You Don’t Have To Be A Slave To Microsoft Office

Posted on 29. Dec, 2008 by LesliePoston in Internet Tools, MS Office, Software

Open Source Office Solutions

The first place to turn for a Microsoft Office alternative is Open Source software. There are two main contenders here: Neo Office and Open Office. Both offer all of the feature rich options you want in an office software suite, without the cost or proprietary issues of Microsoft Office. Some users have a problem with the Open Source aspect of the software, as it does not offer the phone support and safety net of a branded package.

The wild west feeling of Open Source isn’t for everyone, but if you are not afraid to fly without a customer service net, you may love the Open Source movement. Each of the two office software suites offers compatible programs to the entire Microsoft Office suite, including a word processor, spreadsheet tool, presentation tool and more.

Online Solutions

If you don’t want to install software at all, but prefer to live life in the computing cloud of online applications, then the online-only office software solution is for you. Google Docs is perhaps the most famous of these (accessible by anyone with a GMail account), allowing you to create, maintain, edit, and share documents and spreadsheets online.

There are others in the online office software field, like Peepel, Zoho and ThinkFree, for example, which also adds some social elements to the user experience. The benefits to these are that they don’t take up valuable hard drive space, and are accessible anywhere – no need to remember that pesky external hard drive or flash drive. These solutions are ideal for people who own a MacBook Air, netbook or other devices with limited space.

Low Cost Alternatives

If you have a Mac, you are in luck with iWork. This software solution rivals and exceeds Microsoft Office, and it much more pleasant to use. Toss in the fact that it costs over $350 less than Microsoft’s software suite and you have a winner in the Mac space, complete with tech support for the people who were leery of using Open Source.

What is a non-Mac owner to do to compete? You can look for programs that handle specific functions, like WriteItNow or a specific spread sheet or presentation program, and build your own Office software suite for less money than Microsoft’s, or you can go back to the online solutions and try computing in a cloud.

Wrap Up

All of the software solutions and online solutions have one thing in common: they all do what Microsoft Office does, and they do it without breaking your bank. I left Microsoft Office a long time ago and I’ve never looked back. All of the solutions here will read Office files in Office formats like .doc and .xls, and all will save as or export to Microsoft formats as well. Once you make the switch to the alternative option of your choice, you won’t look back either, and your wallet will thank you.

Leslie Poston is a writer, social media guide and tech junkie. In addition to writing about all things tech, she conducts social media training sessions to help you bring your company into World 2.0 using social media and technology and is the founder of Uptown Uncorked.

4 Responses to “You Don’t Have To Be A Slave To Microsoft Office”

techandlife

29. Dec, 2008

I’d like to try Open Office but, like many, I need to use Word at work. Typically, I’m sent Word doc files with Track Changes turned on and I have to work in the document with Track Changes on and return the document.

If I import a Word doc file into Open Office, do you know if the Track Changes will be preserved, then can I continue with Track Changes in Open Office and finally export as a doc file retaining the tracked changes?

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Leslie Poston

29. Dec, 2008

I can do this using Pages from iWork, but had never tried it in Open Office. I double checked for you. Yes, you can. This page from the Open Office help documentation tells you where to find the setting (about half way down the page): http://documentation.openoffice.org/HOW_TO/word_processing/Word-to-OOo.html

It also tells you where every Open Office equivalent to every Microsoft Word setting is to make switching easier.

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techandlife

29. Dec, 2008

That’s brilliant. Thanks so much for checking that out for me. I’m hoping to transition to Linux from Windows in 2009 and that’s another step along the way.

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Ariel

14. May, 2009

Nice article.

I’ve tried OpenOffice, and it certainly meets the standard needs for word processing and plain spreadsheets and such, but it’s not much more than that, and if you already have acopy, it might be better to use MS Office 2007 than to use OpenOffice.org 3.0. (MS Office can also be used on Linux through Wine btw.) I mean, OpenOffice’s template things and formatting tools are very limited, and it’s only good enough for basic use IMO. You will be able to find some decent Impress backgrounds if you search for them, but PowerPoint’s are better

iWork, on the other hand, is awesome. It blows MS Office WAY out of the water. Keynote to PowerPoint is no comparison. PowerPoint is SO lousy; no 3D effects, no text slide transitions- *shudders*. Numbers is also totally awesome with a load of very practical (and visually appealing) templates included. Pages is also awesome with great editing and formatting tools, with an amazing selection of great and very professional templates too.

So here’s my analysis.

Features:
iWork(3)>MS Office(2)>OOo(1)

Price:
OOo(3)>iWork(2)>MS Office(1)

Add it up:
iWork: 5 points.
OOo: 4 points.
MS Office: 3 points.

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