On paper, OpenOffice makes a lot of sense. It’s free and OpenOffice.org claims it can do nearly everything Microsoft Office software can do. However, you may doubt that a free software program is safe and effective. Hopefully, this article will help you decide if OpenOffice is right for you.
What is OpenOffice?
OpenOffice is an open source software program. It includes programs for word processing (Writer), spreadsheets (Calc), databases (Base), and presentations (Impress). For those more familiar with Microsoft Office, these are comparable to Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint, respectively. OpenOffice is free, and users can join the OpenOffice community to help adjust, personalize, and improve the software programs.
Is it Exactly the Same as Microsoft Office?
Of course not. While built around the same basic concepts, the two are built and maintained by different sources. Microsoft is a company that focuses on the needs and wants of the public in order to make a profit. If the public doesn’t buy Microsoft Office, Microsoft is out of business. As a result, Microsoft pays people to think and redesign their software. Thus, Microsoft Office has some amazing features and easy-to-use software that fits public demand.
However, OpenOffice runs on a different principle. OpenOffice.org makes the coding freely available to anyone, which means that OpenOffice technically has more hands working on it than Microsoft. However, the layout can be clumsier than the smooth and streamlined Microsoft Office suite.
Who Should use OpenOffice?
If you’re looking for basic office software without fancy tricks and features, OpenOffice may be exactly what you’re looking for. If you don’t believe in paying high prices for software that has freely available competition, choose OpenOffice. If you want a strong community mindset linked to your software, choose OpenOffice. If you’re on a tight budget, stick with OpenOffice (you can always upgrade to Microsoft later).