Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion

Why OpenOffice? Why Microsoft Office? Each one makes their argument

<< < (3/7) > >>

zridling:
I favor OpenOffice, but IBM's Lotus Symphony, which is based on OpenOffice and uses the ODF standard, you get the same features only in a tabbed UI. Symphony also has a ton of sharp template galleries that work on OpenOffice, too. Linux guys like Edvard and me don't get to use MS Office because Microsoft doesn't port to that platform. I'm pretty sure Wine allows it, but honestly, I got to the point where I could no longer afford MS Office.

Still, each one's marketing pages are convincing.

Dormouse:
Talking mostly about Word:

I'm in favour of OO in theory, but agree with the comments of its being slow and clunky. And it doesn't really seem to be getting any better. I'm really not sure that duplicating MSOffice is what they should be doing. So, I always have it installed, but don't ever choose to open it - except on Linux. Used to a few years ago, but not any more.

I get MSOffice extremely cheaply, so cost isn't an issue. But, again, I find it slow - and it doesn't do what I want it to do (or at least the focus is on stuff I'm not interested in and stuff I do want like Outlining is atrocious). So I have it, but often only use it to print out or edit documents sent to me.

I use Textmaker (I got 2008 free and haven't felt the need to upgrade) much more, simply because it is faster.

In practice I do most of my writing in other programs, especially TreeDBNotes. I do have a lot of portable word processors which I use from time to time.

Within MSOffice, I do really like OneNote and no other suite has a similar application. I don't do a great deal with spreadsheets but prefer to use Excel because it leaves me with nil concern about compatibility: that would be different if I knew more people using OO, but they mostly don't. Access used to be OK, but I'm surprised it is still alive; database emphasis seems to have moved onto mysql, SQLite etc. Powerpoint seemed better than Impress last time I used them.

JavaJones:
I'll have to check out RagTime. Looks interesting. Of course you cannot save non-standard design to a "standard" DOC or similar format. :D But I would think you could "export" just the appropriate bits...

- Oshyan

Shades:
What I always found very convenient in RagTime was the ability to include a fully working excel worksheet inside your letter/report/whatever DTP'ed document as well. Which is very likely why they have their own binary format to store files.

CWuestefeld:
What I always found very convenient in RagTime was the ability to include a fully working excel worksheet inside your letter/report/whatever DTP'ed document as well. Which is very likely why they have their own binary format to store files.
-Shades (February 21, 2010, 07:48 AM)
--- End quote ---

Isn't that just standard OLE embedding? I do this kind of thing all the time, like embedding a spreadsheet inside a PowerPoint presentation.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page