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Here is a super basic run down on OpenOffice 1.1

OpenOffice is a free open source project that is an office suite like Microsoft Office or Corel's Office type suite. It contain a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation programs and a drawing program.

OpenOffice was once Star Office from Sun Microsystems , which they made open source.

You can download the program from the link below...

http://www.openoffice.org/

...if you are interested. There are no serial numbers, no activations and no better pay-for version. It is freely distributable so copies can be made without law breaking. You could install it on any number of computers without any legal problems. In reviews it was considered a fair program not equal to Microsoft Office or Corel's Wordperfect Office Suite but it is ok.

Let's look at what it will do.

After it is installed to open it go to your start menu and it will show up like this.

The word processor looks like this below...

You can save the resulting files in standard ways, such as Word Doc..

You can also save as a sort-of Adobe PDF file. You cannot open PDF files in OpenOffice but you can create them. I am not sure why perhaps a legal issue with Adobe. But using the Adobe Acrobat Reader and Open Office together you can get the pdf job done...

You can also use OpenOffice to create web pages. It is not a full featured web editor but if you know a thing or two, it can do basic web authoring.

OpenOffice has a presentation program that has its own format but will also save as Powerpoint type files. The layout is very similar to other presentation programs (see below).

Here is the save as dialog box for the Presentation tool

Here is an example of its results, very standard slideshow presentation

Here is the look of the OpenOffice Spreadsheet program. Again looking like many common spreadsheets.

Here is the save as dialog box for the OpenOffice Spreadsheet, one choice is Microsoft Excel 97 or 2000.

Below is the look of the built in drawing program from OpenOffice. It is more advanced than some drawing programs but less than top stand alone programs.

Here is the save as dialog box for the drawing program for OpenOffice.

Well that is a short look at Open Office.

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