free, Open Source alternative to Microsoft Office

OpenOffice.org is a free, Open Source alternative to MS Office with a Word compatible word processor, a complete Excel compatible spread sheet program and a Power Point like presentation software and drawing program and also allows to save to PDF file.

In addition, OpenOffice.org offers enhanced printing capabilities and options for direct connection with external email programs as well as form-letter management to send letters to addresses from a database.

WRITER is OpenOffice.org\'s word processor: use it for anything from writing a quick letter to producing an entire book with embedded illustrations, cross-references, tables of contents, indexes, bibliographies... Auto-complete, auto-format, and real-time spelling check make light work of the hardest task. Writer is powerful enough to tackle desktop publishing tasks such as creating multi-column newsletters, brochures � the only limit is your imagination.

Use CALC to bring your numbers under control. This powerful spreadsheet has all the tools you need to calculate, analyse, summarise, and present your data in numerical reports or sizzling graphics. A fully-integrated help system makes entering complex formulas a breeze. Sophisticated decision-making tools are just a few mouse clicks away. Pull in external data using the Data Pilot, and sort it, filter it, and produce subtotals and statistical analyses. Use previews to select from thirteen categories of 2-D and 3-D charts including line, area, column, pie, XY, stock and net with dozens of variants.

IMPRESS is the fastest, most powerful way to create effective multimedia presentations. Your presentations will truly stand out with special effects, animation and high-impact drawing tools.

DRAW will produce everything from simple diagrams to dynamic 3D illustrations and special effects.

As the name suggests, OpenOffice.org is the most open office suite available:
￭ no commercial licences or software compliance issues to worry about
￭ no language barriers - if it\'s not yet available in your language, the chances are it will be soon
￭ available on all major computing platforms
￭ the first office suite to comply with the OASIS OpenDocument format
￭ the source code for the software is freely available under a full OSI certified licence

OpenOffice.org is synonymous with quality
￭ the roots of OpenOffice.org go back twenty years, creating a huge wealth of experience
￭ hundreds of thousands of users have participated in the beta testing of version 2
￭ with a fully open development process, OpenOffice.org has nothing to hide - the product stands or falls on its reputation

OpenOffice.org is friendly
￭ the software looks and feels familiar and is instantly usable by anyone who has used a competitive product
￭ it\'s easy to change to OpenOffice.org - the software reads all major competitors\' files
￭ OpenOffice.org is supported by a global community of friendly volunteers, only too happy to provide assistance to newcomers and advanced users alike

Here are some key features of \"OpenOffice.org\":

OpenOffice.org writer - The powerful word processor:
· The powerful word processor
· Wizards to produce standard documents such as letters, faxes, agendas, minutes.
· Styles and Formatting to put the power of style sheets into the hands of every user.
· AutoCorrect dictionary, which can check your spelling as you type.
· AutoComplete to make typing easy
· Text frames and linking for newsletters, flyers, etc..
· Table of contents, index for complex documents
· OpenDocument and MS-Word .doc format compatible

OpenOffice.org impress - Impress your audience:
· Master Pages and Layouts simplify the task of preparing your materials.
· Complete range of Views are supported: Normall / Outlline / Slide Sorter / Notes / Handouts to meet all the needs of presenters and audiences.
· Easy-to-use drawing and diagramming tools to spice up your presentation.
· Slide show Animation and Effects to bring a presentation to life.
· Fontworks provides stunning 2D and 3D images from text.
· OpenDocument and MS-Powerpoint .ppt file format compatibility

OpenOffice.org calc - The full-featured spreadsheet:
· Natural language formulas let you create formulas using words (e.g. \"sales - costs\").
· Hundreds of spreadsheet functions with built-in expert help
· Scenario Manager allows \"what if ...\" analysis at the touch of a button.
· Powerful graphics to extract the meaning from your numbers
· Pull in data from external databases with DataPilot technology
· OpenDocument and MS-Excel .xls file format compatibility

Requirements:

· 128 Mbytes RAM
· 200 Mbytes available disk space
· 800 x 600 or higher resolution with at least 256 colours