Softmaker DOES HAVE A 30 Free trial. I downloaded and tried it myself. And, BTW, I have nothing to do with Softmaker, and, in fact, after using it for a few days, I found I prefer the Go-OO version of OpenOffice.
To make such a patently false statement about a competing "non-free, properietary suite," would suggest, regardless of your claims to the contrary, you are associated with Evermore.

As in the Game category, I would encourage that this category be amended to "Open Source Office Suite of the Year".

Ya think??? Jeeze, these marketroids are getting worse that ever...>:-P

I love OpenOffice.org because of it's consistency and stability... specifically to be both open and compatible with most ms docs ppl keep giving me

Thank you kindly, Jeremy.

cwizardone,
That is exactly the reason I specifically stated here and elsewhere that I do not benefit from any contact with that application save for it's use. However; with so much nudging I just had to motivate properly why I said what I said.

Jeremy took the time to download and assess it at least. You know, one thing that baffles me about this fantastically free Linux world of ours is; why is it so damn difficult? We'd better get rid of our cynicism and one-upmanship, otherwise Billy's gonna keep on laughing himself silly.

But yes, I agree with pixellany and Tinkster that it's best to teach a man to catch fish. However, things like fdisk, dd and all the rest of it is like catching fish in your garden pond after weaving the net for the day. It's Linux, no matter the distro. Why does one have to go on a three day safari to find the simple stuff?

And I'm case in point. Just day before yesterday I wrote a post on reformatting a drive that was garbled because of a Fedora 12 upgrade (not recommended by Fedora). Just after that I fell on my face while I started digging to solve my own problem. Just like that the Demoimedo site on Gparted popped up. I saw that what I said on the subject was simply way off base.

And yes, I have several Linux and Bash scripting guides. However; right now I earn a crust by being a Handyman (no, not a jack of all trades). I need my computer as a tool to quote, 'tis how I bought it in the first place. I need to be fast, accurate and professional. Only way to survive.

To come full circle, that is why I recommend certain apps. They save time, they engender ability. There are more than just myself who find themselves in just this situation. Lone ranger and company jock alike. There aint no time to stuff mushrooms.


Ever dropped to the idea that patents on intellectual property (software) are the thin edge of the wedge in the door of man's intellectual captivity? Every Linux newbie lost, is a step closer there. Look closely and you'll see that our cities and tools are all formalizations of all the ideas of generations past. The software will go where the hardware has already gone.

Atlas Shrugged -Ayn Rand.
Future Shock -Alvyn Toffler.

Thanks, got that off my chest as well.

cwizardone, gotfw,

Got this back from Softmaker. The ticket is the date-time stamp.

[Ticket20100205080002NN] Feedback from
myemail@address
to: My Name

Dear customer,

there is no demoversion ready yet bacause Office 2010 for Linux is still under
development but you can use the beta version instead.…

I could be wrong though.

I don't know how well the other office applications measure up. I've come to depend on Open Office.org as my workhorse office application. It is so embedded in everything I do it would be excruciatingly painful to switch.

FWIW, at no time did I download or evaluate the product.

--jeremy

No competition for openoffice. it rocks again.

Thank you for the correction, Jeremy.

Well, that is because Softmaker Office 2008 is the current available version for Linux and a 30 trial is available.

BTW, why are all your posts made while you are using ms-windows xp? Do you have a Linux distribution installed on your computer? Browsing the 'Net in Linux is much safer than browsing in ms-windows.

Lmao @ 90.8%

Point taken on Softmaker, it's just that I prefer some research to make reasonable sure I don't sound completely stupid and waste others' time.

The XP is the sad part. I thought I'd have Linux up and running in a week - one main reason for getting the netbook. Did get it up, but in bits and starts. EIOffice is well tested with Fedora which is why I installed that. Wanted to go Gentoo in the first place, like to get my dirty little fingers in it. However; 'tis well stated here and elsewhere that I work under time constraints. I work with housewives and do small installations as far as I can stretch. Typically jobs run between US$70 thru 600. Quotations go out like sausages. My job rotation rate is extremely high. I was thinking and doing like a fox fifteen years before it hit the papers. I'm used to 19-hour days. Errors? no time. The netbook was meant to let me quote on the road without even a 24-hour delay. Personal service in the client's house.

I have time for this because I was forced to slow down. And it's not happening.

Linux will have to work like a pair of wire pliers before I get weaned off XP.

Also the net is a cinch with free software like Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird and avast! anti-virus, Spybot S&D, Filseclab firewall. In 5 years saw 7 Trojan horses, last week got 4 phishing attacks. There were some other forgettable things. The highest accolade you'll get from me is: "It works". On the standard of the Amiga philosophy of intuitive computing. No thinking. Like Glary for PC management and household.

So why Linux? Because I can. For the fun. It works, I just need to get up to speed.
And I can pay back to others that already put in effort to make things computer free.

openoffice all the way dude, easy, fast, compatibility with some older systems and understands microsoft office files (saved companies loads of money on software, MICROSOFT CAN EAT IT!)