OpenOffice.org version 2 preview available
OOo is what we use 99,5% of the time at home. It’s very compatible with Microsoft Office and handles some moderately complex spreadsheets and serial letters very well. We actually use NeoOffice/J, which Patrick Luby and Edward Peterlin maintain – a repackaged version which uses a Java wrapper to allow your Mac fonts and printers to be used natively in OS X, without having to convert them to run under Darwin.
However, the main reason for this post is to point out that an OO0 version 2 preview is available for Windows and Linux, and it has had a very positive review over on The Inquirer’s web site. It is packed with changes. If you don’t mind working with beta version software, it warrants a closer look – the more people who look now, and report bugs they find, the better the final version will be.
There is, by the way, an interesting marketing strategy document available from OOo’s website, covering their plans for the next 5 years. They are aiming to increase their market share from around 2% now, to 50% by 2010.