9/25/2008 2:30:00 AM COMPUTER CORNER Here is some great software
By Chris Livesay Computer Corner
I've written here before about OpenOffice but I think it's worth repeating for those of you that may not be aware of this great piece of freely available software.
OpenOffice is an office suite very similar to Microsoft Office. The applications include Writer (Word), Calc (Excel) and Impress (Powerpoint). These programs allow you to read and edit files created in Microsoft Office as well as create new documents, spreadsheets or powerpoint presentations and save in Microsoft Office format. Did I mention you have all of this with just a free download from openoffice.org? There are some limitations. Some heavily formatted Word documents or Excel spreadsheets with pivot tables and such may not convert well. But, for the majority of us, this suite of office applications will do everything you need without the need to spend hundreds of dollars on Microsoft Office. OpenOffice can also read Wordperfect and Microsoft Works files. One of my favorite options is pdf creation. After creating a document, one click on the toolbar converts your document to pdf so it's ready to be emailed into a format anyone can read with Adobe Reader. I use this office application to write my column most of the time. I've never had a problem saving as a Word document and sending it out. When my computer customers need office, I install this program for them unless they need something specific like Microsoft Access.
If you don't need a full office suite, you can also look at Abiword for document creation or Gnumeric for spreadsheets. Again, these are freely available products on the internet.
As I've said many times, using a computer and software doesn't have to be expensive. If you are willing to learn just a little, you can save yourself money and get the most out of your computer.
Have a great week!
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Chris Livesay is the owner of No Computer Left Behind, a local business that specializes in refurbishing and revitalizing older computers. Chris' column appears each week in The Paper of Montgomery County. E-mail him any computer questions at computercorner@thepaper24-7.com.
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