I have used both programs and found some things wrong with both, also some great things about both. My question is which do you think is the best? [without talking about the companies that makes the program or prices, just purely on the function of the program and nothing else]

I use Openoffice and although people can deny it to the end of the day, Microsoft Office is the superior system. As a home user I see no point in forking out hundreds of pounds however for something that I can download off the internet for free, so I personally use Openoffice, but if both were free and open source there would be no question as to which one I use...Microsoft Office.

Microsoft office works for me. My brother has openoffice, and I hate it. I stick with Microsoft. I dunno... maybe its because I grew up with it, using it at school and all... so I guess I'm just more used to it, it's more familiar. So I find it alot easier to use. Plus, I've found that microsoft has alot of features that openoffice doesnt provide. Just little things here and there... probably barely noticeable at first impression, but after a while it'll start to get to you.

And I dont think you can open microsoft documents on openoffice programs... or am I wrong on that one?

I grew up using Microsoft Office, but then I just didnt use it one day and have grown to like Open Office a lot more and am very happy to be using it. Fair enough 1.1.4 didnt have the best interface but that has improved a lot for the new version, 2. Although I have a little trouble with its presentation software not working as I would like it to.

No, Openoffice can backwardly open any Microsoft formats across all the programs although there are still some problems with the formatting. The newest version, 2.0 beta has corrected many of the original problems and is much more like Microsoft Word.

I've used Microsoft Office all my life, but when I upgraded my computer some weeks ago and couldn't get an original CD of Office to install, I was forced to install OpenOffice. I would say it's a wonderful product, considering that it is open-source. Obviuosly much time and effort was spent on developing it. However, it took me some time to get used to it. In the end I installed Office and forgot about OpenOffice.

Microsoft Office is more polished and looks better, but OpenOffice is also a good alternative. OOo will do just about everything Microsoft Office will do, unless there are some advanced functions you need. If I hadn't screwed up my current XP installation I'd be using Microsoft Office instead of OpenOffice, but OpenOffice is almost as good.

I have used both programs and found some things wrong with both, also some great things about both. My question is which do you think is the best? [without talking about the companies that makes the program or prices, just purely on the function of the program and nothing else]

without talking about prices!? hmm thats suddenly makes this question even more challenging!

i'd still have to say i like microsoft word better, mainly because i have been using it for so much longer. however, for those out there who truly are open-source-talented, of course openoffice would be better. however, i feel that with word, you have the accessibility to the many other programs with windows, such as powerpoint and publisher.

zack

I think, at the end of the day, even OpenOffice is attempting to become more and more like Microsoft Office, no? I mean, all the development of OpenOffice just brings it closer and closer to Microsoft Office, correct? Doesn't that imply that at the end, Microsoft Office is still "better", in the sense that OpenOffice tries to emulate it?

You hear people getting more and more excited about OpenOffice, because over the years the functionality of it has evolved and increased till it is now almost similar to Microsoft Office except for several advanced functions. If you want to say which one is a better program only based on the functions of the program, then inevitably that would be Microsoft Office, well, until Open Office surpasses Microsoft Office and adds some other advanced functions of its own.

On the other hand, you could always compare them based on ease-of-use, availability to public, concept, price, and then maybe OpenOffice would win. Because OpenOffice is open-source, it attracts all the open-source supporters, who are more than happy to use an open-source program that is similar to a program by the big Microsoft. Microsoft Office also doesn't run on several alternative OSes like Linux and BeOS, so probably (I'm not too sure whether OpenOffice is available for all other OSes) OpenOffice would have more "functionality" on those OSes.

But based on functionality alone, I still would have to say Microsoft Office still reigns.

...duh...
i grow old with ms office.. and really take all the advantage of it.
let say i like office better.. rather than open office..

open office is an ms office alternative right ? so ?

i wish ms office is FREE ... ([-O<)

anyway..
since we're switching to linux there's no choice to install open office
..duh..
although open office is barely known to our client...

..duh..