org Solution
OpenOffice.org has become a widespread alternative to the high-priced productivity suites available from other software vendors. It has many of the same features available in expensive software packages at a very affordable price. In fact, it will cost you nothing – OpenOffice.org is available as a free download. It was first released in 2002 and has quickly become a hit with many computer users worldwide.
OpenOffice.org is an “open source” program, meaning that the source code of the program is openly available. Nearly a half million people have collaborated over a period of more than 20 years to create OpenOffice.org. The primary sponsors of this open source project include Sun Microsystems, Novell, RedHat, IBM, Google, and others. There are no license fees associated with OpenOffice.org and the program can be distributed freely.
OpenOffice.org Writer
Writer is the OpenOffice.org equivalent of Microsoft Word. It can be used as a word processing or desktop publishing program and contains many powerful features. You can use Writer to create simple one page documents or use it to create more complex works with images, tables, headings, and complete formatting. Writer reads and writes Microsoft Word documents and you can convert your documents into PDF’s directly from the toolbar – Adobe Acrobat NOT required!
OpenOffice.org Calc
Calc is the OpenOffice.org equivalent of Microsoft Excel. It is an excellent spreadsheet program that is easy to learn for beginners and contains more advanced options for the seasoned user. Calc reads and writes Microsoft Excel documents and some people find Calc easier to use than Excel. You can also export your spreadsheets as PDF’s – a feature that I have used on numerous occassions.
OpenOffice.org Draw
Forget about Paint or expensive graphics programs – use OpenOffice.org Draw instead! With Draw, you can create quick and simple drawings to complex illustrations and graphics. You can also use Draw to create flowcharts and network diagrams. I could see how Draw could come in handy for students who need to create a few simple graphics. Of course, if you plan on doing a lot of graphic work, you’ll probably want a full-featured graphics program like Photoshop or Fireworks.
OpenOffice.org Impress
If you need to create presentations, Impress is your answer. OpenOffice.org Impress is the equivalent of Microsoft PowerPoint. You can use Impress to create various multimedia presentations. You can also export your presentation as a PDF or Flash. Like with PowerPoint, there is going to be a slight learning curve if you want to use Impress to impress your clients. But for those that are already familiar with PowerPoint, using Impress should be pretty easy.
OpenOffice.org Base
OpenOffice.org Base is the equivalent of Microsoft Access. Although I don’t work with either Access or Base, I can see where having access to a free database program could come in handy. You can work with tables and forms in various databases and create new databases with the design wizards or use the built-in HSQL database engine for more advanced queries. Base is simple enough for beginners, but contains many useful features for advanced computer users.
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