Apache OpenOffice: The Free and Open-Source Office Software Suite for Everyone

OpenOffice: The Free and Open-Source Office Software Suite

Microsoft has been dominating the market of operating system and office suite but due to increase in number of good open source project it has been using its market share, for example, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer was having more than 1/3 share of browsing market but due to popularity of opensource project like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox Microsoft continuously losing its market share.

www.openoffice.org or simply open office is like is like “Microsoft Office” but the difference between www.openoffice.org and Ms-Office is the cost because Openoffice.org is an open source software so it is available free of cost to everyone. it would be more beneficial for those who can afford the cost of Microsoft office. open office support almost all type of operating systems MS- Windows, Solaris, Linux, etc. those who used open office their experience shows that it can be the complete replacement of MS-Office.

Openoffice is an open source software and licenced under “GNU General Public Licence”. openoffice.org was acquired by Sun Microsystem (USA) in the year 1999. its name is openoffice.org, not OpenOffice because OpenOffice is already a registered trademark of any company.

OpenOffice.org’s mission statement was drafted by the community:

To create, as a community, the leading international office suite that will run on all major platforms and provide access to all functionality and data through open-component based APIs and an XML-based file format.

Why OpenOffice.org is Free?

OpenOffice is free because it is released under an open-source license, which allows anyone to use, modify, and distribute the software without any cost. The Apache Software Foundation and the OpenOffice community rely on volunteers who contribute their time and expertise to develop and improve the software.

Open-source software is based on the principle of collaboration and transparency, where the source code is publicly available for anyone to view, modify, or contribute to. This creates a community-driven development process where users can suggest improvements or report bugs, leading to more stable and feature-rich software.

The free and open-source nature of OpenOffice makes it accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation or geographic location. It can be used by individuals, small businesses, and large organizations alike, and has been translated into many languages to serve a diverse user base.

OpenOffice is free because it is based on open-source principles and relies on community contributions to develop and improve the software. Its accessibility and affordability make it a popular choice for individuals and organizations looking for a powerful and flexible productivity suite without the cost of proprietary software.

How OpenOffice Makes money?

The Apache Software Foundation does not make money directly from OpenOffice, as the software is available for free and can be used and distributed without any cost. However, the foundation may receive donations from individuals or organizations that support its mission to promote open-source software development.

Additionally, the Apache Software Foundation offers support and services for OpenOffice through third-party companies and vendors. These companies may offer consulting, training, and support services for OpenOffice users and organizations, and may generate revenue from these services.

There are also commercial versions of OpenOffice available, such as Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice, which offer additional features and support services for a fee. These commercial versions may generate revenue for their respective organizations.

While the Apache Software Foundation does not make direct revenue from OpenOffice, it may receive donations and support for its development efforts. Third-party companies and vendors may also generate revenue from support and services for OpenOffice, and commercial versions of the software may generate revenue for their respective organizations.

Historical Background OpenOffice.org

StarDivision, the original author of the StarOffice suite of software, was founded in Germany in the mid-1980s. It was acquired by Sun Microsystems during the summer of 1999 and StarOffice 5.2 was released in June of 2000. Subsequent versions of StarOffice software, beginning with 6.0, were built using the OpenOffice.org source, APIs, file formats, and reference implementation.

Sun continued to sponsor development on OpenOffice.org for the next 10 years, a period during which not only did the project grow tremendously and became truly global, but the user base also saw an extraordinary increase, and as of the end of 2010 was estimated to be in excess of 100 Million. With its acquisition of Sun in 2010, Oracle was the principal contributor of code to OpenOffice.org. On June 1, 2011, OpenOffice.org, the project and product, including source code, trademarks, domain names and website, were donated to the Apache Software Foundation.

The source is written in C++ and delivers language-neutral and scriptable functionality, including Java™ APIs. This source technology introduces the next-stage architecture, allowing the use of the suite elements as separate applications or as embedded components in other applications. Numerous other features are also present including XML-based file formats based on the vendor-neutral OpenDocument Format (ODF) standard from OASIS and other resources.

Apache OpenOffice: The Free and Open-Source Office Software Suite

What is inside of openoffice.org?

OpenOffice contains a unit known as Writer which is same as MS-Word preprocessor in Writer you can read pdf file without installation of any software. another unit of open office is Calc which work like MS-Excel, Impress is presentational software like MS-PowerPoint. A base is a database program like MS-Access. The draw is a vector graphics editor for OpenOffice which work like MS-Publisher and Math unit work like Microsoft equation editor.

www.openoffice.org is working to bring Openoffice in other languages and work is going on, for what is going on to bring Openoffice in Hindi Log on www.hi.openoffice.org

Features of Apache Openoffice

Why use Apache OpenOffice?

Apache OpenOffice is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.

Apache OpenOffice Easy to use

Apache OpenOffice is easy to learn, and if you’re already using another office software package, you’ll take to OpenOffice straight away. Our world-wide native-language community means that OpenOffice is probably available and supported in your own language. And if you already have files from another office package – OpenOffice will probably read them with no difficulty.

Apache OpenOffice is free

Best of all, Apache OpenOffice can be downloaded and used entirely free of any license fees. Like all Apache Software Foundation software, Apache OpenOffice is free to use. ( https://www.apache.org/free/ ) Apache OpenOffice is released under the Apache 2.0 License. This means you may use it for any purpose – domestic, commercial, educational, public administration. You may install it on as many computers as you like. You may make copies and give them away to family, friends, students, employees – anyone you like.

Advantages of OpenOffice.org over other office suites:

No licensing fees. OOo (Abbreviation of OpenOffice.org) is free for anyone to use and distribute at no cost. Many features that are available at extra cost add-ins in other office suites (like PDF export) are free with OOo. There are no hidden charges now or in the future.
Open source. You can distribute, copy, and modify the software as much as you wish, in accordance with either of OOo’s Open Source licenses.
Cross-platform. OOo3 runs on several hardware architectures and under multiple operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Solaris.
Extensive language support. OOo’s user interface is available in over 40 languages, and the OOo project provides spelling, hyphenation, and thesaurus dictionaries in over 70 languages and dialects. OOo also provides support for both Complex Text Layout (CTL) and Right to Left (RTL) layout languages (such as Urdu, Hebrew, and Arabic).
Consistent user interface. All the components have a similar “look and feel,” making them easy to use and master.
Integration. The components of OpenOffice.org are well integrated with one another.
- All the components share a common spelling checker and other tools, which are used consistently across the suite. For example, the drawing tools available in Writer are also found in Calc, with similar but enhanced versions in Impress and Draw.
- You do not need to know which application was used to create a particular file (for example, you can open a Draw file from Writer).
Granularity. Usually, if you change an option, it affects all components. However, OOo options can be set at a component level or even document level.
File compatibility. In addition to its native OpenDocument formats, OOo includes PDF and Flash export capabilities, as well as support for opening and saving files in many common formats including Microsoft Office, HTML, XML, WordPerfect, and Lotus 123 formats. New in OOo3 (using an extension): the ability to import and edit some PDF files.
No vendor lock-in. OOo3 uses OpenDocument, an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file format developed as an industry standard by OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards). These files can easily be unzipped and read by any text editor, and their framework is open and published.
You have a voice. Enhancements, software fixes, and release dates are community-driven. You can join the community and affect the course of the product you use.

You can read more about OpenOffice.org, its mission, history, licensing, and other organizational information on the OpenOffice.org website.

Disadvantages of Open office

Compatibility – files created on OpenOffice.org won’t display 100% exactly in Microsoft Office and vice-versa (well, nothing to argue, as its a totally 2 different programs developed by 2 different companies)
It might create some fuss if your colleague/target audience is someone using Ms Office
No user-level support – as this software is developed and maintained by the community, you can’t call a toll-free number for help when you need it. You need to google around for answers to your questions.

Comparison of OpenOffice vs. LibreOffice

Features	OpenOffice	LibreOffice
Word Processing	Writer	Writer
Spreadsheets	Calc	Calc
Presentations	Impress	Impress
Database Management	Base	Base
Formula Editor	Math	Math
Advantages	Stable and mature software Wide compatibility with Microsoft Office formats Easy to use interface	Active development with frequent updates Better compatibility with newer Microsoft Office formats Improved support for non-Latin languages
Disadvantages	Development has slowed down in recent years Not as many features as LibreOffice Less frequent updates	Can be unstable or buggy at times Learning curve for advanced features Interface can be overwhelming for beginners

OpenOffice and LibreOffice are both free and open-source productivity software suites that offer similar features, including word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and database management. However, there are some differences between the two that users may want to consider when choosing which one to use.

OpenOffice is known for its stability and mature software, as it has been around for a longer time than LibreOffice. It also has wide compatibility with Microsoft Office formats and an easy-to-use interface. However, development has slowed down in recent years, and it may not have as many features as LibreOffice. Additionally, updates may not be as frequent.

LibreOffice, on the other hand, is known for its active development with frequent updates, which can improve compatibility with newer Microsoft Office formats and support for non-Latin languages. However, it can be unstable or buggy at times, and the interface may be overwhelming for beginners. There may also be a learning curve for advanced features.

Overall, both OpenOffice and LibreOffice offer powerful and free alternatives to proprietary productivity software, and users may choose based on their individual needs and preferences.

Final Thoughts
Open office is Good office package for those who can not afford licence copy of Microsoft office.
the best part about the OpenOffice is it has all the functionality like Microsoft office but the only user interface is somewhat different if you have just switched over to open office from Microsoft office then it will take some time to adjust with open office.