Freeware Word Processor

[Terry_Glover]

I have a new HP computer with Windows Vista. My old Microsoft word 97 will not run on it (It's all I need here at home). I refuse to pay $130.00 (on sale!) for the new basic Microsoft Office software.

Would someone here recommend one of the freeware word processors that are available that will work with Vista?

Provide a download link please? Thank you.

[wavetar]

I loaded OpenOffice onto my Vista Beta2 machine about 6 months ago, and it worked just fine. It'll give you compatibility with pretty much every MS Office document type...Word, Excel, etc.

http://www.openoffice.org/

Todd

[tvsjr]

+1 on OpenOffice.

[Terry_Glover]

Thanks a lot for the recommendation guys.

I've never used anything but MS Word. In fact, I've never seen any other word processing application.

I have installed Open Office late this morning and to tell you the truth, I'm impressed. I've tapped out three documents and gave the spread sheet a tryout. All seems to work fine.

Why should anyone buy MS Office when a product just as good is FREE?

Terry

[thebigphish]

It is a remarkable program. I would completely integrate it into our local infrastructure if it wasn't for the following issues;

1) We use Access for a large amount of things.

2) Our people are afraid of change.

3) We use Access for a large amount of things.

If they ever managed to find a seamless transition scheme for a Access lookalike, i would be sold..#2 be damned.

[tvsjr]

#1 and #3 be damned as well. Anyone who uses Access should be shot. Ugh.

[Wowbagger]

It is a remarkable program. I would completely integrate it into our local infrastructure if it wasn't for the following issues;

1) We use Access for a large amount of things.

2) Our people are afraid of change.

3) We use Access for a large amount of things.

If they ever managed to find a seamless transition scheme for a Access lookalike, i would be sold..#2 be damned.

Being blissfully ignorant of the travails of the Microsoft environment, doesn't Access export an ODBC interface? If so, OOBase will happily access the data. You could probably even pull the data into a read database pretty gracefully.

[jackhackett]

I wish I could get our people to use Open Office.
But then, I can't even get them to use Firefox... for people working in a technical field, they've got all the computer savvy of a jello fruit mold.

[thebigphish]

I didn't so much as ask them to use Firefox, as much as i TOLD them they had to use it, i made it the default, and then i disabled access to Internet Explorer...imported their settings over, and waited....for the complaints to come in. . . which never did.

[Terry_Glover]

I may give Firefox a try as well, and maybe something other than Microsoft Vista too.

This new Vista machine seems to be full of bugs. I regret having bought it. Can't download certain Windows updates, just get error messages that the install failed. Can't even syncronize the clock to an internet time standard, it fails every time too. Also, the computer will not stay in standyby mode. The screensaver will come on for a few minutes, then the desktop will come on, then the screensaver again... over and over... These are just simple things I've noticed right away. I hate to think about other problems that will show up later as I get to using more "features". I never had problems like these using XP.

I have gone ahead and replaced the failed power supply in my old homebuilt XP machine. Now I'm a happy camper again. It's a shame to take a brand new (2 weeks old) $600.00 Vista PC and disconnect it and set it against the wall in an isolated corner of the bedroom, but I hate Vista!

[tvsjr]

Vista is the next Windows ME.

No one wants to run it. The big OEMs pushed Microsoft to allow XP Pro on their business systems again. Pretty much the only people running Vista are the ones who have had it shoved down their throats by a purchase in-store.

I'll consider switching, when it can do something for me... rather than simply burn substantially more processor/memory/HDD to make prettier pictures and to admin a bunch of DRM which is destined to fail anyway.

[kf4sqb]

I haven't had any experience with Vista yet, and don't think I want to from what I'm hearing here and elsewhere. I have MS Office installed here, and haven't ever really had any problems with it before, but I may download Open Office to take it's place, just because I've begun to despise Microshaft. I've been running Firefox and Thunderbird instead of their Microshaft counterparts for some time now. Personally, with how well they both work, I'm waiting for Mozilla to make an operating system. I'd sever all ties with Microshaft so fast, I'd make a sonic boom.

[Terry_Glover]

Vista is the next Windows ME.

I never really thought of that until you mentioned it. Been there and dealt with ME several years ago, and there is a striking similarity in the deficiencies and tendency of Vista to screw up like Windows ME did!
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I have MS Office installed here, and haven't ever really had any problems with it before, but I may download Open Office to take it's place, just because I've begun to despise Microshaft.

That's just about the way I'm feeling about MShaft now. MS Office has always worked well for me too, no problems as far as the application goes. But i'll be damned if I'm going to pay >$140.00 plus for a new "Student and Teacher" version. My old Office 97 worked fine on my XP machine, but 97 is incompatible with Vista.

[wavetar]

My old Office 97 worked fine on my XP machine, but 97 is incompatible with Vista.

You DO realize you're complaining about an incompatibility with 10 year old software, right? Not that I'm a great defender of Microsoft, but there are literally 10's of thousands of pieces of software out there from other companies designed to work with Windows 95, but won't work with XP (never mind Vista) because they too have newer versions which they want to sell you. We're 4 versions removed from 95, I'd consider myself lucky to have gotten that much mileage out of it.

Now, that aside, it irks me that Windows doesn't come with even rudimentary office software, which is what 90% of what the world wants computers for. So, it's great that people have taken things into their own hands & created Open Office.

It's a shame you have a new computer sitting in a corner. Blow away Vista & load XP on it!

Todd

[Terry_Glover]

It's true that Office '97 is ten years old and I did get my mileage out of it, I realize that. I guess I was just kind of stunned when I got the new PC home and found out '97 was incompatible with it (Vista). I had just spent a good chunck of change on the new computer and was not planning on buying anymore software to replace what I already had. It's my fault for not doing more research before I made the purchase. Anyway, OpenOffice took care of that problem. Got an excellent suite of office applications and it didn't cost me a dime. Thanks again to those here who steered me to OpenOffice.

I do have a new, sealed OEM Windows XP Pro disc stashed around here somewhere. Got it on eBay a couple years ago with some Rambus memory RIMM's I bought, but never installed the OS since my XP Home edition wasn't giving me any problems. I'll find that Pro disc and "FIX" the new Hewlett Packard for now and forever.

Terry

[motorola_otaku]

I'll consider switching, when it can do something for me... rather than simply burn substantially more processor/memory/HDD to make prettier pictures and to admin a bunch of DRM which is destined to fail anyway.

But.. you have a sidebar now!

I'll take recommendations on a freeware/3rd-party alternative to Microsoft Access. It works okay for what I need it for, but boy is it a pain in the posterior to configure.

[tvsjr]

PostgreSQL. Use a real database (well, unless you want to spend teh money for Oracle or SQL Server).

[jackhackett]

OpenOffice has a database built in as well, and can also be set up to work with most other databases like Postgre or MySQL. Can't say if it's going to be easier to use than Access, but it's a alternative.

[mr.syntrx]

You DO realize you're complaining about an incompatibility with 10 year old software, right?

Drifting from the topic a bit, but age doesn't have all that much to do with it, it's whether the OS vendor chooses to dump legacy features and interfaces or not. A brand new IBM zSeries machine purchased today will run System/360 programs written in the mid 60's.

[mr.syntrx]

PostgreSQL. Use a real database (well, unless you want to spend teh money for Oracle or SQL Server).

INGRES is nice. Forms is handy too.

I quite like 4th Dimension though for lower end windozey stuff.

[Softix]

Google Docs (Standard Edition)
http://docs.google.com/
I think it another free web based word processor. Though you can hardly compare it to any of the desktop word processors, its main strength is that it is a web application. You just need a good and free browser like firefox to run this! It allows you to open/edit/save the documents online. No installation/upgrades/etc...

[Softix]

Open Office (Writer)
http://www.openoffice.org/
It has everything you would expect from a modern, fully equipped word processor! Above all, it is multi-platform and very easy to use! Supports various formats and comes with a full office suite. It has all the required strength to rip off M$ word's monopoly.