OpenOffice - Anybody Use It?

RGD. · 08-29-2009, 07:46 PM

Like the title says - likes, dislikes, etc -

Thanks,

Ron

dunng · 08-29-2009, 07:58 PM

Yes, all of my home computers have it and any PCs that I fix get it installed if they do not have a license for MS Office. No real complaints, I just change the options so it saves all the files in Office formats for compatibility...

Tenor CS · 08-29-2009, 08:04 PM

I use it constantly. I run both Ubuntu Linux and Windows XP. I have MS Office installed on my XP side, but I rarely use it. OpenOffice does pretty much everything I need it to.

There is also a "portable apps" version that can run from a flash drive. Very useful when you are working at a strange computer that doesn't have MS Office on it.

hotreds · 08-29-2009, 08:09 PM

Yes- I don't have MS Office- never really felt it was worth the huge dollar investment.

XTRazzer · 08-29-2009, 08:41 PM

I've been using it on my laptop until recently when MS Office Home & Student dropped to under $100 for a 3 PC license. Although I do still keep both installed, just in case.

The menu layout is different and some functions are called by other names than MS uses for its applications. Once I got thrrough some of that, things do go faster. But overall I still feel the programs run slower than MS Office.

On the plus side documents can be done quite quickly in OpenOffice. I do like some of the user interfaces and options better than MS Word

Probably the biggest gripe for me is on the spreadsheet side of things. If I took an MS Excel created file, and then used OpenOffice, a lot of the data didn't transfer too well.

itsme_timd · 08-29-2009, 08:46 PM

A lot of my field techs have Excel docs that they need to fill out for job completions. If they don't have MS Office I always recommend Open Office to them and it gets the job done.

No real experience with any apps other than the word processor and spreadsheet but both of those work well for us. And the price is definitely right.

Eleven · 08-29-2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunng

Yes, all of my home computers have it and any PCs that I fix get it installed if they do not have a license for MS Office. No real complaints, I just change the options so it saves all the files in Office formats for compatibility...

What he said, I never use MS Office anymore

RGD. · 08-29-2009, 08:52 PM

Thanks for the replies.

A friend of mine does not have Office on her laptop and she really can't afford to spend the money right now - so I thought it might fit the bill for her. In addition I have been thinking about it.

I'll send her the link for it.

Thanks again everyone.

Ron

alley00p · 08-29-2009, 10:21 PM

I actually have a license through work to use MS Office, but because I don't have a CD/ROM drive on my Netbook, I can't install it on there.

So instead, I went to OpenOffice for the Netbook machine. It does everything I need, but I have to agree with one of the comments above regarding the spreadsheet program. A few of my spreadsheets in excel don't translate properly. But that's just a minor problem.

Can't beat the price!!!

bigloo · 08-29-2009, 10:39 PM

I like it but find the plotting in the spreadsheet to be very poor and hard to use compared to excel. Otherwise, if this is a not an issue, especially for home use, cannot beat it.

Jason · 08-29-2009, 11:28 PM

I've been using it on a visitation basis for many years and it's always getting better/more compatible with MSO. Unfortunately all I use MSO for is advanced spreadsheets I build for other folks to use on a network and a lot of the more complex forumlas simply don't work right in OO.

Excel has been so robust in the formulas department as well as working with a myriad of external data sources for so long that even if OO caught up compatability-wise I'd have a too hard a time learning all the new ins and outs of Calc to switch for good I imagine.

Writer is fine as a Word replacement I reckon but this is from a guy that uses Notepad 95% of the time

Barteur · 08-30-2009, 07:42 AM

I use it, sometime it takes me time to find myself but for what it cost I am very satisfy with it.
Also if you have corrupted files from Office most of the time Open Office can open them.

BigAl_SC · 08-30-2009, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XTRazzer

I've been using it on my laptop until recently when MS Office Home & Student dropped to under $100 for a 3 PC license. Although I do still keep both installed, just in case.

Probably the biggest gripe for me is on the spreadsheet side of things. If I took an MS Excel created file, and then used OpenOffice, a lot of the data didn't transfer too well.

This is me. Open worked great when MS was $500 but if you watch sales you can get Home and Student for $79. Most of my work things come Adobe or Excel and Open kind of mess's with the Excel data. I switched to H&O for the small price.

Titan410 · 08-30-2009, 03:30 PM

I switched to a Mac just under a year ago and installed Open Office then. It does all I need it to do. That said, Open Office tends to be a little "different" and I haven't used it enough to figure it out completely yet, but the price is right.

floydp · 08-30-2009, 03:48 PM

Its free and its competent Ron. I've been using it on a Macbook and Linux for a few years now.

08-29-2009, 07:46 PM	#1
RGD. God Like Status Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ron Location: Alexandria, Virginia Posts: 971 Trading: (1)	OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? Like the title says - likes, dislikes, etc - Thanks, Ron

08-29-2009, 07:58 PM	#2
dunng MassHole Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Greg Location: MassHole Posts: 4,719 Trading: (59)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? Yes, all of my home computers have it and any PCs that I fix get it installed if they do not have a license for MS Office. No real complaints, I just change the options so it saves all the files in Office formats for compatibility... __________________ MassHole Banter

08-29-2009, 08:04 PM	#3
Tenor CS Feeling Better! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Christian Location: Davenport, FL (near Orlando) Posts: 717 Trading: (2)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? I use it constantly. I run both Ubuntu Linux and Windows XP. I have MS Office installed on my XP side, but I rarely use it. OpenOffice does pretty much everything I need it to. There is also a "portable apps" version that can run from a flash drive. Very useful when you are working at a strange computer that doesn't have MS Office on it. __________________ When the world itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?

08-29-2009, 08:09 PM	#4
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,658 Trading: (63)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? Yes- I don't have MS Office- never really felt it was worth the huge dollar investment. __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

08-29-2009, 08:41 PM	#5
XTRazzer Still Watching My Back Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 131 Trading: (1)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? I've been using it on my laptop until recently when MS Office Home & Student dropped to under $100 for a 3 PC license. Although I do still keep both installed, just in case. The menu layout is different and some functions are called by other names than MS uses for its applications. Once I got thrrough some of that, things do go faster. But overall I still feel the programs run slower than MS Office. On the plus side documents can be done quite quickly in OpenOffice. I do like some of the user interfaces and options better than MS Word Probably the biggest gripe for me is on the spreadsheet side of things. If I took an MS Excel created file, and then used OpenOffice, a lot of the data didn't transfer too well.

08-29-2009, 08:46 PM	#6
itsme_timd Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Tim Location: Woodstock, GA Posts: 338 Trading: (3)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? A lot of my field techs have Excel docs that they need to fill out for job completions. If they don't have MS Office I always recommend Open Office to them and it gets the job done. No real experience with any apps other than the word processor and spreadsheet but both of those work well for us. And the price is definitely right.

08-29-2009, 08:52 PM	#8
RGD. God Like Status Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ron Location: Alexandria, Virginia Posts: 971 Trading: (1)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? Thanks for the replies. A friend of mine does not have Office on her laptop and she really can't afford to spend the money right now - so I thought it might fit the bill for her. In addition I have been thinking about it. I'll send her the link for it. Thanks again everyone. Ron

08-29-2009, 10:21 PM	#9
alley00p Adopted MassHole Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Charlie Location: HOCKEYTOWN! Posts: 1,770 Trading: (41)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? I actually have a license through work to use MS Office, but because I don't have a CD/ROM drive on my Netbook, I can't install it on there. So instead, I went to OpenOffice for the Netbook machine. It does everything I need, but I have to agree with one of the comments above regarding the spreadsheet program. A few of my spreadsheets in excel don't translate properly. But that's just a minor problem. Can't beat the price!!! __________________ Alley00p - I may be a FOG, but I'm still trying to dance!! Just don't trip over my cane!

08-29-2009, 10:39 PM	#10
bigloo Crazy like a fox Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Lu Location: Rose City Posts: 905 Trading: (27)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? I like it but find the plotting in the spreadsheet to be very poor and hard to use compared to excel. Otherwise, if this is a not an issue, especially for home use, cannot beat it.

08-29-2009, 11:28 PM	#11
Jason the thing under the thing Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: ok Posts: 290 Trading: (4)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? I've been using it on a visitation basis for many years and it's always getting better/more compatible with MSO. Unfortunately all I use MSO for is advanced spreadsheets I build for other folks to use on a network and a lot of the more complex forumlas simply don't work right in OO. Excel has been so robust in the formulas department as well as working with a myriad of external data sources for so long that even if OO caught up compatability-wise I'd have a too hard a time learning all the new ins and outs of Calc to switch for good I imagine. Writer is fine as a Word replacement I reckon but this is from a guy that uses Notepad 95% of the time

08-30-2009, 07:42 AM	#12
Barteur Golf is life Join Date: Feb 2009 First Name: Eric Location: Montreal Posts: 724 Trading: (18)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? I use it, sometime it takes me time to find myself but for what it cost I am very satisfy with it. Also if you have corrupted files from Office most of the time Open Office can open them. __________________

08-30-2009, 03:30 PM	#14
Titan410 Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Aug 2009 First Name: Vince Location: Georgetown, TX Posts: 353 Trading: (26)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? I switched to a Mac just under a year ago and installed Open Office then. It does all I need it to do. That said, Open Office tends to be a little "different" and I haven't used it enough to figure it out completely yet, but the price is right. __________________ I spend most of my money on guns, ammo, and cigars. The rest I waste.

08-30-2009, 03:48 PM	#15
floydp Team of 11 Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Frank Location: Here behind my wall Posts: 939 Trading: (0)	Re: OpenOffice - Anybody Use It? Its free and its competent Ron. I've been using it on a Macbook and Linux for a few years now. __________________ Waiting for the Worms to come.