In response to my article about free alternatives to paying for Microsoft Office, (click here to read) a reader replied.: “The “free” software is bound to be accompanied by limitations. I have no use for the Google stuff which is being used by so many of my co-workers. The software has no depth and doesn’t “play well with others.” Thanks to Frank and Ron in the above comments for noting the issues in the other “free” software. I would be interested in hearing about Open Office from happy (or disappointed) users.”
I’m actually not a big fan of Google Docs myself. It works, but I don’t like the interface. Some folks love it and don’t use anything else, though. I don’t find Office online or WPS too limiting. ( I have to use WPS on my Kindle Fire since Office apps are not available.)
But I’d be interested to hear what everyone thinks about Open Office or any of the MS Office alternatives out there. Let us know in the comments and we’ll share your opinions in a future article.
I have used this for years and using Microsoft Office. I have never had any problems using it. The price is right and use both EXCEL and WORD and both work GREAT!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been using Open Office for years. I had Microsoft’s programs at work and was able to transfer files between there and home with no compatibility problems.
I started using OpenOffice (OO), probably around 2000, back when it was at version 1.***. I stopped using when it reached 3.0, and when Apache took over it. Many of the program “contributors” left OO and brought out a new program called LibreOffice (LO). Because OO seemed to start struggling a bit taking care of bugs and creating new updates for OO, I went with the “new” organization, which officially organized under The Document Foundation. They have taken off and left OO in their tracks. At least in my opinion. And it has spread across the world. Many companies, even city, state, and country organization have taken it as their “official” office program. And they have continued to update and come out with new features, In fact, their are now 2 “strains” of LO – one that is ahead of the other with “experimental” functions and one that is just behind it and is labeled as “stable”. I personally believe I made a good decision as I have never run into anything I wanted to do with an office suite that LO couldn’t do just as good as MSOffice. And its most outstanding feature is that it is free! I have never had any trouble with anyone that uses MSOffice having any trouble opening any of my documents, spreadsheets, etc. I save all of my work in the MSOffice format so they arrive to whomever I send them to as a MSOffice derived document. I save many of my documents, etc, to PDF format, directly from LO, just in case someone doesn’t have an office program. So, as far as I am concerned, and with the “trials” I’ve had with other “free” office suites, you can’t beat LO!