Linux, look out! M$ has you in its sights.

nicksan wrote in post #3215500
Maybe I can ask one of the admins here to install OpenOffice. They'll just laugh at me!

Why? OpenOffice is superior to MS office. At least for 95% of the users out there. Their version of excel is much MUCH faster when dealing with large datasets and I find the user interface more intuitive. I also much prefer their MS Word clone. I can actually type stuff...it doesn't just skip 5 lines and put in a bullet when all I asked it to do was backspace.

Also the funny thing is, OpenOffice is MUCH more like MS Office than the newest version of MS Office. I bet you could train people a hell of allot faster to use OpenOffice than to use Office 2007.

Why?

Because that's what banks, brokerage firms, and other big corporations typically use...

I work for a fairly large brokerage firm / bank...it's MS all the way. (Weeeeell...we do have some Linux and Unix servers running databases, web/app servers...)

Sathi wrote in post #3215582
Why? OpenOffice is superior to MS office. At least for 95% of the users out there. Their version of excel is much MUCH faster when dealing with large datasets and I find the user interface more intuitive. I also much prefer their MS Word clone. I can actually type stuff...it doesn't just skip 5 lines and put in a bullet when all I asked it to do was backspace.

Also the funny thing is, OpenOffice is MUCH more like MS Office than the newest version of MS Office. I bet you could train people a hell of allot faster to use OpenOffice than to use Office 2007.

nicksan wrote in post #3216489
Why?

Because that's what banks, brokerage firms, and other big corporations typically use...

I work for a fairly large brokerage firm / bank...it's MS all the way. (Weeeeell...we do have some Linux and Unix servers running databases, web/app servers...)

Not trying to say what you use isn't what is best for you. Just wanted to point out that a system admin shouldn't laugh at you for asking for openoffice because it is a very good product and a viable alternative.

I work for the state of new york which is a 100% microsoft all the way. I use openoffice because I like it more. I open and save all my documents in MS native .doc and .xls format so other people in my office can work with them. Never had a problem. Granted i'm no office super power user or anything. I am sure someone who lives and breathes its functionality could uncover some compatability issues, but that is most likely rare. Kinda makes me angry as a tax payer when I look around and see 1000's of MS office licenses at $500 a pop for people who open up 1 word doc a month. I understand the merits of windows, and I recommend it for most people I know, but the waste of money on MS office is just inexcusable.

Torvalds tells Microsoft to put up, or shut up.
http://www.pcw.co.uk …valds-tells-microsoft-put

You heard it here, today, (IMO) MS is done in the next 5-8 years. Linux and MAC will take over, both based on 70's UNIX code. Bill Gates will never go hungry, but Microsoft is over.

Patent litigations are the most expensive type. It could bankrupt a small company with limited resources.