The OpenOffice.org is a desktop based appLication suite, owned by SUN Microsystems. The Software suite is available for free downloads under the GNU Lesser General Public License [LGPL). The software suite was originally developed by StarDivision and was subsequently acquired by SUN Microsystems in the latter half of 1999.

Since the application suite is developed using StarOffice as the foundation, users of this application can adapt to it easily. Moreover, the new versions have been developed keeping in mind the large group of MS-Office users as weLl. The menus and the connotations take some time to get used to, but by and large, they try to strike a balance for both StartOffice and MS-Office users. It is even said

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to be compatible with the discarded versions of MS-Office like Word 6.0, apart from the MS-Word 97-2003 versions, making recovery of such easily achievable, which is not provided by the latest versions of MS-Office. OPENOFFICE.ORG: PROS
o Compatibility: The OpenOffice.org office suite provides compatibiLity to popuLar formats like PDF, MS-Office 97-2003, MS-office XP. Moreover, you can also recover fiLes having formats which are no longer in use, like the StarOffice files, MS-Office 5.0 and MS-Office 6.0 files. Such compatibility is not provided by the parent software appLications making it tempting to adapt to this software suite!

Operating System Compatibility:
The application is compatible to work with a host of Operating Systems which include Windows, Linux, Mac, Solaris, and Free BSD. WYSIWYG Editor: On the lines of StarOffice and MS-Office, the OpenOffice.org application suite provides the user with a similar What You See Is What You Get editor. Since users are already comfortable with the menu based application suites, it is easy to get used to the application. Good Bargain: Opposed to the high priced MS-Office package, OpenOffice. org is a free to use application suite.