Open office or Office 2003?

mutley74

Thanks to all for replies...will give OO a try later today..when i get back from skiing in the car to town!

Bikertov

mutley74 wrote: »

Thanks to all for replies...will give OO a try later today..when i get back from skiing in the car to town!

You're a brave man - I am staying indoors today. Nice and warm, with the computer and the Wii ...

[Deleted User]

Bikertov wrote: »

While that is true to an extent, and in a lot of cases, it is not always so with software.

But it is in regards to OpenOffice, which is what I suggested.

There is a LOT of GREAT free (Open Source) software around, that is better than paid-for.

That goes both ways.

Look at Linux, and all the variants - it pratically runs the internet, and is 'free' (Open Source)

Actually, I thought BSD was more prevalent but doesn't Apache have the largest market share of HTTP servers? Linux as an Operating System is ok to develop on (when you chose the right one), it's not my preference but the requirements of the project come over and above everything else.

Ditto for Asterix (a telephone system product)

I'll have to take your word on it. I couldn't find much about it at all with a very quick search.

Then there is Audacity (Audio editing), VLC (AV playback), WinAmp (AV playback), IrfanView (image display/edit) ... I could go on

I'm sure there's a thread somewhere in this forum with a list of alternative software..

And if you are honest, 90% of people use only 10% of a software packages features.

As long as somebody is up to the standard of the ECDL Advanced then they should be comfortable in whatever package they chose as the fundamentals are essentially the same. Unfortunately, Microsoft Office is light years ahead of anything else, which is often where a lot of people will come undone especially if they have to delve into doing anything with VBA (which is quite common in Excel).

When was the last time you used any of the advanced feature of MS Word or Excel - OK, even the intermediate ones ? Do you even use style sheets properly, or formulas / names / pivot tables ? Pivot WHATS ??

Actually, daily. One of my main gripes is using Excel to the very edge of it's capabilities for certain things, but because the management teams want instant access to a lot of information on what we're doing and they have slender knowledge of Microsoft Office products, we're stuck with it.

See what I mean ?

Not really, but I did close my point with 'horses for courses' which I think covers most of your reply.

buglawton

As a matter of interest, can Open Office now create the new MS xlsx and docx formats?

Bikertov

anewhope

All very valid points, and as you so rightly say 'horses for courses' - I am not in total disagreement with you either.

... and respect for going through point by point, instead of just flaming me ! (and yes, for the internet I should have also said Apache, not just Linux :rolleyes:)

Clearly you are one of the (more rare) advanced users, but as I said 90% of users / 10% of the functionality - you seem to be one of the 10% / 90% instead !

Don't forget, a lot of people can qualify for the Home/Student editions of Office, for under £70 - the price of 2 games - so cost may not always be such an issue anyway.

sharkie

Plese note before you part with ££££, there i is a 60 day evaluation copy available from M$.

To be honest most of the time for personal use I use Write and Google docs, rather than either of the two.

Paatman, I believe that many offices are also using OO as the newish interface is to different for the staff that are not really motivated to learn a new interface.

NHS staff can get legit versions for under £10 and many of my colleagues and myself have not take up the offer. To be honest 2003 even 97 does most things that 90+% of the population wants. I said in one post that chap whom decided on only only having the new intuitive/ergonomic/workflow menu system should have been sacked for not give users the ability to switch to their old ways, even if it was a subset it would have helped!

Bikertov

Also, you gan get a FREE version of office 2010 Beta from the M$ website ... http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx

mutley74

Bikertov wrote: »

Also, you gan get a FREE version of office 2010 Beta from the M$ website ... http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx

interesting if this is a full working version?

i been told i can get discounted MS software from scome software education link as my kid is still in school! otherwise i will try OO and not my copy of MS 2003!

Bikertov

mutley74 wrote: »

interesting if this is a full working version?

Yes it is a full working version - Beta means it is still in development, but the late stages, so suitable for general release. They will then assess any bug etc before full commercial release.

You never know, anyone with a working Beta may even get an offer on the full license when it is released (wishful thinking !)


PS - how was 'skiing' in town !

-TangleFoot-

anewhope wrote: »

I'll have to take your word on it. I couldn't find much about it at all with a very quick search.

That's probably because it's called Asterisk.