OpenOffice.org

My primary use for an office productivity suite is for writing and spreadsheet purposes. I also view and create Powerpoint type files from time to time. As a poor grad student, while I could easily find a free/cheap copy of an up-to-date MS Office, I would prefer to find an open-ended free source of office productivity software that runs faster, takes up less space, and offers similar features.

These desirable elements are all found in OpenOffice. Compared to MS Office, OpenOffice takes up less disk space and memory, offers similar features, and runs faster and more reliably.

On the features that are lacking: if you are missing functionality you want or desire from MS Office, you can probably find a plugin that provides that function. If you can't find a plugin that does what you want, and you have the programming chops, you can build the tool and provide it to the rest of us!

On usability: Sometimes some functions are hidden in menus that lack very descriptive names. If you want to maintain and improve productivity, you need to bookmark the wikis and instructional materials online that will quickly show you how to access the full functionality of the software.

As of this writing, OpenOffice 3.1 is the latest version available.

Word Processing: It has a word processor called Writer. Writer has built-in PDF exporting ability. It doesn't have built-in templates, but a variety of them are downloadable here (I installed many of them on my wife's new laptop, and she loves them). It has been reviewed as superior to MS Word, and can import those documents as well as most other document types, as well as export those documents.

Spreadsheet: The spreadsheet program is called Calc. Others have reviewed it, and reading those I consider it a fairly even trade for Excel. Calc and Excel both have functions the other does not have, but these are few, and Calc arguable has more functions than Excel.

Database: The database program is called Base. A database is not yet a concern of mine, though I might find a use for one in the future. Further exposition of this program is beyond the scope of my post.

Presentation: The presentation program is called Impress. Similar to Powerpoint, it's reputation is not as strong as Powerpoint's, and I've read reviews that put it at a lower level of capability, though that may no longer be the case. I am able to open my powerpoint files for my classes, and they look great.

Desktop publishing: There is no desktop publisher in OpenOffice, though there are open source options. Scribus is the only one I am even nominally aware of, but there may be others. Scribus reportedly can import Writer documents as well as HTML and Word.

Math: A utility built into OpenOffice is a program called Math that can compose mathematical equations in a visually pleasing and readable format suitable for commercial publication. Most importantly, these equations can be inserted into Writer and other documents as an object. Math can also be opened by itself for formula composition in a dedicated program to minimize use of resources. It may be a point of confusion in that while one may compose formula in it, it doesn't compute the formula t(hough if that functionality were added, it would be a great thing! Any ex-TI programmers out there into open-source?)

I'll probably build edit this post in the future to add links to all the sites, but to download the software, one only must go to http://openoffice.org to get it. Much general information about the software can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org.