Angela M.The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) provides Open Office, a free and open-source office productivity software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, graphics, and more. Before I go ahead to give you the steps to download Open Office, let me explain briefly what OpenOffice actually is. 
What is OpenOffice and how does it work?
A Productivity Suite that is completely free.
The office productivity software suite is multilingual and works with all major operating systems, including Apple MacOS, Microsoft Windows, and Linux. Writer, Calc, Impress, and Base are the four primary applications, which are essentially competitors to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.
Because OO is free, you may avoid spending money on expensive office productivity suites on the market. If your company is on a limited budget, this can be an unwelcome expense.
How Apache Open Office Works
According to the Apache Software Foundation, Apache Open Office is the result of nearly two decades of software development. As of 2016, it is a mature and stable program that has been downloaded more than 200 million times around the world.
OO provides a high level of interoperability without the associated expenditures or license concerns. It offers a user interface and feature set that are comparable to those found in ‘commercial’ office suites. In recent years, these premium features have enticed a wide range of enterprises to explore the program.
Among the organizations and industries that Apache lists as having adopted OO are:
- Governments
- Education
- Businesses
- Not for profits
- IT Businesses
- F/OSS advocates
Apache Open Office is a free and secure solution that ensures trouble-free use for small enterprises ranging from corner shops to grocery stores and restaurant chains.
OO saves all of your important information in a format that has been certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It also allows you to interchange data as quickly as opening and saving a file across office software, accounting software, planning software, and any other software.
On the official Apache Open Office website, ASF claims, “No transcription errors, no inputting the same information twice – no trouble computing.”
Open-source office productivity suites like Open Office and rival LibreOffice, however, have one drawback: they are not now Cloud-based. This is a benefit of Microsoft Office and Google Docs Online for collaboration.
Reasons to Use Apache Open Office
There are still numerous advantages to using open-source software. The first consideration is the cost. Apache Open Office is a completely free program. Open Office may be a decent alternative to other solutions for small businesses searching for a professional-caliber office productivity suite for free.
Second, Apache OpenOffice is simple to master. According to Apache, if you’re already using another office software package, you’ll switch to Open Office right away. If you already have files from another office software, Open Office will almost certainly read them.
Furthermore, OO is distributed under the Apache 2.0 License, which permits you to use it for any purpose – commercial, home, educational, or government administration. You may also install OO on as many computers as you want, make copies, and distribute them to family, friends, coworkers, or anybody else.
Additionally, Open Office supports the usage of “extensions” and document “templates,” both of which can be extremely beneficial to organizations. According to ASF, an extension is a third-party product that adds new features to Open Office. This can be accomplished via addons, or addins, which are distributed as part of the Unlimited Networks of Opportunities (UNO) packages. Templates, on the other hand, are pre-made document layouts for specific purposes.
Your IT team can also alter the OO open-source code to meet your company’s specific needs, improve it, or utilize it to develop something entirely new and distribute the results to the public.
How to Download Open Office
- Click DOWNLOAD to go directly to the Apache Open Office website.
- Choose your operating system, and then click DOWNLOAD FULL INSTALLATION
- After the file downloads on your computer, click to open it and the setup window will open on your screen. Click NEXT.
- Now, click INSTALL to begin the installation process and then NEXT two more times to get through the setup guide.
- Now you have the option for a custom or standard installation. If you want all 6 programs, just click on TYPICAL. Otherwise, select CUSTOM. If you chose ‘Typical’ the installation will finish and you can start using all of the apps. If you chose ‘Custom’, continue to the next step.
- To remove a program click on the little arrow and select THIS FEATURE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE. After you’ve chosen the apps you want to include click NEXT to finish the installation.
How to Uninstall OpenOffice
If you decide that Open Office isn’t for you after downloading it, you may uninstall it in just a few simple steps.
- In the Windows search bar, type Add or Remove Programs.
- Uninstall OpenOffice by scrolling down and clicking UNINSTALL.
- There is no need to restart the computer after uninstalling Open Office.
Open Office vs Office 365
The cost is one of the most compelling, if not the most compelling, reasons to avoid Office 365. Open Office is here to help you get the job done with a free solution.
To be honest, Open Office isn’t quite as excellent as Office 365, but the question is: does it really matter?
Do you require all of Excel’s and Word’s bells and whistles (let’s face it, no home user utilizes 80% of the in-depth features) or Word’s features? The Open Office programs are similar enough to the Office alternatives that the ordinary user won’t notice some of the missing functionality
When compared to Office 365, the Open Office products have a slightly antiquated look, as shown in the image above. Instead of using the Office ribbon style, many of the buttons are put in the sidebar. Despite the outdated appearance, all of the main buttons are still easily accessible and let you to produce the documents and spreadsheets you want
There are two Open Office apps that Office 365 does not include. Drawing (which is identical to Google Drawing in the Google Docs suite) and the Database (or Math) program, which is a mathematical equation editor that may be used in text documents or as a standalone tool.
Download Apache Open Office
Free Alternatives to Open Office
Browser-Based Office 365: I highlighted the costly Office 365 package, but I didn’t include the free browser-based Office 365 apps. You can use all of your favorite office tools, plus you’ll get a free 5GB OneDrive account to save all of your work in the cloud.
Google G Suite: All you need is a Google account to get free access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, among other things.
LibreOffice is free and open-source software that was “forked” from Open Office and constructed using the same source code. Open Office’s word processing, database, presentation, and spreadsheet apps are all equivalent in LibreOffice. It has thousands of collaborators worldwide, releases updates twice a year, and is available in over 100 languages.
Download Apache Open Office
FAQ
Is Open Office really free?
There are no hidden expenses or membership perks for paying subscribers with Open Office. However, you may help Open Office and the many other Apache projects by making a donation.
Is Open Office safe?
Anyone can edit and share the software because it is open-source. In their own versions, they can include toolbars, extra applications, and even malware. As a result, it’s critical to only download software from the Apache website, which is free of all the junk that comes with downloading from third-party sources.
What programs are included with Open Office?
- Writer
- Calc
- Impress
- Draw
- Base
- Math
There are six apps in all, all of which can be downloaded as a single file.
Is Open Office compatible with Microsoft Office?
Yes. Microsoft Office files can be opened in Open Office programs, and Open Office files can also be opened in Microsoft Office products.
Can I add new fonts to Open Office?
Open Office will operate with any fonts that are installed on your computer. If you wish to use a font that isn’t built-in, simply download the file and place it in the Windows Control Panel’s Fonts Folder. To use the new fonts, you’ll need to restart Open Office
Emmanuel Kevin
Angela M.
