Is Openoffice.org a contender on the Mac in 2009?

[miles01110]

If so, it seems worthwhile to use it until some deficiency shows itself. If not, it's time to find an alternative.

I think the point is to avoid deficiencies altogether. Granted this is never possible, but I'd much rather take a chance with Office than be left up a creek without a paddle when I run into some major compatibility issue with OO, especially if it's work-related.

 

[Gadfly22]

I think the point is to avoid deficiencies altogether. Granted this is never possible, but I'd much rather take a chance with Office than be left up a creek without a paddle when I run into some major compatibility issue with OO, especially if it's work-related.

Assuming the OP did sufficient testing of Openoffice before deciding to go ahead with using it (i.e., testing the most problematic and complex of documents), then major compatibility problems should have manifested themselves during the tests. And even minor problems might be enough to justify buying Office.

And even assuming the worst -- that the OP has a novel compatibility problem in a work-related situation -- the OP could then make the investment in Office. Unless he's on a desert island somewhere, I bet there's a way to get Office within a day or the next.

 

[EndlessMac]

There are compatibility issues among different versions of Office:win. Before Office 2007 added another dimension to Office-compatibility issues, the most compatible version of Office was Office 2004.

Yes I would agree. That's one of the things I didn't like about Microsoft Office suites. They like making you buy the latest product so that you can be compatible with other users who have the latest version. It would be better if nobody ever upgraded their Microsoft Office products so that everyone can stay compatible.

Anyway the reason why I brought this up in my last reply was that it seemed the OP has already been using his Windows Office so he would know if there were any problems. Also I thought it was a waste of money buying Office again if he already has it on his computer. Unless he can get a good discount for Office getting VMWare Fusion or Parallels should be the cheaper route and he could use it for other programs he might need to use in Windows.