open office on ebay is it the same as microsoft suite?

Question

Looking for a deal on microsoft office suite 2007 on ebay - found something being sold very cheap called "open office" and they say it is the same thing. Anyone used it or know about it?

Answer 1

OpenOffice has everything in Microsoft Office except for Outlook (which is the email package and for which you can get Mozilla Thunderbird). You see OpenOffice on Ebay because you can order a CD only for the convenience of avoiding a longish download. OpenOffice is free, if you're willing to go to http://www.openoffice.org and go through the long download. If you're a dialup user, it might be worth your while to order the CD. (It should be no more than about $15-$19...also check Amazon!)

OpenOffice Writer can save documents in Word format; it can also create PDF files (which Word cannot). It is easier to use (at least, some folks believe).

I have both. I prefer OOo. As a matter of interest, but not necessarily a determining factor for you, Microsoft has TRIED to enforce its document format (Word) as a world standard, but lost in European courts in favor of OOo.

Answer 2

As the other people said, OpenOffice is a FREE open-source software that works very much like Microsoft Office. It will let you open MS Office documents, and even save brand new ones in MS Office format.

If you want to try it, you should download the latest version directly from [www.openoffice.org] and install it.

The reason why someone is selling it on eBay is because it is legal to do so. Usually people will make a minor change or improvement on an open-source software and sell it for money. The "improvement" that this seller has probably made is that they burned it onto a CD for your convenience!

Answer 3

OpenOffice is FREE.

Download it for free here.
http://www.openoffice.org/

OpenOffice, almost identical to Microsoft Office can import from Microsoft Office applications and export to Microsoft Office application unless noted:
Base = Microsoft Access
Calc = Microsoft Excel
Draw = Similar to Microsoft Publisher but not directly compatible
Math = Create equations
Impress = Microsoft PowerPoint
Writer = Microsoft Word
No equivalent = Microsoft Office Office Outlook

Answer 4

OpenOffice.org is not *exactly* the same as MS Office, but it will open and edit most of the MS Office documents. The only document format I have not seen in OpenOffice.org is support for MS Publisher. All other files, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, all are supported.

Answer 5

Open Office is free software, if its being sold on eBay,it should be reported .

Open Office download link is :

http://download.openoffice.org/2.2.1/index.html