Sun Explains StarOffice vs. OpenOffice

[MacBytes]

http://www.macbytes.com/images/bytessig.gif (http://www.macbytes.com)

Category: 3rd Party Software
Link: Sun Explains StarOffice vs. OpenOffice (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20080807101902)
Description:: none

Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)
Approved by Mudbug

[Mudbug]

As I've mentioned before, I'm a bear of very little brain sometimes. Can anyone give me a real difference between these two apps other than one you pay for, and the other one you don't?

[Dustman]

As I've mentioned before, I'm a bear of very little brain sometimes. Can anyone give me a real difference between these two apps other than one you pay for, and the other one you don't?

If this is something a lot of people are asking, it should be pretty obvious to get the free one IMO. If there's hardly a difference, why pay for what can be had for free.

[SinfonianShrek]

Basically you're paying for the StarOffice brandname, the fancy packaging of the physical copy, and the online and phone support. None of those come with OpenOffice and for a corporate environment the support makes all the difference in the world.

[iwuzbord]

wait, google offers star office for free in their google pack (for windows though)

why cant they just give them the same name?
and make one paid, and one free.

[mflender]

Star Office is essentially considered a more stable code base and includes more clip art and extras by default. It should be noted it offers less languages and you can purchase support for open office. Open office offers more customization. I personally would use open office especially in a higher education environment. Customize it with the extras you need instead of starting bloated.

[SinfonianShrek]

wait, google offers star office for free in their google pack (for windows though)

why cant they just give them the same name?
and make one paid, and one free.

My guess is that Google pays Sun for the StarOffice licenses and swallows the cost. It's not nearly as expensive as MS office and so few people are actually going to get the Google Pack so why not?

[voxnj]

Does anyone have an idea when the Mac Beta version of OpenOffice will go live?

[mkrishnan]

wait, google offers star office for free in their google pack (for windows though)

why cant they just give them the same name?
and make one paid, and one free.

Sun has done a lot for the OSS community with its contributions to OpenOffice through their StarOffice development. Granted, they can be obstructionist at other times, but I don't see why they need to be criticized for what they've given the community.

[Nermal]

Does anyone have an idea when the Mac Beta version of OpenOffice will go live?

OpenOffice 3 Mac beta (http://openoffice.bouncer.osuosl.org/?product=OpenOffice.org&os=macosxintelaqua&lang=en-US&version=3.0.0beta2)

StarOffice 9 Mac beta (http://www.sun.com/software/staroffice/get_beta.jsp)