Why Pay for Microsoft Office When You Can Own Open Office for FREE?
Posted: Sunday, April 12, 2009
by Mogama
http://www.mogama.info
On April 12, 2009, I visited the official Microsoft website and found this Microsoft Office offer: "Buy Office Home and Student, $149.95". I was just curious, because the other day, I received an email offer to pay $99 for Microsoft Office 2007. A third-party site was offering the program for $79. Wow!
Thanks to Sun Microsystems and their 20 years of open source software development, I still have the 2000 version of Microsoft Office. So far I have not seen any need to upgrade Microsoft Office for 9 years straight. That's right. My Microsoft Word is the 2000 version. I've never paid another $49, $79, or $99 for an upgrade that's just one license to be used on only one computer. And I do plan on sticking to this plan, which suits my software budget just fine.
I have found over the years that Open Office matches all the common features and functions of Microsoft Office punch for punch. (The only exception I can think of is Microsoft Publisher, of which I bought the 2003 version.)
When I first began using Open Office, there were some functional weaknesses with the software, and Microsoft clearly had the edge then, regarding ease of use. But Open Office has done much to close the gap to the point where I hardly notice any significant advantages to justify doling out more money for seemingly endless Microsoft Office upgrades.
Here is a brief comparison between Microsoft Office (MS) and Open Office (OO):
Starting with version 3.0 of Open Office, I noticed a feature that has me doing the dance, because I can't do flips. You can create a PDF (Portable Document Format) file right from within Open Office. All you do is click on "Export As PDF" under the "File" menu; you give your PDF a name as you would do any other file, and you're done. You may now open your PDF with Adobe Acrobat or another PDF reader. How neat is that!
Registration? It's voluntary. You don't have to register Open Office if you choose not. Not only is Open Office "completely free of charge", you can use the software for "any purpose" - personal, business, educational, government, charitable (nonprofit) organization. Also, install OO on several computers, give copies away to anyone, including your enemies.
Oh, one more think: Open Office has an Apple version. To download, head over to openoffice.org, click on "I want to download OpenOffice", and you'll be numbered among the 50 million downloads.
Thanks to Sun Microsystems and their 20 years of open source software development, I still have the 2000 version of Microsoft Office. So far I have not seen any need to upgrade Microsoft Office for 9 years straight. That's right. My Microsoft Word is the 2000 version. I've never paid another $49, $79, or $99 for an upgrade that's just one license to be used on only one computer. And I do plan on sticking to this plan, which suits my software budget just fine.
When I first began using Open Office, there were some functional weaknesses with the software, and Microsoft clearly had the edge then, regarding ease of use. But Open Office has done much to close the gap to the point where I hardly notice any significant advantages to justify doling out more money for seemingly endless Microsoft Office upgrades.
Here is a brief comparison between Microsoft Office (MS) and Open Office (OO):
- Word processing: MS Word - - - - - OO Text document. (This accounts for 99% of my usage.)
- Spreadsheet: MS Excel - - - - - OO Spreadsheet. (I have not used this function.)
- Presentation: MS PowerPoint - - - - - OO Presentation. (I use a different software for this.)
- Database: similar. (I'm still learning this feature.)
- Formula: similar. (I don't fool with this.)
- Templates: similar
Starting with version 3.0 of Open Office, I noticed a feature that has me doing the dance, because I can't do flips. You can create a PDF (Portable Document Format) file right from within Open Office. All you do is click on "Export As PDF" under the "File" menu; you give your PDF a name as you would do any other file, and you're done. You may now open your PDF with Adobe Acrobat or another PDF reader. How neat is that!
Registration? It's voluntary. You don't have to register Open Office if you choose not. Not only is Open Office "completely free of charge", you can use the software for "any purpose" - personal, business, educational, government, charitable (nonprofit) organization. Also, install OO on several computers, give copies away to anyone, including your enemies.
Oh, one more think: Open Office has an Apple version. To download, head over to openoffice.org, click on "I want to download OpenOffice", and you'll be numbered among the 50 million downloads.
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Mogama, nonprofit organizations love the Open Office suite, too because the price is very sweet! Great article!You bet! Thanks, Avis, for your comment. ~mogama~
I use Excel as a learning tool. My method involves being able to sort a range on any column with a single click. Open Office's sorting is not flexible enough.I mostly use Open Office for word processing, where I think it has caught up with Microsoft Word. In short time, I think Open Office's Spreadsheet will close the gap with Excel as well. Thanks, Natalie, for your input. ~mogama~
Great article. Well done.Ops... I just bought MS Word.I feel your pain, Connor, but you can still download OpenOffice and use it along with MS Word to begin your transition into paying nothing next time around. Thanks for your comment. ~mogama~
You know, I BOUGHT Open Office at Wal Mart a year and a half ago for $19.95!! Man!!!!!!!!!!!!!You've finally got your reason to hire a trial lawyer and go after Wal-Mart! You may have won the lottery, my friend. Go for it. Thanks, Ken, for your comment. ~mogama~
Glad to see a comparison between MS and Sun's Open Office. Been toying with the idea of trying Open Office, myself. I presume it's written in Java? Microsoft and Adobe (now-owner of Flash, Dreamweaver, Writer/Reader, Creative Suite) are greed-based "monopolies" that continually harass us with an "upgrade path." Like you, I have not the need for an upgrade since Windows 2000. However, since acquiring a laptop for my travels, of course it was at least upgraded to Windows XP, and Office 7, so I guess I'm not compelled to do anything for the next several years. Microsoft has made it their business lately to add spyware to your computer to keep tabs on "authentic" copies of their product. It is just a virus with an institutional stamp of approval.-gIf the Microsoft people had a clue they would relax their upgrade scheme by now, but I guess it will take more free compatible software programs from other companies to weaken the gorilla. Recently, Microsoft decided to discontinue the online version of Encarta. Not to mention they've already lost the Internet to Google and Yahoo in the search engine department. That's just a foretaste of things to come, unless Microsoft changes its ways. ~mogama~
Hi Mogama.That little PDF thing is slick! I'm just not sure I want to put another program in my computer. Seems like there is enough in there already. I have MS Office 2003 (the full suite) and am quite happy with it. Still, I don't know, sounds good and free is awesome.Thanks for the info.DianneI still recommend trying Open Office just in case your Microsoft program locks up for any reason. It helps to have a back up, and if you have a slightly new PC, odds are your hard drive has got more than enough room to take in a stranger - I mean Open Office. Thanks, Dianne, for reading and commenting. Enjoy. ~mogama~
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