Alternative to Microsoft Office Suites
When we visit client’s sites, they often ask if we can get the Microsoft Office Suites cheaper or how to install more licenses than the authorized numbers.
Obviously we do not tell the clients how to short change Microsoft. But we do inform them of other excellent alternatives to Microsoft Office Suites software: it is the “OpenOffice.org” suite.
They are consisted of Excel (spreadsheet), Word (word processor), PowerPoint (presentation), Access (database) and other type of software.
Our take is that unless you are using lots of macro programs within these Microsoft products, you would be able to use OpenOffice.org programs without much problems. This is true for most of our clients. OpenOffice.org suites read and write Microsoft Office file and other formats. And they are FREE!
Think of this: if you have 5 computers in your office, you would need 5 licenses. That would be around $1,000 or more. You could have spent that money on new computers or marketing campaigns.
Do you use Linux or Mac? No problem. OpenOffice.org supports both.
Drawbacks? Well, OpenOffice.org does not have Outlook equivalent for now. That is pretty much it, in our opinion.
We really like OpenOffice.org suites. At least please download them and give it a try.
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