Open Source Software
With the semester starting back up, lots of you will be heading off to classes that will require word processors, spreadsheets, presentation graphics, and maybe the odd database. You may also find yourself wondering how you will be able to afford a copy of Microsoft Office for your home computer. With the budget cuts that came after Katrina and Rita, the ULM labs aren’t always open when you need to get at an office productivity suite. An alternative to MS Office that could help those of you that don’t have Office (not all computers come preloaded with it) is OpenOffice. OpenOffice is availible from OpenOffice.org.
OpenOffice is an open source product and more importantly its free for you to download from the website and use. This is the most well known open source application suite and is generally compatible with MS Office formats (.doc, .xls, .ppt, .mdb). For those of you with Macs, don’t feel left out. OpenOffice is a multiplatform application (it runs on lots of operating systems). Also, NeoOffice offers an open source alternative to MS Office for the Mac. Again its totally free and is supposed to be compatible with Office formats. If you’re strapped for cash and in need of an Office compatible suite of tools to do your homework, this might be the time to checkout open source software.
Now the big question: “Dr. B” how do these programs work?” I haven’t used either one. NeoOffice was featured in a list of free software in a recent issue of MacAddict and the comments were pretty promising. I intend to get a copy for my Mac and check it out. As far as OpenOffice, this is where I’m going to get you involved. If you’ve used OpenOffice, or NeoOffice for that matter, leave a comment telling everyone about how they worked. The $150 (academic price for MS Office) you save, could be your own.
Well, thats what I know, and now you know.
Dr. B
CIS@ULM 