Open Office is the Open Source counterpart of Sun to Microsoft's MS Office. Open Office is multi-lingual & multi-platform that is compatible with all major office suites with whatever Operating System that suits one's needs. It has all the necessary components in an office suite that any user could get hold of. It has all the major components of MS Office and more.

It has its own equivalent for all major office applications in MS Office. It has Writer while there is MS Word, Impress while there is MS PowerPoint, Calc and/or Math while there is MS Excel and there are still lots of new and impressive applications no longer built-in to an MS Office suite.

Another good thing about Open Office is that it could be used in several native languages. If you are from the Far East or Central Asia, Africa and certain parts of Western Europe & North America wherein several languages and other text input methods are being used, Open Office is the Open Source Software to have. Open Office is the product of years of virtual community works subdivided into several projects with the goal to develop, support & promote the use of Open Office.

From a common user's perspective, Open Office is the open gift of Sun to humans. Before just like what I have posted in my other article as regards Linux Ubuntu (Linux Ubuntu : A Touch to My Spirituality). Open Office is another kind deed for humans as we speak from a collaborative community-based human beings grouped together to provide mankind with better tools to improve the workplace and our way of life.

As what you would always hear from me, before it takes a lot of money to be able to take advantage of softwares that could change the way we live but now with softwares such as Open Office, one is no longer "jailed in a box" wherein there are no other options but to use the other Office Suite that we have all been very much familiar with eventhough it really costs a lot to be able to do that.

It is really heartwarming to know that "Open-ness" is indeed a very ideal word to ponder on specially for those people and companies who have heralded open source applications and literally exposed us to new technologies. New technologies that are openly shared, distributed and promoted for the betterment of mankind whether for personal or business use. While other companies just focused on money making activities to monopolize their markets, some companies notably did not but instead created platforms wherein their products would freely flow in so that it would be openly utilized to provide better solutions not necessarily instantly paid for.

Among them is Sun Microsystems. Sun Microsystems have been one of the best providers of Software & Hardware Solutions globally. They have been very helpful to consumers and businesses eversince. They are able to provide us with so many online tools that shaped, molded and changed the way we look at the internet and business. Online tools that ordinary consumers and businessmen sometimes are unmindful that came from them. Sun I could say is a humble company with "micro" theme in mind but "Macro" as regards their technologies' effect to consumers and SMEs. Above this all, it is really a good thing to note that without Sun, the world might not be the same place to live in as it is now. Similarly, virtually it is also a very good thing to note that Sun's Rays are Upon Us. :)

Linux Ubuntu - A Touch to My Spirituality

Eversince I learned how to use the computer, my first exposures were always Microsoft-based. From MS-DOS, Windows 95, 98SE, Windows 2000 & Windows XP. All the while I thought that there are no other computer operating systems in the market aside from those provided by Microsoft. Years passed by and I just got contented with being a user of Windows-based Operating System. Buying new and expensive editions of MS Operating Systems each time a new one comes up. I used to think that when it comes to computers, it would always be Microsoft or nothing else. Probably, other people might also hold the same viewpoint.

I have heard about Linux years ago but I just thought that Linux would just be for servers and would be too costly to get hold of specially for an ordinary consumer like me. It never crossed my mind that I would be able to use any of these Linux OS in its many forms until this year.

I also thought that it would be expensive to get a Linux. In terms of usability, I knew nothing about what & how this Linux system would be. Everytime I buy a new computer whether it be a desktop or a laptop or an ordinary Pocket PC, it has always been Windows running the Operating System show. In the several desktop PCs that I have assembled both for business and personal use, I was able to save a lot on spare sparts since I personally selected them not only based on costs but also as regards its parts' durability and reputation but not when it comes to the Operating System. A Licensed Windows XP could range from US$150 - 250$ in this place where I am in. This is the reason why I just got stocked up limiting myself to buy more computers since most often the software price exceeds that amount of the hardware.

Exactly two months ago, I was browsing a local classified ads website when I saw this ad about Linux Ubuntu posted by another member who was offering it for US$3.00. Wow! I thought that I could save a lot on that Operating System and it would be an opportunity for me to be able to use that OS. So we met so that he could give me the CD for the Linux Ubuntu Feisty 7.04. To my astonishment, I was just supposed to get 1 CD but he handed me 4 CDs. All two CDs were original Linux Feisty for x86 & 64bit; and two CDs were duplicated copies for 64 bit server & sparks. I was even more surprised to find out that what I paid for were for the cost of the CDs used in the duplication for the last two versions earlier stated. It made me wonder why that guy offered me his services technically for free.

When I went home, I installed the Live CD initially using it on dual boot since I really don't know what to expect then. I'd rather try it at first and if it won't work for me, I would revert to Windows XP. When I started using it, the excitement grew to a level wherein I already would like to uninstall Windows XP from my PC permanently which I already did despite of the fact that I paid a lot to buy its license. Each learning discovery that I encounter each day made me more attached to what Linux Ubuntu is all about. It made me understand more why after all these years, like probably most of you out there, have been contented with what we have and were anxious to try a newer system for the fear that we might crash our system or even damage our computers. It made me reach a self-realization why on every distributed Ubuntu CD these words "Linux (Ubuntu) for Human Beings" are etched.

Linux Ubuntu is by far the best Operating System that I ever used. It is so user-friendly & flexible. One could use many supported freeware programs for basic, advanced and special requirements that before were too expensive to get hold of and install not even built-in to a Microsoft Software system. Most importantly, at the back-end of each Linux Ubuntu installed are "real human beings" ever ready to provide all levels of support for all levels of users. They do this through IRC, forums and Ubuntu paste bins and they would immediately respond to each query, technical concern or newbie issue that you raise to them and would never stop until you get what you wanted to do or add to the Linux Ubuntu System. They don't charge any fees in doing that and they are literally there 24/7.

Before, when I have to finish a special task that would require special softwares, figuratively speaking, I needed to open "windows" to seek and learn about a software only to find out once I am already inside that I needed to buy and open another "window" again to be able to get what I want and it kept on and on until I won't be able to finish what I really wanted to do and just wasted my time searching & learning about that particular software that was bought and installed over "Windows."

Now that I found Linux Ubuntu, there is no more turning back. It is going to be Linux Ubuntu for as long as it takes. This is my way of thanking Canonical Ltd and Linux Ubuntu for a Spiritually touching experience that still despite of the fact that everything around us are controlled and overrun by softwares & computers, Linux reminds us that it would still be us human beings that would make the difference. I now fully understood what Linux for Human Beings is all about. It is no longer about opening "windows" but instead guiding humans to doorways and portals where humans have never been before through the spirit of sharing for a better humanity.