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Did you know there is a whole group of software known as "Open Source" software which can be used at no cost whatsoever? There is, and it is great for retired people, RVers, or anyone who likes great products at a low prices.
Many of these programs offer the same or superior features than do their commercial counterparts, are upgraded periodically at no charge, and generally work without locking up your computer. Furthermore, their creators do not constantly bombard you with messages intended to induce you to purchase an upgrade or another program!
This article introduces OpenOffice.org a program with which I am familiar and which I recommend. Look for other articles which discuss other programs in the future.
The first and probably most popular Open Source program I'll discuss is OpenOffice.org. It is a suite of integrated programs designed to serve just about every home or office need. This program may be compared to the frequently encountered but not unnecessarily popular Office from Microsoft. And the price of OpenOffice.org is not hundreds of dollars; it is zero!
This is not a johnny-come-lately product; it has been in use and under development in one form or another for 20 years. It has been adopted as the standard software by corporations, schools, and governments worldwide. Yet it is still terribly unknown in the US, at least among my acquaints. With your help, perhaps this can be changed!
OpenOffice.org includes five components: Write, Calc, Impress, Draw, and Base. Respectively, these provide the following functions: word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, and database. What more do you need?
More importantly, how much more do you want to pay? Remember, this program is available FREE.
Worried about compatibility? Do not be. Text documents can be saved in .doc format if they must be opened by Word.
You can get the complete full (not a trial or evaluation) version of this great program here: http://openoffice.org .
I've used this suite for several years now. It has failed or locked my computer up so few times that I can not even remember it happening. I consider its Draw far superior to the "equivalent" program provided as part of Microsoft's Office suite. And it is generally bug free!
The only reason I can think of not to use it is that it requires you to download and install it! That's not a big challenge for most, but will take a few minutes.
Give it a try; if you do not like it you can always uninstall it. And you can always spend more!
Look for more articles on great software the RVer can use to enhance creativity or business activities while enjoying the freedom of the road.
Copyright 2008 Keith A. Williams
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