Open Source Office Software

What is Really Free?

It's funny. We have been programmed into believing that because something is free, that there is some kind of catch, or that it is not as good as a paid version, or that it is riddled with spyware and scumware.

This may be true for a lot of stuff on the Internet, but I feel that it is not the case when it comes to this complete suite of office software from http://www.openoffice.org.

The general belief about non free software is that it is better than free software. Well, prepare your paradigm to be crushed before you read this report, Free, Open Source Software is More Reliable: http://www.gnu.org/software/reliability.html.

Open Office is the real deal Free

Open Office is distributed with a GNU License: http://www.openoffice.org/license.html. This means that it is completely Free software. Open Office is the choice not because people on a tight budget can get their hands on it, but because it is rich with powerfull features found in similar programs selling for hundreds of dollars.

If you read the GNU license, it might make you wander who came up with this office type of software: http://www.gnu.org.

Open Office contains:

A full featured Word Processor
http://www.openoffice.org/product/writer.html

A powerfull Spreadsheet program:
http://www.openoffice.org/product/calc.html

A Multimedia Creator for creating animated presentations:
http://www.openoffice.org/product/impress.html

An excellent drawing tool:
http://www.openoffice.org/product/draw.html

Database Tools:
http://www.openoffice.org/product/dbase.html

A full strength help file with a handy help agent.

Open Office is not a small download but my opinion is that it is worth waiting for. The download page is located here: http://download.openoffice.org/index.html

I run Open Office on my laptop and on my PC and have no problems as a result of bugs or defective programming. Hell, some tiny programs that I have paid money for have caused me some big problems. Another large autoresponder program which I paid over 300 bucks for refused to work on my particular version of XP. After a period of support from the developer, I asked for a refund. I had to stop the support process when they wanted to take remote control over my computer.

What is Free Software?

Free software is a pretty loose term on the Internet today. The term is used for the terms freeware, shareware and a host of other terms. But what does free software, freeware and shareware really mean. Is there a difference? I tell you this, there is a lot of these types of terms and there is a difference. See them all here: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.html

Note: There are thousands of people giving away all types of free software programs riddled with scumware which produces undesirable effects upon the user and their PC's. This is a topic of continual research at http://www.scumware.com. I suggest that all who wish to use these nasty but handy little downloads getting around the Internet to actually read the agreement before installing.

Jealously Guarded Secrets

Why would some Internet Marketing Developer tell you about the really good stuff that you can get for free? It would not serve their PayPal account if they did. Furthermore, many affiliates seem to keep these jealously guarded secrets to themselves because they want to squeeze every dollar out of their subscriber list. Hell, I even know of Internet Marketers who have no outbound links on their site unless they are affiliate links.

I myself do not mind outbound links on my site if they will serve my readers. For example, I could be an affiliate for a number of HTML editors out there, but I openly show my readers where to get a fully working 100% Free HTML editor at my site: http://www.ezau.com/latest/articles/04.shtml.

I have recently been giving support to a successful Internet marketer in regards to this basic HTML editing tool and FTP-ing because they have been taught to use a what you see is what you get editor that performs FTP as well. They needed help because they have been deliberately kept in the dark with a non-free program that is not as good a free one.

Some developers of non-free software can hardly wait to get a barely working stable version out there into the marketplace. As soon as it "barely works", they send a broadcast to all their affiliates telling them that they are the first to know and that they should email their list immediately with this hot new profit making, time saving software. Some affiliates recommend software even though deep down inside they know that it is not as "crash hot" as the sales page claims. (This of course assumes that they even own a copy.)

Not only that, I have had the experience of reporting bugs to a couple of developers but my emails go unanswered. They do not seem to care because as far as the developer is concerned, the promise is fulfilled as advertised. Their job is now to spit out another project in order to repeat the process.

Tip: Before you buy a software program, why not do a quick search for the term "open source _____" and add the name of the type of software you want, just to see what results come up :-)

The author, Ed Zivkovic owns his own website which contains articles with all sorts of tips for work at home webmasters. Here is the site: http://www.ezau.com

About the Author

The author, Ed Zivkovic is a self-taught webmaster. His website contains articles with all sorts of tips for work at home webmasters. Here is the site: http://www.ezau.com

Written by: Ed Zivkovic