Help With Open Office

[triceretops]

I need a word processing program to install in a fairly new computer, and I hear that Open Office, because of the free download, is a pretty good way to go. I have to edit a book for a publisher very soon, and I hear the Open Office can translate files to MS Word, as long as you save them that way.

I was going to download a free version of 2003 MS word, but have seen that many of those are just read only versions and do not allow editing or track-change manipulation. Is there a free download of 2003 MS Word that is a "full" version which allows full editing?

I have a trial version of 2007 Works on the computer that has expired and I'm hoping that I can load another MS Word in there that will cancel out that Works program.

Any suggestions?

Tri

[triceretops]

Or does Wal-Mart have a reasonable price for 2010 Word?

Tri

[Cassiopeia]

I will check with DH to see if he has anything left from his online software company. In the meantime Open Office is viable program. Just not for me as a die hard Word user. But OO will work in a pinch.

[sunandshadow]

Libre Office is the one you actually want - The name Open Office changed corporate hands in a merger, and the new corporation didn't want to support the project, so they discontinued the name. Libre Office is the new name. I've used open office and now Libre Office for years and I believe them to be a superior choice to Word, both functionally and ethically. Why would you buy software when there is such excellent free software available?

[blacbird]

Libre Office is the one you actually want - The name Open Office changed corporate hands in a merger, and the new corporation didn't want to support the project, so they discontinued the name. Libre Office is the new name. I've used open office and now Libre Office for years and I believe them to be a superior choice to Word, both functionally and ethically. Why would you buy software when there is such excellent free software available?

I'm one who uses both OpenOffice and MS-Word (along with other features of the MS-Office suite). I disagree with the concept that OO is "better". There are certain things MS-Word, as irritating as it can be, still does better than OO, including some things I can't figure out if OO does at all. But for simple stuff, OO is quite adequate, and "free" is superior to any "deal" you might get on MS-Word.

[alleycat]

I'm not sure I see the point in playing around with trial versions of Word unless you are pretty sure about going ahead and buying the full version at some point.

Try Open Office (Libre) and see if it does everything you need it to do. If not, you can always buy Word later. There is no problem having both on your computer at the same time (I do).

[triceretops]

Okay, my editor says that she's on a Mac. Is Open Office compatible with a Mac?

Tri

[kuwisdelu]

Okay, my editor says that she's on a Mac. Is Open Office compatible with a Mac?

Tri

Yes. OpenOffice and LibreOffice are compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.

[alleycat]

You could always create a Rich Text (rtf) or PDF file.

[bluntforcetrauma]

I've got ywriter, celtx and open office. Trying all three. As much as I hate to say it, Ms works has always been easier for me to use. Celtx is great for screenplays but in novel mode...not so. Ywriter...too much of a sweat. I dont know about open office yet.

[Margarita Skies]

Question about Libre Office. How to get rid of the frame-like thing that's there when you open the new document? Just downloaded it and opened it for the first time and couldn't figure that one out.

[alleycat]

Question about Libre Office. How to get rid of the frame-like thing that's there when you open the new document? Just downloaded it and opened it for the first time and couldn't figure that one out.
Are you referring to the margin lines (text boundary)? You can turn it on or off in the View dropdown menu.

[Margarita Skies]

Are you referring to the margin lines (text boundary)? You can turn it on or off in the View dropdown menu.

I just turned it off. Thank you so, so much.