Author Topic: WPS: the best replacement of MS Office, free for none-biz (Read 98,945 times)

xbeta · « **on:** September 27, 2007, 05:23 AM »

WPS Office(or called Kingsoft Office) suites is made in China, and now has localized to English. It was better than MS office until windows 95 released. After that, it lost many users. But now, they rebuild their products. Now it's very very alike to MS office, with 99% functions & 99% Compatible to MS Office format, but with only 40+MB to download.

Kingsoft Writer, Kingsoft Spreadsheets, and Kingsoft Presentation are compatible with
Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint respectively,
and they are compatible in two-way reading and writing.

Although I use OOo instead of WPS, but I think it's better for basic users.

homepage(english): http://www.kingsoftresearch.com/kso/index.html
download (43MB, English install): http://www.kingsoftresearch.com/kso/download.htm

It comprises of Writer, Spreadsheets and Presentation
best compatiable to MS office (better than OpenOffice) format: doc, xls, ppt
almost the same layout & interface with MS Office
Convert documents to Adobe PDF effortlessly, with the export as PDF function.
Kingsoft Office 2007 is compliant with today's XML standards so documents can be opened on other computers.

sri · « **Reply #1 on:** September 27, 2007, 05:48 AM »

Those screenshots look impressive.

Can it retain and restore the tabs after programam restart?

sri · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2007, 05:51 AM »

Here is official info in english: http://en.kingsoft.com/office.htm

The web page says it's 180 day evaluation. Is it free or not?

Darwin · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2007, 06:13 AM »

I've heard good things about this suite... we're talking over a year ago here and I remember the reviewers all lamenting the lack of an English language version. This should remedy that! I'm looking forward to trying it...

xbeta · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2007, 06:54 AM »

kingsoft company, the author of wps, is a Chinese company.
Almost all their market share is in China.
that's why the WPS english version comes out too late.
Maybe the english version is not free for personal use, I am not sure.
But the Chinese version is free.

xbeta · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2007, 06:56 AM »

I use lots of English version software,
so you can also use a Chinese version

is it too hard?

Tekzel · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2007, 02:18 PM »

Quote from: xbeta on September 27, 2007, 06:56 AM

I use lots of English version software,
so you can also use a Chinese version
is it too hard?

Uhh yea. Hah

Darwin · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2007, 04:48 PM »

I wrote a lengthy reply earlier this morning and didn't post it... Suffice it to say that xbeta you obviously read and write English at a high level while my Chinese reading and writing (not to mention speaking) ability is absolutely nil. Thus, there is little attraction in using software that I can't read any of the documentation, options, or shortcuts for when the FOSS Office suite market is pretty competitive with a number of English language options.

AbteriX · « **Reply #8 on:** September 27, 2007, 05:07 PM »

The only Chinese i know is:

ne how
ho i ne
toe chen

( I tried to wrote down how it sounds for me in english words, the correct spelling may be other)
i use this recently at the china wok snack house

(with out the second sentence)

$:-\$

Darwin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 27, 2007, 05:33 PM »

Yeah... I could have claimed "Ne How" as meaning that I have some level of Chinese proficiency. However, this would have been a phenomenal "whopper" in my case!

xbeta, please don't take my comments as meaning that I think that Chinese language only applications are not worth looking at/I won't look because it's not in English. I am no linguistic chauvinist, I just have never had any reason to try WPS given the English language alternatives. I've actually downloaded the installation file you pointed us to (a year ago I could not figure out how to download the installer) and may give it a go when I have some time.

xbeta · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2007, 06:45 AM »

I can fully understand all the followings:
- Chinese language is really hard to learn or just to read for many people.
- Most popular software produced in China also has a English version, such as Maxthon, FlashGet, NetAnts, Orbit Downloader ...
- But WPS is a little different. And nobody else except the KingSoft Compnay, has the ability or time to provide a language pack for it.

So, my friends, you have to wait for the officail English verison to use this great (maybe) software.

muntealb · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2007, 07:41 AM »

There are versions of OpenOffice localized in various languages by teams of volunteers. The time and ability to translate an office suite exists already, including from chinese to english. If the developers of Kingsoft Office want their software translated all they have to do is to provide language files and a method to compile a localized version of their software, just like OpenOffice did ( http://l10n.openoffice.org/ ). But of course if it is provided for free, otherwise I doubt there will be enough volunteers willing to work unpaid for the translation of a commercial product.

Darwin · « **Reply #12 on:** September 28, 2007, 02:05 PM »

Heh, heh - xbeta, I'd forgotten to mention that THE most used software on my computer is Chinese - Maxthon

I wish I could remember where I read about WPS, but if memory serves, reviewers felt that even without English language support it was the best alternative to Office (for anyone - English speakers included), which is why I was so keen to try it. As I stated earlier, at the time I couldn't find a download link that worked, so never tried it. I'll be watching for the availability of an English language.

zxcvbn · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2007, 02:41 PM »

I think that if China is going to move into this sort of market - and surely they will/are/already have ? - it will throw a "whole new light" on the discussion about Microsoft's market domination. Wait for news about Microsoft et al "outsourcing" and setting up shop there !

rob wood · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2008, 01:33 AM »

The English version of WPS called Kingsoft Office has been released and it's free.
Go download it at http://www.kingsoftresearch.com

MerleOne · « **Reply #15 on:** June 20, 2008, 08:38 PM »

Quote from: rob wood on June 20, 2008, 01:33 AM

The English version of WPS called Kingsoft Office has been released and it's free.
Go download it at http://www.kingsoftresearch.com

After installation, the license manager says it's only free for 30 days ???

Curt · « **Reply #16 on:** June 20, 2008, 10:15 PM »

- you have to register. As with any other Office pack you will have to give it a/your name as Author before creating your first document, and that is all - that is the registration - they don't even ask for an email address. But you cannot fill out "Organisation", because that will move the license from Private freeware user to company shareware user.

Read also http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=11597.msg117758#msg117758

MerleOne · « **Reply #17 on:** June 20, 2008, 11:09 PM »

Thanks, I thought I registered it the way you indicated, but I may have missed something.

Regarding Office compatibility itself, I have found something a bit annoying when you go from Excel to Kingsoft and back : I had a sheet where I have the excel formula for multiplying one matrix by another. I opened the sheet without any apparent pb with Kingsoft, the resulting matrix of the product was ok, excep it was now static, and just the values had been kept, so any change in the multiplied matrix would have no effect. Since there is no warning, it's a bit of a problem...

Anyway, for people that don't need to use both suites, it looks like a nice product.

tomos · « **Reply #18 on:** June 24, 2008, 11:50 PM »

Quote from: Curt on June 20, 2008, 10:15 PM

- you have to register. As with any other Office pack you will have to give it a/your name as Author before creating your first document, and that is all - that is the registration - they don't even ask for an email address. But you cannot fill out "Organisation", because that will move the license from Private freeware user to company shareware user.

wonder what the situation is with it for commercial usage -
I dont see any buy links at their site... I'm just curious really, like Darwin I have my share of office software installed, esp considering I hardly ever use the stuff

)

lanux128 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2008, 04:00 AM »

yesterday a local tech-mag did a write-up on Kingsoft quoting the price for the suite at around US$110 (via a local reseller).

• http://www.kingsoft.com.my

tomos · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2008, 09:59 AM »

Quote from: lanux128 on June 25, 2008, 04:00 AM

yesterday a local tech-mag did a write-up on Kingsoft quoting the price for the suite at around US$110 (via a local reseller)

so Softmaker Office sill comes in cheaper (for commercial use) at just under $80

lanux128 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 26, 2008, 01:28 AM »

actually i haven't tried either of the suites but Kingsoft mention on their website that the "latest version is a free to try, non-restricted version of these three office applications" (emphasis mine).

WP · « **Reply #22 on:** June 26, 2008, 06:59 AM »

I just installed it. However after giving a name when registering, there is still a 30-day time limit. As a test, I change the clock via Control Panel to June 2009. Kingsoft Office 2007 would not load the individual components. Instead, it asks me for a serial number.

If somebody else has installed this & bypassed the time restriction, please tell me EXACTLY how this is done. Perhaps this program is just not free, but simply a 30-day trial version.

tsaint · « **Reply #23 on:** June 26, 2008, 08:24 AM »

I didn't do anything special...on first use I put in my name, then that seemed to be the end of it. It doesn't indicate any time limit that I can see,
and in the about screen, says simply that it's licensed to me.

WP · « **Reply #24 on:** June 26, 2008, 09:42 AM »

What do you have listed under Help / Product Management Center for the various components?

Mine now says: (Can Use 29 days)