SLIDESHOW: Microsoft Office Alternatives


Microsoft's longtime hammerlock on the productivity suite market is loosening in the face of increased competition. New challengers to the Microsoft Office throne are gaining traction and longtime competitors are getting a second wind. Office isn't going away, but there are now more options to consider when choosing a productivity suite.



<A HREF="http://www.sun.com/software/star/staroffice/index.jsp" TARGET="new">Sun StarOffice 8</A>

Sun StarOffice 8

Sun's alternative springs from a deliberate effort to avoid using Microsoft product. But Scott McNealy's single-minded product avoidance obsession doesn't mean that Star Office isn't worth a look. That it exists underscores the ubiquitous need for productivity suites and this software is not only powerful, but has about the smoothest interoperation with Office you'll find and menus that actually make sense. Plus, it's tough to beat the price: just enough to confirm it's a real product (a potential liability for sister product OpenOffice), but a bargain compared with Corel and Microsoft.

  • Operating system: Windows, Linux, and Solaris

  • Features: Word processor (StarOffice 8 Writer), spreadsheet (StarOffice 8 Calc), presentations (StarOffice 8 Impress), database (StarOffice 8 Base), drawing (StarOffice 8 Draw)

  • Cost: $69.95


Don't Miss: Top Tech Trends For 2008: Is This The Year to Dump Microsoft?


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