Does anyone here use Open Office. If you do what do you think of it? Is it really compatible with Microsoft products etc.? Are there any drawbacks to it? Hubby is looking at the possibility of installing it on some computers in a non-profit organisation because they aren't going to be able to afford the Microsoft equivalent so we'd really like any feedback that you have on it. It will need to be compatible with Microsoft products as it won't be going on all the computers in the organisation.

Thanks.

Not as smooth as Windows Office but it covers all of the basics very well - just stick to saving the files as windows office files e.g. Word 2003-2007 and they'll be ok - it couldn't open the .docx files which are standard with version of windows office after 2007 but they may have found a work around for that recently. As standard I don't save files with .docx since there are people I know who can only open the older .doc files. I haven't worked out how to make "Calc" run funny emails created with "Excel" but I haven't really looked into it.
I'd go ahead with installing it

Open Office is great. My computer came with the full version of MS Office on it and I uninstalled it in favor of OO. Fewer bugs and glitches, for me anyway.

MS Office 2007 files are saved as .docx, anything prior to that Open Office will open and save as .doc as well as OO format.

I teach all my learners (mostly silver surfers) with Open Office as not everyone can afford M$ prices.

The menu is slightly different but easily learned.

M$ v Open Office
Word = Writer
Excel = Calc
Access = Base
Power Point = Impress
Publisher = Draw

Snoops advised me to try Open Office & so far it's been simple to use (what i've done so far anyway ) It's free, try it & you can always uninstall if you dont like it

Snoops, with MS Office 2007 - you can choose which way to save them, .docx isn't forced on you.

Thanks to those who have posted.

Hubby has downloaded it onto one of our computers and is experimenting with it at the moment.

If anyone has any experience of Open Office in a business setting rather than a home then I'd appreciate any comments from them also. At the moment it's looking like a good option!

Thanks.

Hi Kezzie
Yes I use OO on my laptop and I do have Micosoft Office 2007 I use both but OO keeps updating almost everyday and i'm not sure if it's just a glitch or if I really need to update it every day. I use either one depending on what computer I'm at. If was not free I probably wouldn't got it.

Core

Kezzie - I've used OO for both private and business - as long as you save the files correctly as microsoft office files it's fine - the problem I ran into was when the files were saved as OO files - email as attachment and no one but others with OO can open/access them.

Core, check your version. Openoffice is up to v.3.2.1.

It might be better to uninstall any previous version (especially any before v.3.2) and install the latest version rather than update from withing the program.

It may just be checking for updates rather than updating every day, mine does occassionally. (I think you can check the frequency of the update check somewhere in the settings.)

Late reply but I use OO at home and it does fine saving docs so Word can open them at school or others with Word can open them. And the Word docs open up in OO here at home so I'm a happy camper -- love my OO!