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If you have ever used a computer, you must be aware of the fact that you can complete many different tasks on a computer. There are many different programs you can use for these tasks, but two of the most popular software applications that are used as productivity suites are definitely Microsoft Office and OpenOffice. While Microsoft Office 2010 tutorials are very popular, OpenOffice training is not so popular, probably because the latter productivity suite doesn’t have as many tools and features as Microsoft Office. So, when it comes times for you to choose between these two suites, which will you choose?
The Price
Naturally, the first thing most individuals as well as business owners want to discuss is the price associated with a product they are about to purchase. Well, here is how things are with these two productivity suites – one costs absolutely nothing, and the other one will come at a price that depends on your specific needs and wishes. So, OpenOffice is an open-source application, and it is completely free to download and use. Microsoft Office cannot be free, but the fact that it comes with a price will bring you some other benefits, which will be discussed later on.
User Interface
Microsoft Office 2010 features the Ribbon interface, and this type of UI has proven to be very practical and liked by the vast majority of Office users. On the other hand, the interface of OpenOffice will probably remind you of the interface from Office 2003, so it can be said that it is not as modern as the Ribbon interface. However, there are some indications that OpenOffice will also incorporate a ribbon in their interface, but these are still just speculations.
Support
Like with any other open-source application, the support for OpenOffice is based on the community. This means that if you have a problem, you need to log into a help forum, ask a question, and wait for someone to answer you and provide you with some help. The situation is much different with Microsoft Office, as a valid license entitles you to receive help from Microsoft’s professional help desk, whenever you should need help.
Reliability
Generally speaking, both of these productivity suites can be seen as reliable, but there is one major difference between them. Namely, Microsoft Office is professional-driven, meaning that most professionals and businesses will choose this productivity suite, because of the fact that the reliability of a product really depends on the availability of support, and we covered this in the above text.
Functionality
Last but certainly not least, there is the functionality. While OpenOffice is functional, the functionality of Microsoft Office is undisputed. The reason for this is simple – Microsoft can afford to invest a lot in making Office very functional, and OpenOffice cannot do the same, being an open-source application. Therefore, if you are someone who needs to use the productivity suite professionally, it is logical to choose the much more powerful and functional Microsoft Office. Alternatively, if you are not a professional, you can indeed be satisfied with OpenOffice.
About the Author: Writing blog posts about Microsoft Office 2010 tutorials is a hobby that the author of this blog post, Eric, has been interested in for most of his professional career as an IT specialist. He presently writes for many companies including Simon Sez IT
