What is Digg?Sponsored by Dragon Age: Origins
Join the Dragon Age: Origins development team on Facebook view!
facebook.com/DragonAgeOrigins - EA presents BioWare's new dark fantasy epic Dragon Age: Origins. '9/10' from Game Informer.
363 Comments
- rubbers0ul, on 07/06/2008, -39/+333Because it still lacks a large amount of the polish that alternatives have, i.e. MS Office, and Apples iWork to a lesser extent. People will pay a premium not to have to tinker with something to make it function correctly, the same reason people will buy OS X or Windows instead of using free Linux.
- dmcbride6, on 07/06/2008, -35/+204I'm all for opensource and whatnot...but there are ways to do it and ways not to do it.
OpenOffice sucks. I'm sorry but it does not feel like a finished product. It still feels like I'm using a 1998 word processor (for example). - mcool119, on 07/06/2008, -17/+154Because I "acquired" Microsoft Office for free anyway...
*cough* - inactive, on 07/06/2008, -15/+117I believe that people still think "you get what you pay for" and if it is free - it can't be all that good.
- Wakers, on 07/06/2008, -18/+119I'll tell you why, it's not as good! that's why.
It's a decent piece of kit, but if you can afford to buy Office (2007 particularly is a big step forward) then you probably should.
Going from Office 2007 back to Open Office is like going from Xp back to 3.1 - painful. - vats, on 07/06/2008, -14/+110I think because most of the people are not aware from the OpenOffice and they are comfortable with MS Office.
- TheInformer, on 07/07/2008, -15/+89It's too easy to pirate Microsoft's Office program, either from friends or from the internet.
- Subcranium, on 07/07/2008, -15/+72Because it's ugly. I grabbed the latest beta, hoping to switch, and the kerning was a disaster. The same document, side by side, showed that OOo3b has real problems.
Some letters were too close and some were too far from each other. Some vertical lines looked normal and some looked bold.
I can't imagine staring at a jumble like that all day. Maybe it's OK for light users (although I saw the flaws immediately).
I'm stunned that this hasn't been fixed in all these years.
On the other hand, the spreadsheet is quite nice (for cases where I'm just bringing in and sorting a lot of data and I don't need all Excel's features). I'm able to open wide csv and tsv (>256 columns) that Excel can't touch--normally you need to load those into a database.
The word processor, though--unbelievable crap visually. I wonder if Apple and Microsoft have font display patents or technology that OO doesn't have. Or if it's just a matter of sloppiness.
Try them side by side on the same document--you'll see what I mean. - kraetos, on 07/06/2008, -13/+63Agreed. OpenOffice's UI is awful, even when compared to Office.
Most open source projects lack a good UI. Exceptions include Firefox and Ubuntu, but there's still a LOT of room for improvement. - inactive, on 07/06/2008, -0/+45In the save menu you can change it to a .doc instead of a .odt.
- tsupersonic, on 07/06/2008, -12/+48It's slow. 'nuff said
- cheezintern, on 07/07/2008, -10/+41I recently used the new office version and was very impressed. They moved a few buttons around, but overall it's way nicer than open office. I do have open office on my 2 gig flash drive though, which is also very cool.
- illt, on 07/07/2008, -15/+45while true i think in this case, at least for me, open office can't even hold a candle to Office 2007.
Then again, I can't really sympathize with the monetary aspect, as i haven't paid for office - fissionignition, on 07/06/2008, -6/+36Learn how to use it.
- svensko, on 07/07/2008, -3/+32I've used OpenOffice for the past few years with minor issues and no major complaints. I guess I just don't expect a word processor to sexually please me while walking my dog or put on a fireworks show while spinning plates on its feet.
- Jerg3726, on 07/06/2008, -5/+33Not a lot of people actually know what Open Office is... when people think word processing they think Microsoft word.
- MacTyler, on 07/07/2008, -11/+39I know, because the UI sucks.
- EdCenter, on 07/06/2008, -12/+36for home users, OpenOffice would make sense. But in my office, where we have VERY complicated excel sheets calculating financials, it doesn't make any sense. I guess we can replace Word and PowerPoint, but the thing is, Excel is irreplaceable. And it comes with Office, so why switch?
- PinkChicken, on 07/07/2008, -0/+23I'd like to give you half a digg, but I round down.
- chaos7, on 07/07/2008, -7/+27i use it!
- 3242130193, on 07/06/2008, -2/+22Export it to pdf.
- tuX0r01, on 07/07/2008, -9/+28I use OpenOffice over Ms Office every day.
- paradexes, on 07/07/2008, -12/+31DISCLAIMER: This is flamebait,
Because it sucks...If they added an email client that works with exchange, then sun has something to work with. Take a page out of the MS playbook. Embrace and extend. That is the sole killer feature that the whole MS office suite has going for it in the enterprise space. And why people are willing to pay out the nose (that and MS deceptive sales practices that you need them all).
Open Office adds an email client that works with exchange hell ANY office suite adds that functionality along with the ability to modify the code or add plugins (ala Thunderbird) and they will have the outlook killer. Until then OpenOffice and it's like are just second stringers.
Abiword for word processors is just as good and in some cases better than OO Writer and Word 2003/2007 - Sam6644, on 07/07/2008, -5/+23Its because nobody pays for MS Office in the first place.
- benologist, on 07/07/2008, -9/+26I think the problem is FOSS people want to believe free is this huge, awesome feature of what they're offering, and they can't imagine why people aren't jumping at the opportunity to have something for nothing. We've always had free stuff, I can remember buying magazines with 3.5" disks full of free stuff way back when.
Free is just a bonus, it's getting the job done that matters. And as good as OpenOffice is MSO is better. - Darkhacker, on 07/07/2008, -4/+21I think the key is to do like Firefox and allow have a quality API for user extensions. I know that development builds of OpenOffice 3.0 are making strides in this area and I think that once there is a good API for building on top of OpenOffice, you'll see developers writing extensions to add capabilities that aren't there by default and will be able to do some pretty innovative stuff that even MS Office lacks.
- cesclaveria, on 07/07/2008, -1/+17@Sabin,
there is a freaking "print" button and a menu entry for printing, and Ctrl+P, I don't think (at least hope) the business admins are not that dumb, as to not find a way. - iofthestorm, on 07/07/2008, -1/+17FFS, it's not written in Java, just some parts are, which you can disable. But it's still slow.
- Starviper, on 07/07/2008, -1/+17No way. I must have stolen your copy.
- geneticlemon, on 07/07/2008, -11/+27Yeah, OpenOffice is not the most user-friendly interface. OpenOffice Draw is definitely not an equal alternative to MS Office Publisher, which is something I found out the hard way ...
- vibrokatana, on 07/07/2008, -1/+16I think people are tired of the shareware crap that some developers shovel out. They think that if they like it and use it then a switch will flip somewhere and they will have to pay for it. In order for people to recognize open source the mentality that free is bad needs to be broken by putting out quality applications that improve people's lives (Firefox and OpenOffice are pretty good and have come a long way) and to teach people that their might be a FOSS application that suits their needs if they just look for it.
The other side is brand recognition. People will fork out money to pick a box off the shelf under the assumption that it will increase their productivity somehow. Downloading something is seen as a last resort as it might contain a virus or hose the system (most people barely know how to flip the switch to turn the damn thing on). - bizsumpark182, on 07/07/2008, -5/+20I love Open Office and have been using it for well over a year now. And anytime I get the chance to I always tell others about and try to get them to try it out.
- byronne, on 07/07/2008, -16/+30Hmm...polish?
I've been using it under Windows for quite some time and actually prefer it.
Tinkering?
Haven't had a need to. But then, I'm just using it as a word processor and spreadsheet program. - PullingTeeth, on 07/07/2008, -2/+15I'm still rockin' 3.1. Don't hate.
- blanketfury, on 07/07/2008, -3/+16I'm the supplier
- SolidSnak, on 07/07/2008, -0/+12me too!
- inactive, on 07/07/2008, -1/+13 Open office is great for the home, for those who can't afford MS Office. Open office has made great strides in the last five years, but it's not as robust as MS Office overall. One good thing, is with Open office you can save you projects in a format that is cross platform. I had downloaded Star Office when you still could, and it was great. I used Star Office and saved it in Power Point format for CS class, the Prof did not know till I told him at the end of the year.
- sarge96, on 07/07/2008, -1/+12Of course, the nice thing about open office is that you don't have to pay 80$ for a MS Word upgrade on your PC. I have it, and while it sucks sometimes, it WAS free. The nice thing is that it can also open all MS Words/ Powwerpoint/whatever files.
- Ajajadude, on 07/07/2008, -0/+11@norman619
I understand what you mean, but the fact is that if you're just using MS Office for nothing more than word processing and spreadsheets, Open Office isn't that different. The only noticeable difference is the cost and given my budget, I'll take a few extra moments to get comfortable with a new program if it means paying nothing. - aussieNickuss, on 07/07/2008, -3/+14That's a bit of a mean jab at Subcranium.......who expects to have to do a google search to find a setting in Oo that enables it to display fonts PROPERLY?
- inactive, on 07/06/2008, -4/+14I don't think open office is the only solution, abi word is more lightweight and also free. For Mac I find Bean to be the best word processor and Neo Office useful for powerpoint presentations. I think openoffice is very capable and that more people aren't using it because they just don't know about it. Nearly all computer users have heard of or used Word, so when they purchase a computer of their own they probably assume they need word, and the salesman certainly does not point out that there is a free/open source alternative. I think that if the sales people did point that out or if OEMs shipped with openoffice installed you'd see everyone begin to use it. I also think that some schools are beginning to use it.
- norman619, on 07/07/2008, -1/+11Most of the large software vendors like Adobe and MS make their money from business licenses not from the basic user like you and I. And they don't really care to gain more single users hence the insanely huge price tags for their applications.
- Fergy, on 07/07/2008, -5/+15Only a small minority uses MS Office because of Outlook. Most people just want to write a letter with spell/grammar check.
- inactive, on 07/07/2008, -4/+14Hell, different versions of MS Office aren't always compatible between each other.
- sirhomer, on 07/07/2008, -5/+15Actually OpenOffice is sponsored by Sun Microsystems, and has paid developers. Microsoft spent billions to make Windows Vista, and look how great that turned out. Personally I use Linux (Ubuntu mostly) and I as well as many others find it vastly superior then Windows or OS X. Didn't cost me a dime, and legally too.
- microview2007, on 07/07/2008, -26/+36Because its written in Java and runs like snot on a cold day.
- inactive, on 07/07/2008, -4/+14For me at least, the snot can run pretty damn fast out my nose on a cold day. I'd say it runs like a booger. It doesn't move unless I pick at it.
- FairDinkumMate, on 07/07/2008, -0/+10"Is Adobe spending millions of dollars trying to prevent people from using Gimp?"
You missed the point entirely! Has Adobe spent millions of dollars trying to make sure jpg, bmp & tiff files don't become standard & that the only option is PSD files? NO. With regard to Photoshop at least, Adobe compete solely on the QUALITY(or not) of their product. If Microsoft would do the same, there wouldn't be a problem.
Another problem is that a company like Adobe is now learning from Microsoft, hence it's ridiculous efforts to attempt to control PDF. - newl, on 07/07/2008, -1/+11If you'd bother to read the help, you would be able to find out how to unhide. Granted it isn't as intuitive as MS Office to do but the functionality you suggest is not there, actually is.
- ElBeh, on 07/06/2008, -26/+35Because it's fully possible to pirate software published by Microsoft, and because MS Office 2001 is better than OpenOffice, much less MS Office 2007.
-
Show 51 - 100 of 367 discussions
Browsing Digg on your phone just got easier with our enhancements to the 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is