OpenOffice.org is an Open Source alternative to Microsoft Office. It comes with a complete office software suite designed to help you achieve each task you normally would use MS Office for. It contains a word processor for writing anything from letters to complex books, a spread sheet software that it fully compatible with MS Excel and a software for creating presentations that is in many ways similar to MS Power Point.

The word processor that comes with this suite is suggestively called “WRITTER”. It comes with a nice and intuitive Wizard that will help you create letters, agendas, faxes and other documents with just a few clicks. Obviously, you can choose between multiple styles and formats so you can make your text look just the way you want. In addition, the AutoCorrect dictionary and the AutoComplete feature will make sure that you will write as fast and as error-free as possible. If you have written a complex document, you can add tables of contents and indexes for easier navigation trough the file. Writer is also capable of working with files created with Microsoft Office.

If you are looking for an application that can give you full control over data, CALC may be the one you are looking for. You can create formulas using words, create graphical representations of your data, create “what if…” scenarios using the integrated Scenario Manager and many other options. If you get stuck in some point, you can turn to the help system that will guide you through most of the processes you might encounter. Another great thing about the Calc application is that it can import data from external databases using the DataPilot technology and that it is fully compatible with the .xls file format.

The OpenOffice.org “Impress” application is a great tool for creating presentations. If you are new to this kind of software, you can use one of the Master Pages and Layouts that will provide the foundation for your presentation in a matter of seconds. Impress also comes with drawing and diagramming tools, slideshow animation and various effects you can use for enhancing your presentation. All the presentations created with “impress” are fully compatible with the MS Powerpoint .ppt file format.

The entire OpenOffice.org suite is completely free. It is available in an impressive and continuously expanding list of languages and is available on most of the existing computing platforms. A great advantage this suite has is that it is highly compatible with the Microsoft Office suite and the interface is quite similar too. This makes it very easy for an user to “switch sides” without readapting to a different environment.

OpenOffice.org requires 128 MB of RAM memory and 200 MB of free space on your hard drive. It you cannot afford MS Office, then this is the suite you need. And there are few situation where you actually need MS Office. For most of the things users buy MS Office for, OpenOffice.org is just as good, with the huge advantage of also being 100% free. Download it completely free from the link below.