Windows Open Office!

[W1GUH]

This seems too good to be true, but...

Last night after I'd downloaded some Java updates for Vista, the final screen was an ad for FREE Open Office for windows from Sun. Can this be true? (hope...hope) I must have been really busy not to have immediately tried it out, but I will ASAP!

This seems like a major development in the Windows/Open wars. :popcorn:

[W1GUH]

Here's a link for that:

http://download.openoffice.org/other.html

Can't wait to get home and try it out!

[KC2UGV]

It's true :) If you would like to support the work going into OpenOffice, buy StarOffice from Sun.

[N1LAF]

AND there is portable OpenOffice, run from USB stick, so you can take 'your office' with you...

http://portableapps.com/apps/office/openoffice_portable

[HUGH]

Recommended!

[N1LAF]

There are some darned good applications out there that are non-Microsoft, and non-original duplicates.

Open Office can open and work Excel. Needs work on the formula interface though.

Irfanview - Very fast viewer and conversion between formats. And you can work this off a USB stick. Free. (Windows only - sorry Linux users...)
http://www.irfanview.com/

CutePDF writer - Free, fast, and highly recommended. Make PDF's from any application output as if you were using a printer. When you select it, it starts the process as you fill in the filename and save dialog box. (Windows only - sorry Linux users...)
http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp

Wireshark - Network protocol analyzer. Free. MULTI-PLATFORM!!!
http://www.wireshark.org/

Also Portable Firefox, and Filezilla - well behaved, run off of USB stick FTP program.

There are good software links on the HamIsland website:
http://hamisland.com