Staroffice / Openoffice for OS X

[brojohnson]

Greetings !!
Before I go dejanews and google crazy, are any of you OS X heads running, trying, or thinking about using Sun StarOffice 5.2 or 6/ OpenOffice on the Mac. OpenOffice is open source.
http://www.openoffice.org/
Also they run on FreeBSD. The biggest hill might be using XFree86 stuff. But it will be way to avoid dropping $$$ into Microsoft Office.
Heres Sun opensource webpage http://www.sunsource.net/ with a bunch of goodies.

 

[Taft]

I'm going to install.

I was looking into it late last night. I think I'll try installing it tonight. I've got a *ahem* backup copy of office that I haven't even installed and I'm looking for an alternative that isn't Appleworks. Maybe this'll do it for me...

Matthew

 

[brojohnson]

Let me know how far you get.
I'm going to try either tonight or tomorrow.
I love StarOffice on Linux and Solaris. Theres a PPC Linux version of OpenOffice.
James

 

[brojohnson]

heres some info on a Mac OS X build.
http://www.openoffice.org/dev_docs/source/build_mac.html
Good luck to those who try !!
James

 

[brojohnson]

better link
http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/
James

 

[MR Lurker]

update

As of 7 May 2002 on OpenOffice.org:

"As of today, we have successfully built OpenOffice.org 638c for Mac OS X using the X11 windowing system from XFree86.org. It works. We need, more than ever, help to finish it, so that it uses OpenOffice.org 1.0 and Aqua, and is bug-free. Download it now, and join the project and mailing list. Hunt for bugs; test features; make suggestions. We have proven the concept: OpenOffice.org can run--and it looks beautiful--on Mac OS X."

http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/index.html


Is that a death knell I faintly hear ringing in the direction of Redmond?

 

[mac15]

I might sound like a PeeCee hugger but......
It's no Micro$oft Office but its a start
And most can't afford to pay for office...... So it goes both ways

 

[pgwalsh]

OpenOffice Results with OS X?

So now that OpenOffice 1.0 is out for MAC OS X has anyone given it a spin? I know it opens MS Word and Excel files. I'm curious how it runs on OS X because I don't plan to buy MS Office when I switch to OS X. I have a special copy on my WXP box , but I'll need a writing program for OS X.

 

[evildead]

StarOffice

I really hope that Sun puts out a version of StarOffice for OS X. I have used StarOffice on Windows, Linux, and Solaris. It's great! Just as powerful as MS Office and up to version 5.2 it was free (version 6.0 costs about $50.00, a bargin considering what you get) About a month ago, my buddies little sister came back from a study abroad program from Italy. She had 2 days to write a report about her tip and MS Word would not start up. I tried to re-install office but that failed too. So... I installed StarOffice 5.2 for her. Her computer skills are limited to Word processing and AIM and yet she picked it up right away. She loved it so much that she had me install it on her laptop that she takes to school (out of state). I converted a MS only family to StarOffice. Now I just need to work on getting Apple in their home. If Sun put out a version for OS X... I would never buy another MS product again (or at least try my best).

-evildead

 

[pgwalsh]

I too like StarOffice, but I had issues using the spreadsheet. I'm so used to using Excel that writing formula's for SO was a bit of a pain. I've heard that StarOffice Six ($75) was a set of separate programs and they've ditched the desktop ala SO 5. I liked opening any type of document from one program so I hope we can still do this.

 

[evildead]

RE: pgwalsh

I havent seen StarOffice 6.0 yet. I have a copy of it at work but I just have not had the time to install it. It came with my Solaris 9 DVD set. I wonder if the windows version is on the same disk. Ill give it a try and post my findinding here when I get back to my office (I'm on travel for work).

-evildead

 

[szark]

Re: StarOffice

Originally posted by evildead
I really hope that Sun puts out a version of StarOffice for OS X.

From the OpenOffice website:

Will Sun produce a StarOffice office productivity suite for Mac OS X?
Sun will not bring to market a StarOffice for Mac OS X. However, the open source community now has Sun's contribution to the port, giving it a massive head start which, when built upon, will result in a version of OpenOffice.org for Mac OS X.

Also, they have now "successfully" built a Quartz version, but they say it is still unstable and buggy.

 

[pgwalsh]

Re: Re: StarOffice

Originally posted by szark
Also, they have now "successfully" built a Quartz version, but they say it is still unstable and buggy.

Right! I've read this and am pretty happy to hear that they're working on it. However, it's still in beta and I was curious if anyone has tried to beta version. Since it's open source I wonder if they can change the way you imput formulas and key commands to match that of M$. I think that would make it easier for people to switch.

It's unfortunate that Sun won't support the Mac. I would think this would be a market for them.

 

[Taft]

It is my understanding that Sun is pretty much pushing all further development onto Openoffice and the open source movement. This would explain why they aren't working towards an OS X version (they aren't working at all).

Given their commitment to OS X in terms of Java, I'd expect a similar commitment if they were actively working on StarOffice.

Taft