Has anyone given LibreOffice a try?
Yes, I tried it soon after the first non-beta was released, which was only a few weeks ago. I really only played with the word processor because that's the only component that I really need.
It is an impressive first effort. However, it crashes several times a day (without warning), which is completely unacceptable. I'd say that it isn't yet ready for prime-time, but that it is worth keeping a close eye on. Unlike all the other projects porting the OpenOffice code to the Mac, it is being backed by some big names with a lot of money and resources, such as BROffice, Google, Novell and Red Hat. I expect this project to soon eclipse all of the other OpenOffice projects.
For now, the OpenOffice product that I would most recommend is:
NeoOffice (free)
http://www.neooffice.org
NeoOffice has implemented more features for the Macintosh:
NeoOffice 3.1.1 Feature Comparison - NeoWiki
...and in many instances is faster.
NeoOffice Performance Comparison - NeoWiki
I'm looking forward to the day when none of us have to purchase Microsoft Office ever again. (Yes, I know that there are other very nice word processors and office suites for the Macintosh. But some of us need the extra features that only Office offers.)
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Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)
Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting
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