View Full Version : Office Suite Alternatives
matsie
08-06-2008, 08:55 PM
Hey guys. I've been using Open Office on my notebook for a while now and although I am enjoying the free alternative, I'm not particularly enjoying Open Office itself.
Do you know of any good open source/free office suites other than Open Office? I can always go back to MS Office. I still have the cds.
comhcinc
08-06-2008, 09:03 PM
i don't know of any more programs but there are web apps. have you tried google apps?
xfuuey
08-06-2008, 09:06 PM
I actually like the latest MS Office 2007. I really don't see many problems with it. What's wrong with going back to that?
anyway...
Try checking some of these..
http://www.msboycott.com/thealt/alts/office.shtml
(not sure how many of those are free though)
matsie
08-06-2008, 09:08 PM
I actually like the latest MS Office 2007. I really don't see many problems with it. What's wrong with going back to that?
Nothing. I'm looking for alternatives.
matsie
08-06-2008, 09:17 PM
i don't know of any more programs but there are web apps. have you tried google apps?
I really don't want to use anything where my documents aren't stored on my own server.
Plus, I want to be able to open a document if it's sent to me.
xfuuey
08-06-2008, 09:23 PM
Nothing. I'm looking for alternatives.
I gotcha...anything on that URL above any use to you?
rhug505456
08-06-2008, 11:02 PM
Lotus Symphony! This is based on Open Office but has been cleaned up a bit. This is not the Lotus Symphony from the 80's, but a brand new suite.
Free also.
What part of the office suites do you normally use? If it's a word processor then AbiWord (http://www.abisource.com/) might be an option.
lnxpenguin4ever
08-07-2008, 12:28 AM
I'm not a fan of OpenOffice either...but I still use it. I've been using Office 2007 at work...and I'm not too fond of how Microsoft ditched the old menu system. If you don't know what I mean...try finding the menu option to encrypt an Excel document or to compact an Access database...lol. But gradually...I'm getting used to the Ribbon.
But anyways...OpenOffice is pretty much the only one I can think of on the Windows platform. If you were on Linux...there's KOffice...which I never used...so I can't give any testimonials.
I've never used this one...but I just searched SourceForge...and a group made a fork of the OpenOffice project called OxygenOffice Professional. They must be doing something good...it's been downloaded over 800,000 times...
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ooop/
Hope that helps!
myketuna
08-07-2008, 01:13 AM
Actually, I got a question about this sort of stuff too. Are there any office suite alternatives that run well on older hardware? I have some old laptops and an old desktop that need some office-style apps. I've tried OpenOffice, but found it doesn't run so slick on them. Really, I only need a word processor and a Powerpoint-style app. I don't use spreadsheets or anything extra like that. I'm about to try AbiWord, so I'll see how that goes. And sorry matsie for like, stealing your thread, but I thought it would be better to post in here than start a brand new topic. Anyway, thanks in advance.
Oh, and as for the hardware that needs to run these apps. The apps have to run somewhat well on at least a 500MHz *or so* Pentium III with 256MB of RAM.
lnxpenguin4ever
08-07-2008, 01:29 AM
I was gonna say...depending on how old these systems are...I got Ashton Tate MultiMate laying around here somewhere...all 20-some 5.25" floppies...lol (and even a working floppy drive...LOL.)
Actually, I got a question about this sort of stuff too. Are there any office suite alternatives that run well on older hardware?... I'm about to try AbiWord, so I'll see how that goes.
AbiWord would be my first choice. If you are willing to pay a small amount (at least compared to the MS Office price) then Ability Office (http://www.ability.com/) is supposed to be a good, light-weight offering - there's a trial version available through the website.
cacogen
08-07-2008, 01:11 PM
Hey guys. I've been using Open Office on my notebook for a while now and although I am enjoying the free alternative, I'm not particularly enjoying Open Office itself.
Do you know of any good open source/free office suites other than Open Office? I can always go back to MS Office. I still have the cds.
You aren't a student by chance, are you? Office 2007 Ultimate can be had for $60 (if you are a student) starting again in a couple weeks.
I've a Vista gaming machine, but spend most of my time in Linux; Open Office is slow and shitty. AbiWord is feature-light, but quick. On my laptop running Linux Mint 5, I've installed XP in a virtual machine using Virtualbox, just so I can run Office 2007.
Really, though, nothing approaches Office 2007.
tdmeskimo
08-09-2008, 09:24 PM
i believe openoffice.org is the best open source suite, but there is google docs, thinkfree either download and web based, their is a free staroffice in google packs like openoffice.org. Your not the only one who wants doc to open up when sent to them, the open document file format will probable never be addpoted by microsoft, with that being said, get others on the open source alternative use of applications, help them save money, just about everything on my computers are open source and just a powerful as an off the shelf product.