Analogue of Microsoft Office: Apache OpenOffice, SSuite Office. Free analogue of Microsoft Office. We are choosing an alternative to Microsoft Office. Review of three free office suites for working with Windows Word documents reviews

Office programs are needed on any computer, home or work. Write essays, prepare presentations, calculate the family budget in a table - whatever one may say, you can’t do without standard software. The most popular package is Microsoft Office, but you have to pay for it. Just in case, we remind you that we have, with which Office 365 will cost less than $20. But if you're not willing to pay at all, here are free alternatives.

Microsoft Office Online

Platform: web

In fact, Microsoft provides free access to its office suite online through a browser. But not everything: only Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote are available. The web version of MS Office requires a Microsoft account (if you have Skype, you most likely have one).

The online version of MS Office, of course, natively supports all Microsoft document formats - docx, xlsx, pptx and their earlier versions (doc, xls, ppt), as well as open formats odt, ods, odp. You can use it purely intuitively, since its interface is similar to new versions of desktop Office. Created documents are saved in the OneDrive cloud. This means that you can work together with them - just give access to the right people via a link.

Documents, however, can be downloaded to a computer in MS Office formats or open formats for offline editing, as well as exported to PDF. The downside is that the online version does not support all the functions of the offline editor (for example, you cannot create a pivot table or HTML document from a Word file in it). But overall, Microsoft's offer is quite generous.

Google Docs

Platforms: web, Android

Microsoft would never have brought Office online if Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets didn't exist. The world's most popular office collaboration product, integrated with Google Drive, Android operating system and Chrome browser.

To work, you need a Google account (if you have an Android smartphone, you have one). Google Docs perfectly supports all Microsoft office formats, as well as open document formats. The created files are saved in Google Drive, but they can also be exported to your computer - including in HTML, RTF, TXT and EPUB formats. Or edit offline in a browser: to do this you need to install the Chrome browser extension.

The office product has a minimalistic interface, but it’s simply packed with various hidden features - we even . And most importantly, the product is focused on collaboration, and provides a lot of opportunities for collective editing of documents, and in real time.

Apple iWork

Platforms: web, Mac OS, iOS

For fans of Apple devices and software, there is a free alternative to “office”. Apple Pages, Numbers, and Keynote let you work with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, respectively.

To work with the package, you need MacOS, where it is preinstalled, or an Apple ID to access the iCloud cloud. If you have an iPhone, you have an Apple ID - just go to the iCloud website and enter it. Apple iWork is compatible with Microsoft Office formats and reads them easily. The software package also offers the ability to collaborate with documents, including with PC users (although they will also have to register an Apple ID).

A distinctive feature of this package is the use of proprietary Apple technology features, such as the Apple Pencil on the iPad. In addition, the interface of the Apple office suite is very different from Microsoft Office - for example, in spreadsheets you will not see a table, but a blank sheet. You'll have to get used to this.

LibreOffice

Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS

The most famous Linux office document editor, developed by volunteers from the Open Document Foundation and pre-installed in the popular Ubuntu distribution, is in fact available for almost all platforms - both desktop and mobile. But it does not have a web version, as well as joint editing capabilities - this is a product for individual work with documents.

But it provides analogues of almost all popular elements of the MS Office package: Writer (Word), Calc (Excel), Impress (PowerPoint), Base (Access), Draw (Visio), as well as the Libre Office Math formula editor, which is equivalent in MS Office No. By default, LibreOffice works with the free OpenDocument formats, but can read MS Office documents and export your work to them.

What a modern user might not like is the old-fashioned editor interface, which evokes Office 2003. The lack of collaboration capabilities is also not very encouraging in 2019. And the saddest thing is the LibreOffice mobile applications, which are only capable of viewing files: they cannot be edited. This can be attributed to development on a voluntary basis, but it is already difficult to compete with such opportunities.

OnlyOffice

Platforms: web, Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android

The most interesting project OnlyOffice seems to have set itself the goal of embracing the immensity. This is what we think, and OnlyOffice simply decided to create a free office suite that is 100% compatible with the official Microsoft formats: docx, xlsx and pptx. Any file (for example, ODF) that gets into OnlyOffice editors is converted into one of them. At the same time, the software itself is open source; it can even be “forked” on GitHub.

The project is interesting because it is cross-platform. First, documents, presentations, and spreadsheets can be shared through a browser. Secondly, desktop versions have a modern interface, similar to the new MS Office. Thirdly, mobile applications are full-featured editors - not like the previous package.

Both a plus and a minus at the same time: the online version of the office suite, in turn, is a simple electronic document management system - this is a solution for business. You need to register as a representative of the company, and in the future, pay for space in the cloud. The same applies to mobile applications. Only desktop editors are completely open and free.

WPS Office

Platforms: Windows, Linux, Android, iOS

This office suite is familiar to many users of inexpensive Chinese-made phones. The fact is that this is indeed a Chinese copy of Microsoft Office, and quite close to the original. The rule “if there is something good in the West,” works 100% here.

The package includes an editor for documents, tables and presentations, as well as programs for working with PDF, including a converter. Collaboration is not provided - this is also an exclusively individual decision. But synchronization of changes on desktop and mobile devices is available, as in Google Docs.

But at the same time, it is closed - whether to take a closed-source Chinese program on your computer or mobile depends on the level of your paranoia. Although, looking at the list of supported formats, you can close your eyes to this.

OpenOffice

Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS

Let's write about this editor out of respect, because it is the first competitor to MS Office on the Linux platform. Now he “lives” under the wing of the Apache Foundation, although how to say he lives - the key developers left the project a long time ago, and its condition has changed little since the late 2000s, when it just “took off”.

The package is intended for installation exclusively on the desktop; collaboration capabilities are not provided. But the set of editors is the same as Libre Office, that is, databases, diagrams, presentations, and mathematics.

OpenOffice works great with ODF formats - that's what it's designed for. Support for Microsoft Office formats is average; the older the format, the better the support. But the interface - welcome to 2003. Moreover, the project is over twenty years old, it is extremely respected, and many continue to use it. Perhaps you are among them?

If you purchased a computer without pre-installed standard programs, you will have to search for all the necessary software yourself. Of course, one of the first things you need is Microsoft Office. Thanks to this program, you can open files with popular formats: .doc, .docx, .xlsx, etc. But as you know, this service is paid, and quite expensive and not accessible to everyone. The user has a choice: look for a pirated version that can harm the PC, or find an analogue of Microsoft Office.

Huge selection

It turns out that there are many free alternatives to this application package. You can find software whose interface will appeal to everyone. The most famous today are OpenOffice and LibreOffice. The software is quite convenient and does not require hacking skills during installation.

There are other options to consider. While these apps may not completely replace the popular office suite, most of them are the best free option.

Opening

The first free analogue of Microsoft Office is OpenOffice. This suite of office applications can easily compete with commercial services. It has popular file formats, as well as a convenient and familiar interface. OpenOffice was the first to support the OpenDocument format. Now the applications of this package work on all operating systems, including Linux and Mac. The collection is now called Apache OpenOffice.

Story

The “germ” of this package first appeared in 1999. Initially it was StarOffice, which was run by the Germans. Then it was bought by another company. OpenOffice.org itself began to function in 2000.

Three years later, the developers decided to update the software. Their main task was to establish interaction with the popular Microsoft Office suite. It was necessary to work on performance, as there were increased demands on PC memory, as well as slowdowns in work.

It was necessary to improve the scripting language, improve integration, make a lightweight interface, and create a new SQL database. An updated analogue of Microsoft Office was released in 2005. The first practical attempts pointed out shortcomings, which were quickly fixed within two months.

Later it was decided to update the program once every 3 months. Currently the most stable version is considered to be 3.0. It was released in 2008.

Problems

Rumors about OpenOffice.org have long been floating around the Internet. Many knew about the dissatisfaction of the company's employees. It was necessary to solve the main problems. Complaints related to the project's "inflexibility" and lack of leadership. The structure had to transform and become more efficient. It was necessary to find an approach in which active developers would have access to the project.

As a result, OpenOffice.org employees organized their own company, The Document Foundation, which allowed them to continue developing the office project. This is how LibreOffice was born, which we will talk about later.

At the same time, Oracle decides to transfer rights to its project to the Apache Foundation. This is how Apache OpenOffice comes into being. The Foundation decided to change the license of the package, and later expressed disappointment about this event. The manual recommended using LibreOffice. Already in September 2016, the project manager announced the possibility of closing OpenOffice. This analogue of Microsoft Office now suffers not only from a shortage of qualified employees, but also from the inability to fix security errors.

Compound

While there is no official statement from management about the closure of Apache OpenOffice, it is worth considering the composition of their package. It is very similar to the famous commercial alternative. This includes:

Demand

Since its creation, this free analogue of Microsoft Office has been installed on PCs of enterprises and organizations. Its popularity was due to its free license. Since 2007, this package has been used by Rostelecom. And a little later the Russian Foundation and the Federal Bailiff Service joined it.

In 2010, Germany decided to conduct a survey which showed that this suite of free office programs was installed on the computers of 21% of the country's users. Previously, many powers began to actively implement it for their government agencies. In Germany, this application was used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in France by the police, in Belgium by the Ministry of Justice, in the Netherlands by the administration of Amsterdam.

Losses

One of the major losses was that Ubuntu abandoned OpenOffice and switched to its subsidiary LibreOffice. Now it is impossible to call this analogue of Microsoft Office for Linux. This was a big loss for Apache OpenOffice.

Branch

Meanwhile, the branch continues to develop. In 2010, a cross-platform office suite was created, which brought together not only OpenOffice developers, but also other specialists - about 480 programmers. The firm now operates under the command of The Document Foundation. This organization is non-profit and therefore lives only from donations and investments. This analogue of Microsoft Office for Mac, Windows, Linux is developing effectively. It is used both on home PCs and in educational institutions, commercial organizations and large companies.

Direction

LibreOffice has chosen a successful strategy that relies on the active participation of society in the development of the project. In addition, programmers hope to merge with other add-ons. Successful experience in this direction is already present: the company managed to merge with the former OpenOffice project - Go-oo.

Popularity

Despite the fact that this analogue of Microsoft Office has been actively used since 2011, it has already gained popularity in many countries around the world. Many of those who previously used OpenOffice.org have switched to the new version, including organizations in France.

LibreOffice is used by hospitals in Copenhagen, the administration of Las Palmas, South Tyrol, Valencia, Toulouse. The package is also used by many global organizations: metallurgical company Evraz, Citigroup, etc.

Those users and organizations that previously purchased Microsoft Office are now choosing LibreOffice for their purposes. It is known that the Italian military also preferred the free analogue. More than 75 thousand users should be transferred by next year, and another 25 thousand by 2020. According to the authorities, choosing LibreOffice will save more than 29 million euros.

Big choice

It turns out that there are plenty of alternatives to the famous commercial office suite. One of them is SSuite Office. This program is also free. The package includes software that will be useful for office work. There is a text editor, a program for creating spreadsheets, and also software for presentations. The SSuite Office collection includes a notepad, a messaging application, a calendar, an image editor, and software for viewing photos. Users have access to a new browser and even Tetris.

WordGraph is responsible for the text here. At first glance, its interface is quite familiar. At the top there is a panel with a context menu. Below are all the different tools. In addition to the usual buttons, there are also some that you won’t find in other office suites. For example, you can insert a date, emoticon, picture or special character into the text with one click. The editor allows you to save the finished document not only in the usual format, but can convert it into a picture or PDF.

Accel works with tables. It is made in WordGraph style. It has all the necessary functions for creating and editing tables, formatting them, counting and more.

But for surfing the Internet, the office suite provides the NetSurfer browser. Its main feature is that it has the same interface as other SSuite Office software. It also has many useful tools that make your work easier. Quick access to social networks or email.

Image Editor deals with images. CleverNote is a multifunctional organizer. Well, for “sweet” - Tetris. Although quite primitive, it can brighten up a couple of minutes during your lunch break.

Less popular

Finding a Russian equivalent of Microsoft Office is not difficult. In addition to LibreOffice, this also includes SoftMaker Free Office 675. This package, although not so popular in the CIS countries, is still quite functional for the least picky users. This version has its own commercial version. The disadvantage of the free option is that it is not possible to save files in proprietary Microsoft Office formats.

However, reading DOC, PPT and XLS files is available here. The support for the Russian language is also encouraging. To use the spelling dictionary, you will have to install it additionally. The advantage of the package is its speed. The programs work quite quickly. It launches all its software quickly, and there are no slowdowns when editing files.

Not only mobile

Many people know the Kingsoft Office Suite Free 2013 mobile application. Users of Android gadgets consider this package the most optimized and functional. But few people know that there is also a version for PC.

It completely copies the interface of Microsoft Office 2003. Has the same functionality. The main advantage of the package is that it works with tabs, and is also small in size - only 40 megabytes. In Kingsoft Office Suite Free 2013, you can view and edit proprietary formats DOCX, PPTX and XLSX. The main disadvantage for a Russian-speaking user is the lack of Russian localization and, accordingly, a spell check.

Analogs

It turned out that finding an analogue of Microsoft Office for Windows 10 and other operating systems is not difficult. Among the most popular LibreOffice and OpenOffice, there are also lesser known ones. WPS Office is another free suite of office applications in Russian. It can edit text, tables, and also presentations. Works with proprietary Microsoft Office formats. The main disadvantage of this program remains the presence of watermarks on finished documents that go to print.

WPS Office also has a version for gadgets. It works as quickly as Kingsoft Office. Otherwise, the program easily copes with a standard set of software. The interface is very familiar. There is support for working with tabs. There is a whole set of templates for presentations, text, tables and images. The package also quickly opens documents from Microsoft Office.

In addition to this application, there is also Polaris Office. A fairly universal free program that can support commercial formats. Lotus Symphony, Ashampoo Office 2012, Calligra Suite are popular office software packages. They are less popular with us due to the lack of Russian in the interface or dictionaries.

Don't forget about the popular Google Docs. This is an online version of office software. It is especially convenient for those who save free PC memory. Thanks to this program, you can import documents into the browser, and then edit them. Also supports all popular formats. An interesting feature is that the software allows you to work on a document together with colleagues and friends. It is especially convenient for students and those who create a common cause. You just need to open access to the files, and a colleague on the other side of town can edit the document with you.

When working with documents at an enterprise, the question of purchasing a license for Microsoft Office often arises. Since virtually no organization today can do without this application, perhaps you have wondered if there are free alternatives to this super-popular office manager? Of course, yes, and today we will talk about what free alternative to Microsoft Office is available on the market today, what are its advantages, what are its disadvantages, and what role do applications of this class play in the life of a modern person.

LibreOffice - Free Microsoft Office Replacement

Full support for MS Office documents, tables, presentations and corresponding formats for them; convenient and flexible customizable interface; thoughtful and comfortable work with templates; high-quality localization is not a complete list of the “advantages” of LibreOffice. This package has long taken its rightful place in the hearts of open source software supporters, and today it’s time to tell you in more detail why, in fact, LibreOffice is so popular in the ranks of the network community and is in such wide demand?

In LibreOffice, all documents can be classified into categories (for example, “Confidential”) in accordance with the standards of the TSCP software specification. In addition to this, the application now supports digital signatures and descriptions, as well as importing and exporting signatures from OOXML files. If you want to export the selected document to PDF, doing so is also as easy as pie, using one single button. You can read more about this procedure here.

The ability to work with each of the document subtypes is concentrated in a separate application: for documents, this is Writer; As for spreadsheets, all functions for working with them are concentrated in the Calc program; presentations open in Impress; and the database files are maintained by the Base composite application. The interface of each of these programs is simple and intuitive, and in many ways resembles MS Office.

Now a few words about each of the applications separately.

LibreOffice Writer is a lightweight and fast text editor that effectively copes with any Word files, including tables, images, links, and elements highlighted in a different font or style. To make work easier, the latest, most current version has added a single toolbar mode. It lies in the fact that all the most popular and popular functions are concentrated on one single panel, which contains icons for quick editing and text design.

To highlight text in a different style (italics or underlining), you just need, as usual, to highlight the corresponding phrase or sentence and click the appropriate icon - just like in Word.

A wide variety of bulleted lists and text alignment options are also available here: left/right, justified, or centered. Everything works quickly and smoothly, no bugs were found either.

If we talk about the general convenience and comfort when working with Writer, everything is done at a high level, the functionality includes everything that is required from a full-fledged text editor, and all the buttons are exactly in the right place, so you don’t have to look for anything for too long.

As for tools for working with spreadsheets, surprisingly, their creation creates an extremely pleasant impression. The range of formulas is quite wide. Some of them have icons on the main panel, making many of them easier to access and use.

The choice of data visualization tools is quite large and voluminous. All charts in Calc, as in Excel, are divided into categories, so finding the subtype you need will not be difficult.

The range of possibilities here is incredibly wide, but accessing each of the presented functions will require a minimum of time, which is especially important when working with voluminous documents and bulky tables.

It's time to say a few words about the presentation application - Impress. If you're looking for a free alternative to Microsoft Office for creating eye-catching, stylish presentations, you can't do better than LibreOffice Impress. A convenient intuitive menu, a wide selection of effects for changing frames, a wide range of text design in slides - all this turns Impress into an indispensable component of your design arsenal.

If you want to add animation, quickly adding effects to elements is made possible through the sidebar. This is much more convenient than calling up the corresponding menu item each time and delving into its parameters.

At your service is a powerful slide show mode that allows you to specify exactly which slides will be displayed and in what clearly defined sequence. So, here you can configure whether the slide change will be manual or synchronized, the visibility or invisibility of the pointer, the hidden or displayed navigator, etc.

In addition, Impress supports the OpenDocument format, one of the latest international document standards today. This format is based on XML, and when used, your files can be opened by recipients who are not LibreOffice users. In addition to this, *.pptx is always available at your service - a format native to Microsoft PowerPoint.

For starters, there is the Draw vector editor and the Math formula editor. We would like to note that the manner of working with them is consistent with the general style of LibreOffice - everything is quite clear and concise.

In general, during testing, work with LibreOffice was stable and without any complaints. The No. 1 free alternative to Microsoft Office was a great success. Let's see what other trump cards the open source adherents have up their sleeves.

OpenOffice

This package has been in the community of open-source developers for a long time, and is now published under the Apache License, proudly adding the Apache prefix to its full name. This means that the application has completely switched to “free bread”, and if previously the rights to distribute the project’s source code belonged first to the well-known Sun Microsystems, and then to the unforgettable Oracle, now the development of new versions and support of the product is carried out by the Apache Software Foundation, which is not capable of only the creation of the world's most popular web server based on the Unix kernel. What does this free alternative to Microsoft Office have in store for us?

This powerful package includes the same component modules as in LibreOffice: Writer is designed for typing, editing and formatting text; Calc is associated with spreadsheets; Impress is used to create electronic presentations, etc. But there are some peculiarities in the work.

Firstly, upon initial launch, the Apache OpenOffice welcome form appears on the screen, where all component applications are available without exception.

This start is immediately appealing, since to start working with modules there is no need to go to the start menu and look for the folder with the newly installed package. Next, let's see how things stand with individual applications.

It's worth noting that it's not bad at all. Let's start with the Writer text editor. An important note that immediately catches your eye is the sidebar with duplicate document properties.

Although at first glance it may seem a little awkward and pretentious, after a few minutes of working with the text you begin to understand that the developers really know their stuff. Firstly, you can switch between sections of the sidebar using the stylish icons on the right. Secondly, you can minimize and expand the subsections of the panel to the full screen again using the “-” and “+” buttons, respectively. And thirdly, the functionality of the sidebar significantly expands the capabilities of the top panel, so it certainly won’t hurt to fully format subsections of the selected text. For those of us who still don’t see the need for a sidebar, the authors have provided the ability to instantly close it using the icon with a cross (as usual, in the upper right corner).

What impressions does the interaction with a text editor give you? Yes, the most positive ones! Writer is a word processor that's simple enough to write a simple note, but powerful enough to write full-fledged books with indexes, charts, table of contents, images, and everything in between. There are corresponding wizards for all types of documents. And, of course, you can create your own templates, or download ready-made ones from repository. Both open format *.odt and native Word format *.docx and *.doc are supported.

The Calc spreadsheet tool is suitable for both beginners, who are immediately convinced of the intuitiveness and ease of learning of the application, and for professionals in working with numbers and various types of data, both from the database and from local storage. The latter will also appreciate the huge range of advanced functions of the module. It is worth noting the ability to work with sheets of several users. By sharing a worksheet, other users can easily add their own data to it, and the owner of the worksheet can then quickly integrate new data with just a few mouse clicks.

All sheets can be converted to PDF in no time if the recipient of the sheet does not have the ability to work with a spreadsheet processor.

The remaining modules are consistent with Writer and Calc. If you have a deep enough understanding of one of the components of Apache OpenOffice, then familiarizing yourself with Impress, Math or Draw will take you a few minutes of time. The interface here is just as intuitive and accessible.

So, let's summarize. A high-quality free alternative to Microsoft Office exists, and this is not an empty phrase. The comprehensive applications presented in this review are excellent replacements for Microsoft's Office Manager, and if you haven't thought about switching to free software, it's definitely worth at least a quick look at LibreOffice or Apache OpenOffice.

Good afternoon.

The first thing most users do after buying a computer or reinstalling Windows is installing and setting up a package of office applications - after all, without them it is impossible to open a single document in popular formats: doc, docx, xlsx, etc. As a rule, the Microsoft Office software package is chosen for these purposes. The package is good, but paid, not every computer has the opportunity to install such a set of applications.

In this article I would like to present several free analogs of Microsoft Office that can easily replace such popular programs as Word and Excel.

Open Office

Official website (download page): http://www.openoffice.org/download/index.html

This is probably the best package that can completely replace Microsoft Office for most users. After starting the program, it prompts you to create one of the documents:

A text document is an analogue of Word, a spreadsheet is an analogue of Excel. See screenshots below.

By the way, on my computer, it even seemed to me that these programs worked much faster than Microsoft Office.

Pros:

The most important thing: the programs are free;

Russian language is fully supported;

Supports all documents that were saved by Microsoft Office;

The similar layout of buttons and tools will allow you to quickly get used to it;

Ability to create presentations;

Works in all modern and popular Windows operating systems: XP, Vista, 7, 8.

Libre Office

Official website: http://ru.libreoffice.org/

Open source office suite. Works in both 32 and 64 bit systems.

As you can see from the picture above, it is possible to work with documents, tables, presentations, drawings and even formulas. Can completely replace Microsoft Office.

Pros:

Free and doesn't take up much space;

Fully Russified (in addition, it will translate into 30+ languages);

Supports a bunch of formats:

Fast and convenient operation;

Similar interface to Microsoft Office.

Abiword

Download page: http://www.abisource.com/download/

If you need a small and convenient program that can completely replace Microsoft Word, you've found it. This is a good analogue that can replace Word for most users.

Pros:

Full support for the Russian language;

Small program size;

Fast operating speed (freezes are extremely rare);

Design in minimalist style.

Minuses:

Insufficient features (for example, there is no spell check);

Inability to open documents in "docx" format (a format that appeared and became the default in Microsoft Word 2007).

As you know, on January 29, 2013, Microsoft Office 2013 became publicly available for purchase on the company’s website. Undoubtedly, the new tool from Microsoft is simply “armed to the teeth” with a variety of options, capabilities and proprietary features. But the problem is that it is far from free. Indeed, the cost of the most basic Office package of 3,000 rubles (let’s not talk about 14,000 rubles for the professional version) will scare away many, if not all :), even though the program shines with possibilities.

It is for those who are “scared” of the price tag, and who fundamentally do not want to use the cracked Office, that we have selected a list of five excellent freeware alternatives to this proprietary multi-functional tool.

Today it is possible to use tools that allow you to print and edit documents through a web interface. This is very convenient, as it allows you to access your documents from any capable device from anywhere in the world where there is Internet access. The most famous of them are perhaps Google Docs, Zoho, and, ironically, even Microsoft Office Web Apps.

But even here there are pitfalls; the most important “stone” is the security of your documents. No one, alas, guarantees that your files will not be stolen from the cloud storage; Even though companies providing such storage facilities spend billions on protection, there are still no guarantees. Therefore, it is better to work the old fashioned way, through special programs, five of which we have selected for free with a mini-review of them.

1) Apache OpenOffice

Apache OpenOffice (also known as OpenOffice.Org or OOO) is a famous, powerful open source tool that is similar in functionality to MS Office and includes a text editor, spreadsheet, vector graphics editor, database management and a built-in math editor.

The program is easy to use. When you launch the main shortcut, a list of tools pops up for further loading; there is also a proprietary “wizard” designed to help you create a letter, presentation, table, and so on.

The applications themselves look similar to the MS Office window of version 2003, that is, before the introduction of “patch-like” icons with editor tools. OpenOffice is capable of opening most documents saved in Microsoft Office, although the original formatting of the document does not always remain the same due to some differences between the programs.

The only problem is that many developers left the project, refusing to follow the course set by OpenOffice management. The departed developers founded their new project - LibreOffice, about which below. It is unclear how (or whether) the development of OpenOffice will proceed, but right now it is an excellent product that can “not lose face” in front of a proprietary competitor.

2) LibreOffice

A recent offshoot of OpenOffice, LibreOffice, looks almost identical to the first. There is a similar launch screen, similar basic functions: text editor, spreadsheet, presentation tool, and so on. They work and look exactly like the OpenOffice equivalents.

It must be said that LibreOffice has corrected the shortcomings of its predecessor. There are a lot of small but extremely useful fixes, for example: improved file format compatibility (including support for all Visio files from version 1.0 to 2013); support for Firefox themes to customize the interface; better sample management; controlling color intensity in spreadsheets; word and character counter in Writer (local text editor, analogous to Word in MS Office), and so on.

Nothing revolutionary, but LibreOffice is at least making progress, and at the moment it has already “surpassed” OpenOffice in terms of functionality and ease of use.

3) SSuite Office

If power is your number one priority, then SSuite Office probably isn't for you. This tool is more similar to MS Office 2003 than 2013. Key applications and capabilities are severely limited, and the program is not able to work with OpenXML files, Microsoft DOCX, XLSX, and so on.

For a less demanding audience, however, SSuite Office may be a good bridge between other similar programs. SSuite Office is very easy to use, its word processor and spreadsheet are quite capable of doing the job, and doing it well. The program also comes with many useful additional features: an email client, a graphics editor, a web browser, a player, an equation editor, an image viewer, a variety of network tools, and even a few games (they are very limited and simple, but still quite fun ).

If you're looking for something simple but still capable, then SSuite Office is perfect for you.

4) Kingsoft Office 2012

Kingsoft Office 2012 is replete with features, mostly uninteresting, but it still has three main components that are important to people: a text editor, a spreadsheet and a presentation creator.

Each of them comes with a browser-like interface, making it easy to open and edit multiple documents at the same time.

There are many attractive templates available, and the ability to encrypt documents will help protect important documents from ill-wishers. Most importantly, Kingsoft Office 2012 is perhaps unrivaled when it comes to importing documents created in Microsoft Office, since the original format is preserved and the content is not rearranged upside down. Agree, it’s unpleasant when you work on a giant table at work and come home and it’s all lopsided.

The program is free for personal use, but in terms of functionality it is seriously inferior to LibreOffice, which has more useful features (database management, etc.). But if you are a simple home user looking for something basic and convenient, then Kingsoft Office 2012 will be the perfect purchase for you.

5) SoftMaker FreeOffice

One of the basic office tools, SoftMaker FreeOffice provides the following functions: a text editor (TextMaker), a spreadsheet (PlanMaker) and a presentation builder (Presentations). All of them are conveniently arranged and easy to use. The pleasant and familiar interface does not hurt the eyes and makes the work very pleasant, which is rare.

Importing Microsoft Office documents occurs without problems; each application has the ability to export documents to PDF format. Although the program doesn't provide a dedicated graphics editor, TextMaker has many options for drawing inside your text document.

As a result, SoftMaker FreeOffice is a high-quality tool that is worth using even if not for work, then for your own interest.