Open Office maybe looks "ancient" but it is a VERY POWERFUL program by FAR BETTER than the M$ stuff. Imho, MSO can not do what OO can!

I just don't have the money to buy a new computer every time M$ comes out with new version of windblows and I can't afford the price of M$ software as a point of persnoal pride I don't use or have any warz I have open office and it works just fine for me (but what do I know I don't have money to burn on over priced software)
even M$ says that it is as good and useful as office 98
about Office 97 I have seen places where it is still being used running on win98

Whitehat - I'd have to say that this comes as quite a surprise, as a Maths C student in grade 12, I use OOo for all my assignments (on Windows and Linux) and it does a far better job than MS Office. I mean have you ever tried to write a maths assignment with MS Office? you spend 3/4 of your time trying to get your goddamn equations to look right. OOMath is a god-send.

S_n = {a(1-r^n)}over{1-r}
(Insert>Object>Formula)

here is some ferther reading about openoffice
http://www.computerworld.com/softwar...,92195,00.html

I was pleasantly surprised when using OOo for the first time.

I preferred the look and feel of MS Office circa '97 to the newer iterations.

However, I am definitely in the category of people who rarely use 80% of MS Office's features

mark

It is alright if you put a lot of weight on the gui, MS banks on it: Remember when Ballmer was asked what makes the new Office better and why people should want to buy it when what they have currently is not that much different? I can't find the link but his reply was something like 'people will want to buy it because its new and it looks a little different.'


I think open source is the way. Yeah the new office software may have some features that are not available to us yet but that is because they have a hord of people sitting around trying to think up new bells and whistles that people might want.

Do they have tabbed browsing yet?

An application that puts the beatdown on its commercial counterpart: Cinerella vs. Adobe Premier

Explain that one in further detail.


Honesty I use them both. I wont pay for a full blown MSO suite though...not when I use OO at home. The only MSO programs I prefer using over OO is Word and Excel. I really don't use Access or Powerpoint for anything.

I think I would have to say that in the end I can live with some of my apps looking older and still having my overall environment looking oh so much better. I also feel better about myself when I no longer have to feel like the criminal I was if there was some sort of $500 program that I wanted or needed but could not afford. And lets face it, were not talking about accidentaly walking out of Wal-Mart without paying for a $10 umbrella, were talking about some pretty high dollar items. Now all the best programs are free. It's wonderful.