Occasionally, I get rather irate tweets from the OpenOfficeGuy Twitter account about the overall usability (or lack thereof) of OpenOffice.org. Three weeks ago, I was sent a tweet opining about one user’s issue with using OOo for Macintosh and how their version froze and other problems.
Malcolm Pearson of the Tech4Law site, submitted this question via Twitter:
Why are the updates with OpenOffice such a mission? Is there tight integration with any legal software vendors?
Let’s start with the second question first. While OpenOffice was originally the released code of the old StarOffice by Sun Microsystems, integration with a vendor like, say, Microsoft, has been a slow road, most recently with MS Office 2007, which uses file formats that couldn’t be opened in OOo until Version 3.0.
As computer users start looking more and more towards new ways to save money on applications, it was only a matter of time before Microsoft itself would have to acquiesce and join the crowd. And last week, they made the leap, announcing that Web-based editions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote would be free to use.
But does this announcement mean the beginning of the end for OpenOffice? No.
You’ve read all the articles before about how rough things have gotten in the U.S. educational system. Cutbacks, layoffs and public requests for tax increases that have frequently been denied.
The idea of finding new ways to save a buck aren’t new. It’s just that most people working in K-12 aren’t generally looking in the direction of their technology options, particularly their productivity software.
As times get tighter, organizations are always looking for ways to save money. When it comes to software, more and more people are looking to open source for solutions.
When it comes to a rival to Microsoft Office, no package does better to duplicate all of Microsoft’s offerings than OpenOffice.org. And with the release of version 3.0.1 as a precursor to the much-anticipated 3.1 release, OpenOffice.org is becoming the increasing popular choice for companies who want to functionality of MS Office without the hefty price tag.
