Kingsoft Office

[Davidtheo]

Hi

Just want to know if anyone has tried Kingsoft Office 2009. They have just released the finial Version and it is now compatible with Office 2007 formats.

http://www.kingsoftresearch.com/

[yksyks]

I was waiting for Kingsoft Office 2007 free edition, which was supposed to be available in August. But according to theirs site:

KSO07 versions are provided as a 30 day trial and can be downloaded here until the release of KSO07 personal free edition.

In my eyes this didn't increase the credibility of this product... Besides, if I understand it correctly, even the latest suite doesn't include any alternative to Outlook, so it seems I'm stuck with MS Office forever...

[Davidtheo]

Besides, if I understand it correctly, even the latest suite doesn't include any alternative to Outlook, so it seems I'm stuck with MS Office forever...

But does a office suite need a alternative to Outlook?. KSO07 is free now you just need to ask for a serial number!

[yksyks]

But does a office suite need a alternative to Outlook?. KSO07 is free now you just need to ask for a serial number!

I do. ;-) By the way, I didn't find where you can download KSO07 free version, just the quote in my previous post.

[Davidtheo]

The 30day free trial is here http://www.kingsoftresearch.com/kso/download.aspx just look for this text, the bold here is the download link.

KSO07 versions are provided as a 30 day trial and can be downloaded here until the release of KSO07 personal free edition. Please check our forum for further details. If you wish to buy now, you can click here for more information

You need to email for a free license to made it "the full free version"
(BY the way China is on holiday from the 29th to the 5th Oct so you may have to wait for a reply).

I personal like Outlook express better then the one that comes with MSO.

[Paul Keith]

Unfortunately this seems just like a tabbed up Office Suite when I checked it out. It obviously has some built in features like encryption and search boxes but I doubt that alone would get them some new customers.

I was disappointed by their Klonoa mascot though. Usually when people opt for this, it means the interface is much more user friendlier than your run of the mill OpenOffice and MS Office but what I saw staring in front of my eyes was a very foreign if not slightly similar to general Office Suite user interface. (Of course Tux is an exception to this but it's still an illusion downer)

[yksyks]

OK, I understood the sentence "In order to allow you to maintain a totally free version we will shortly be releasing a newer version of our KSO07 as a personal edition with a license created for home use." like that the free version is still not available.

Never mind, back to the thread topic: Did anyone try it? I'm especially interested in compatibility with MS Office. I can recall how much time I spent in vain some time ago trying to run my MS Office mail merge and macros on OpenOffice, resulting in purchasing newer version of MS Office...

[theredgiant]

Kingsoft free personal edition is available for download. I haven't tried it yet, since I have the license keys for KSO2007 given away a few months ago.   

http://www.instantfundas.com/2008/09/kingsoft-office-2007-free-personal.html

[Davidtheo]

I was disappointed by their Klonoa mascot though. Usually when people opt for this, it means the interface is much more user friendlier than your run of the mill OpenOffice and MS Office but what I saw staring in front of my eyes was a very foreign if not slightly similar to general Office Suite user interface. (Of course Tux is an exception to this but it's still an illusion downer)

I thought the interface was friendly it looks like MSO and it has the features in the same places (well in KSO07 anyway)

[yksyks]

The free version of Kingsoft Office 2007 has some limitations - it cannot save files in PDF format and is ad supported. But we will tolerate some ads in return for a freeware. For some reason, this version is not yet released through their official site though it was supposed to have been made available last month. So you have to download it through another site.

So it's not freeware, but adware. Besides, it's strange that this version has to be downloaded from a site residing in Vietnam.

Well, I suppose I've spent too much time with this. It seems nobody bothered yet to test the compatibility, and neither will I.

[Davidtheo]

Kingsoft free personal edition is available for download. I haven't tried it yet, since I have the license keys for KSO2007 given away a few months ago.   

http://www.instantfundas.com/2008/09/kingsoft-office-2007-free-personal.html

I can't get to the web site comes up with "Page Load Error"  

[yksyks]

I can't get to the web site comes up with "Page Load Error"  

I was there right now, no problem here. Try to verify it from your place using http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/.

[Davidtheo]

Ok maybe the great Chinese firewall is blocking it  hehe. Are you sure that is the same version as the English KSO07? I know they have a version just for Vietnam!

[Paul Keith]

I was disappointed by their Klonoa mascot though. Usually when people opt for this, it means the interface is much more user friendlier than your run of the mill OpenOffice and MS Office but what I saw staring in front of my eyes was a very foreign if not slightly similar to general Office Suite user interface. (Of course Tux is an exception to this but it's still an illusion downer)

I thought the interface was friendly it looks like MSO and it has the features in the same places (well in KSO07 anyway)

That right there is the problem. When you have a cartoon mascot, 9 times out of 10, I'm expecting a friendlier not "MSO" interface.

[Davidtheo]

I was disappointed by their Klonoa mascot though. Usually when people opt for this, it means the interface is much more user friendlier than your run of the mill OpenOffice and MS Office but what I saw staring in front of my eyes was a very foreign if not slightly similar to general Office Suite user interface. (Of course Tux is an exception to this but it's still an illusion downer)

I thought the interface was friendly it looks like MSO and it has the features in the same places (well in KSO07 anyway)

That right there is the problem. When you have a cartoon mascot, 9 times out of 10, I'm expecting a friendlier not "MSO" interface.

OK but now many people judge the software on the mascot. I have never done that, I thought it would be better to judge it on what it can do.

[lanux128]

KSO07 is free now you just need to ask for a serial number!

thanks for the serial, David. i'm glad to say that Kingsoft Office 2007 is working quite well on my computer with no compatibility issues so far.


@yksyks: initially we also had some queries on KSO's compatibility, licensing, etc. and you can check out this thread started by [user]xbeta[/user] for more detailed info about KSO.

• WPS: the best replacement of MS Office, free for none-biz

[Davidtheo]

KSO07 is free now you just need to ask for a serial number!

thanks for the serial, David. i'm glad to say that Kingsoft Office 2007 is working quite well on my computer with no compatibility issues so far.


@yksyks: initially we also had some queries on KSO's compatibility, licensing, etc. and you can check out this thread started by [user]xbeta[/user] for more detailed info about KSO.

• WPS: the best replacement of MS Office, free for none-biz

No problem any question just let me know. China is on Holiday for the next week, I will not be able to answer any questions for the next week as I'll be in Hunan. hehe 

[dantheman]

OpenOffice3 is supposed to come out very soon.
Apparently they're working hard at incorporating an email client into it.
Anyway, Kingston Office9 seems to be shareware... and OO will always keep getting better for the same price (free!) with no registration required.

Although quite new on the scene, Chandler might be your best bet as a free alternative to your Outlook needs.

[Davidtheo]

OpenOffice3 is supposed to come out very soon.
Apparently they're working hard at incorporating an email client into it.
Anyway, Kingston Office9 seems to be shareware... and OO will always keep getting better for the same price (free!) with no registration required.

Although quite new on the scene, Chandler might be your best bet as a free alternative to your Outlook needs.

Kingsoft Office 2009 is not free, It costs 69.95 USD.

Kingsoft Office 2007 is the free download after you request a serial number, and you do not need to give any details when asking for the serial number so I do not think can really call it registration.

[lanux128]

No problem any question just let me know. China is on Holiday for the next week, I will not be able to answer any questions for the next week as I'll be in Hunan.

no kidding! sounds like an extended holidays. anyway, enjoy your trip!

[tsaint]

My school uses ms office 2003 to send daily bulletins and assorted info. I used to use it, mostly using excel, so I had a fair few spreadsheets I used. Then I changed to Kingston 2007 and couldn't be happier from compatability and general ease of use points of view. Yksyks... I've never seen any ads so dunno where the ones you refer to come from.
Tony

[cmpm]

My wife who works at the college here and works with these type of programs said Kingsoft works very well and it will be on my son's computer. The 07 edition.
Writing for the serial number and receiving it, happened within 24 hrs. With no problems at all installing and running the program for her. No ads or hindrances at all. Compatible with ms.

So I know David will be unreachable soon but it works here.

[Paul Keith]

I was disappointed by their Klonoa mascot though. Usually when people opt for this, it means the interface is much more user friendlier than your run of the mill OpenOffice and MS Office but what I saw staring in front of my eyes was a very foreign if not slightly similar to general Office Suite user interface. (Of course Tux is an exception to this but it's still an illusion downer)

I thought the interface was friendly it looks like MSO and it has the features in the same places (well in KSO07 anyway)

That right there is the problem. When you have a cartoon mascot, 9 times out of 10, I'm expecting a friendlier not "MSO" interface.

OK but now many people judge the software on the mascot. I have never done that, I thought it would be better to judge it on what it can do.

That's true but it's still a factor in marketing and first impressions.

Actually I didn't judge it by the mascot though it did influence my first impression, I just wasn't sure I needed an MS Office clone because of how similar the user interface looks which would normally be a good thing because it's still slightly faster compared to OpenOffice but in the case with a paid for Suite, I just don't think that cuts it. Then the first impression with the mascot came back and that was when I realized my disappointment after finding out it's just as busy looking as MS Office's user interface. A far contrast from the cartoony look of the site.

[yksyks]

... I've never seen any ads so dunno where the ones you refer to come from.

I just quoted the mentioned page. It seems there are many variants of this product. I'll have to see for myself, time permitting.

[MerleOne]

I tried a few weeks ago KSO 2009 and 2007.  The last version, 2009, is more Office compatible : I was able to load some excel worksheet that had some formulas that didn't load in the 2007 version.

BUT there is one major drawback for the moment : spell checking is in English only.  So I'll stay with Softmaker 2008.