[WEB4LIB] Do free application suites represent good value

[Timmann, Claudia]

Hello, John and others on the list (I hope I'm sending this out
appropriately)~
This message comes to you from a librarian at the University of Arizona in
Tucson.  You've raised an excellent question. For software review
information I went to a reputable website, http://www.zdnet.com , which
reviews softwares, networks, you name it.  ZDNet operates a worldwide
network of Web sites for people who want to buy, use, and learn about
technology. Winner of the Computer Press Association's "Best Overall Site"
award for two consecutive years, ZDNet provides an invaluable perspective
and resources for technology decision makers to gain an edge in business.

I suggest you take a look. I did find a review of StarOffice on zdnet.com.
Take a look below. The neat thing is that they tested the suite and compared
it to Microsoft Office. Hope this is helpful!  

Claudia Timmann
Undergraduate Services Team
A122
University of Arizona
1510 E. University Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85721

Here is the link, also:
http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2817381,00.html

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     StarOffice shaping up as true Office alternative
     By Michael P. Deignan, Enterprise
     October 11, 2001 9:51 AM PT
     URL:

     With IT managers angered by Microsoft's new software licensing
     plan for Windows and Office XP, many are seeking a viable,
     affordable alternative to the Microsoft Office suite. One suite
     that shows enterprise potential at an unbeatable price is Sun
     Microsystems' free StarOffice.

     The beta of StarOffice 6.0, released in early October (the full
     release version is due early next year), boasts many improvements
     and enhancements--including the adoption of XML file formats--over
     the current StarOffice 5.2 release. The beta still provides an
     excellent set of core features: StarOffice Writer for word
     processing, the StarOffice Calc spreadsheet, the StarOffice
     Impress presentation software, and StarOffice Draw for graphics
     manipulation and special effects. For database functionality
     similar to that in Microsoft Access, a single-user version of the
     Adabas database can be licensed separately.

     In a world dominated by Microsoft Office, file compatibility with
     Office is a requirement of any alternative office suite. During
     our testing, we found virtually no incompatibility with our
     existing Microsoft Office files. We imported several Microsoft
     Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files into their respective StarOffice
     6.0 applications. In all cases, the files imported correctly.
     Saving StarOffice files in Microsoft Office formats did prove
     somewhat troublesome. Although the StarOffice Writer and Calc
     documents we exported functioned correctly in their Microsoft
     applications, Impress crashed when we tried to export Impress
     presentations to the PowerPoint format--but that may be a
     beta-related problem.

     Once we downloaded the 95MB Windows distribution, installing the
     beta software on our Windows 98-based Dell Optiplex GX1 system was
     smooth. (The distribution is also available as several smaller
     files for users with limited bandwidth connections.) We also
     downloaded a 69-page Setup Guide, but found we didn't need it. A
     network installation procedure outlined in the documentation lets
     network administrators install a central version of the product,
     which can then be installed on individual computers on a local
     network. During testing, we relied on the extensive and
     well-organized online help.

     Our first impression of the product was extremely favorable. Gone
     is the annoying "StarOffice Desktop" integrated office desktop
     environment that in previous versions essentially took over the
     Windows desktop. Instead, as with Microsoft Office, each
     StarOffice 6.0 application is launched independently. Even though
     the applications are separate, they still integrate with one
     another so objects created in one StarOffice application can be
     inserted into other StarOffice applications. Furthermore, the
     developers have revamped the user interface by streamlining dialog
     boxes and making the suite more intuitive to use. >> can break
     onto a second page here, if it looks too long<< Subhed:
     Familiarities with Office

     Previous users of StarOffice will have no problems using this new
     release. Users of Microsoft Office applications will experience
     only a slight learning curve, as StarOffice menus are structured
     similarly to those in Microsoft Office. In addition, most
     StarOffice features use names similar to those in Office, with a
     few minor differences. For example, revision marks in Microsoft
     Word are referred to as "changes" in StarOffice.

     StarOffice Writer offers virtually every word-processing feature
     found in Microsoft Office. Users can insert tables, structure
     their documents into various layouts (such as multicolumn
     formats), insert objects from other applications, and even allow
     multiuser collaboration on a document. Users can manually
     spell-check their documents or have the software do so
     automatically as documents are typed; however, no grammar-checking
     feature is in this version of StarOffice. Documents can be broken
     into sections, and each section can be password-protected. When
     multiple users collaborate on a document, the software can track
     changes and comments made by each user. Each of the features we
     tested correctly migrated to and from Microsoft Word.

     The Calc spreadsheet component is equally impressive. Calc
     correctly imported and exported all the data in a complicated
     Excel spreadsheet that contained numerous sheets, computations,
     and embedded charts. This version of Calc supports more financial
     functions, such as MIRR (modified internal rate of return) and
     ISPMT (interest of a credit or investment with constant redemption
     rates--defined as "returns the straight-loan payment interest" in
     Excel), and allows users to insert data from external sources. For
     creating graphs, a series of screens presented by a wizard helps
     users through a process that will be familiar to Excel users.

     The Impress presentation component is on a par with PowerPoint. As
     with PowerPoint, Impress presentations work on a "slide" basis,
     and allow various transition effects from one slide to the next.
     Users can insert graphics, text, and other objects into the
     presentation. For each slide, the software can store lecturer
     notes that will display in "Notes view" or when the slides are
     printed. Impress correctly imported an extensive (50-slide)
     PowerPoint presentation, complete with notes and transition
     effects.

     One feature in StarOffice 6.0 that shows great promise is the
     adoption of XML file formats to store files when saved natively.
     Support for the XML format, an open standard, allows StarOffice
     users greater portability of their files from platform to platform
     and a high degree of interoperability with any other software that
     supports XML. Since many browsers support XML, StarOffice
     documents can be viewed using a Web browser locally or over the
     Internet. StarOffice 6.0 will also compress the XML files it
     saves, resulting in significantly reduced file sizes. Furthermore,
     the XML file format supports 128-bit encryption for users who want
     to password-protect their files.

     StarOffice 6.0 represents a major overhaul of its predecessor. The
     software's look-and-feel and functionality exemplify what a user
     would expect from a high-end commercial application costing
     several-hundred-dollars per seat. At this time, Sun does not
     recommend that corporate users utilize StarOffice 6.0 in
     production environments. However, IT managers looking for a
     cost-effective alternative to Microsoft Office would be
     well-served to start exploring and testing StarOffice's features.
     [specs box; formatting example here, unless the design has
     changed:
 
http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2812025-3,00.htm
l]

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     Software requirements and specs: StarOffice 6.0 beta

       *  Platforms: Windows, Linux, Solaris

       *  Processor: Intel (Linux, Windows), Sparc (Solaris)

       *  RAM: 64MB (128MB Solaris)

       *  Disk space: 250MB

       *  CD-ROM required: No

       *  Downloadable full version: Yes

     Is your organization considering StarOffice 6.0? Drop us a line or
     Talk Back below. Michael P. Deignan is a freelance journalist and
     frequent contributor to CNET Linux Center.