OpenOffice/Microsoft Office

I love OpenOffice. As you say, it opens more or less anything up to and including old M$ Word docs that newer versions of Word can't open... and it's so nice being able to say to clients "I'm sending it as a (file type I think they are most likely to use), but if you have difficulty opening it, just let me know what office software you are using and I can change it accordingly."

I also love that if this computer goes pop, I don't have to dig out physical CDs and find the correct license key and hope that it'll still work on a new computer or OS - I can just hop on the net and download the latest version.

I found that I still had to stamp on it a few times to stop it from being too "helpful", things like automated spelling correction and layout features, but you get that sort of thing with the Microsoft experience too.

If I had one criticism, it would be the lack of built-in tutorials. The online knowledge base is good and has answered every question I've had so far, but I hate knowing that I'm not using it to anything like its full potential simply because I'm not aware of everything it can do. But I think that is largely nostalgia for the sort of word-processors we had at school where, once you'd used it for half an hour, you'd explored every option it had.

I recently made the transition from Microsoft Office over to Open Office - perhaps 2 or 3 months ago.

A relatively easy transition in general - as the layouts are aesthetically comparable for the most part.


Only complaint I have so far is Open Office seems to be a bit slower to open a file (perhaps an additional second or two) - not a huge deal.

I like it thus far.

Not sure any quicker, but is it only me who uses Google Docs?

I do use google docs, and I find it very useful, but only for the sort of documents that I want to be able to get at absolutely anywhere, or that I will be sharing/collaborating on. For most of my day-to-day stuff I prefer having it saved locally and being able to work without being reliant on connectivity, plus of course the increased functionality offered by full local software.

Not sure how much sense it'll make to the community here, but on another forum I compared it as the difference between a barbecue and a fully equipped and fitted kitchen - sometimes, particularly if you're out and about, a barbecue is exactly what you need, plastic cutlery and all. But for the everyday stuff, or for things where you want to be a bit more professional or do something a bit more complicated, a fitted kitchen is easier.

I use MS office myself but I do recommend OO all the time to my private IT clients and they luv it or they luv it the fact that its free not sure which.

I use OO, love it, few restrictions, but not many, and it means I don't have to have any Microsoft built programs on my machine!

Hi.
I use Microsoft Office on my Business chine, but on the two laptops I use
OO and find it very good.
I today purchased Tesco Complete Office at