Should I take NeoOffice or MS Office?
Apr 2nd, 2007 by AndieCZ
NeoOffice is a star of the Mac OS X world. For the first time in the history, Mac OS X user has the right to choose the office suite, which is completely using the features of Mac OS X and looks like the rest of the world on the screen of your Apple. NeoOffice and MS Office both use Aqua user interface and are fully integrated with the rest of the system.
Both NeoOffice and MS Office have disadvantages. NeoOffice is a port using Java for the integration with the operating system and MS Office is the old application, which is still not transferred to be used by the Intel processors. By the way, also for PowerPC, there was some special layer, which explains, why the MS Office suite was really sloooooooooow sometimes.
NeoOffice is born from OpenOffice project, which is primarily built for UNIX based system and it has a large community mainly under Linux, where it has no competition at the moment. Sure, you can use applications delivered with KDE or Gnome, but honestly – would you type a 60 pages user manual in the application, which can crash on page 5 and then on every other? - Linux office suites still need a hard and tough development to become mature and credible applications. It is the same story as the whole Linux. For servers and security – it is very credible system. For end users – the credibility is something, which has to evolve over the period of time. It happened to Windows and Mac OS X as well. The first versions were just like “demos†and with the 3rd release – the success came, but for Windows – Windows 3.0 were still a demo, nothing more.
But the real comparison:
- Word vs. NeoOffice Writer – sorry, guys, but this is not the point for the real comparison. Both applications do their job excellently. Today, both applications include more functions than you need to write a letter to the local Tax Office. You take whichever you want and you WILL finish your document in time.
- PowerPoint vs NeoOffice Draw – latest version of PowerPoint is really very sophisticated and it start to compete with Adobe Illustrator in some basic moments. It knows to work with curves and you can produce really nice presentations. Also, as the application for drawing presentations needs a special approach, the users become more used to the one application and have difficulties to finish their job in the different applications, which can seem very unfriendly to them. It is my case as well – NeoOffice Draw is cool and it is fully sufficient for the job – I do not like it. But, when you are new to the Apple Mac community – learn NeoOffice, it is cheaper for you.
- Excel vs NeoOffice Calc – to name the winner – Excel. When you do not use spreadsheet just for making tables look nicer, then the winner is clearly defined. MS Excel is a really tool for deep analyses producing excellent results. It has no competition. But, when you need to make just basic calculations for your shop or a small business with no need to build large models and different scenarios for the future – NeoOffice Calc is a good choice as well.
In reality, you do not look for the better office suite; you look for the cost/benefit efficiency - the solution, which will produce results for you at the defined cost. And then – honestly – for 95% of users (Apple and PC – it is the same for both platforms), NeoOffice or OpenOffice are very good tools and they will deliver all the needed results on time.
Really, it will not automatically increase your performance, when you spend money for the office suite, which has the functions, you do not know, what they are about. The decision point for MS Office suite should be really about the complexity of issues to be solved using the spreadsheet applications. The presentations and documents are fully ok in both solutions.
PS. Me personally – I have decided to leave MS Office for several weeks and to use just NeoOffice. So, within several weeks I will be able to report all the changes I had to make and issues I have personally discover.
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