Free Software Can Save Big Bucks … and it’s legal

Free Software Can Save Big Bucks … and it’s legal

The fall is traditionally a time when many decide to upgrade their home computer or laptop.  The good news is the prices of desktop and laptop computers continue to be very affordable. While they may be inexpensive, they often come with some very powerful processors and more storage than most of us will ever need.  However, once you make the purchase you are often in for a surprise.  Some of the software on your old computer may not be compatible with your new machine.  Operating systems like XP, have been retired. New operating software, like Windows 7 and 8, provide a plethora of power and features, but if you want to take advantage of many of these improvements you may be required to replace your word processor, spreadsheet and email programs.

Even a basic suite of programs like Microsoft  Office (Student Version) which contains MS Word, a word processor, Excel, a spreadsheet program and Power Point, a presentation program, costs about $150.  If you want the deluxe edition, the price can go over $500.  That is more money than some of us will pay for the new computer.  Even MS Office 365, an annual subscription version, can still cost more than $100 per year.

You may be surprised to learn that you have an option and do not need to purchase these expensive software packages.  There are very good programs available free on the Internet.  No, they are not pirated versions of Microsoft programs.  If you download them you need not worry about having a visit from a contingent of FBI agents.

One of the leading free packages is Open Office, a suite of programs that has been developed by some very smart volunteer programmers spread throughout the world.  In fact, the code for these programs, rather than being a guarded corporate secrete, is available to anyone who wants to make improvements to the programs.  As of this writing there have been more than 120 million downloads of the Open Office software.

The basic package available at www.openoffice.org contains a word processor, spreadsheet program, presentation program, database program and a neat drawing program. All of them are compatible with MS Office. You can read and write files in Open Office and use those files in MS Office and visa versa.  Open Office looks and feels much like Microsoft Office.  You will find many of the same conventions, icons and tools.  If you have used MS Word or Excel, you will need little or no training on Open Office.

Getting Open Office is a snap.  Just set your browser to www.openoffice.org and follow the downloading directions.  It will take about 20 minutes to download the programs and set them up on your computer.

Open Office has been around since the late 1990s and is used by people all over the world.  Since the development is ongoing there are new features and improvements offered through the Open Office website all the time.

Before you order that new version of MS Office, you may wish to give Open Office a try.  What have you got to lose?  You can’t beat the price.