Comparison table: Microsoft Word vs. OpenOffice Writer
| function | Microsoft Word | OpenOffice Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Paid (subscription) | Free (open source) |
| platform | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| user interface | Intuitive and modern | Functional but outdated |
| Cooperation | Real-time collaboration | Limited collaboration |
| File formats | .docx, .doc, .pdf, more | .odt, .doc, .pdf, more |
| templates | Extensive collection | Basic templates |
| compatibility | High compatibility | Some formatting issues |
| Advanced features | Extensive options | Limited advanced tools |
| Cloud integration | Microsoft 365 required | Limited cloud options |
| Macros and add-ons | VBA and rich ecosystem | Basic macro support |
| Support and updates | Strong support | Community driven |
Open Office or Word – which program works better for you
Many people have been asking themselves the question of whether it is better to work with Open Office or Word for some time. The competition between the two writing programs comes up regularly and, in the area of applications, is a discussion in which new arguments and ideas are constantly generated.
The question underlying the discussion is, as already mentioned, a fundamental question of which program is better for working with, which offers you more advantages and which of the two mentioned is more user-friendly.
In order to get to the bottom of this, Software-Dealz would like to compare some of the advantages and disadvantages of both programs with you today. Because Software-Dealz is your specialist for Microsoft applications. Competent advice and fair prices are our specialty. We want to provide you with high-quality products from the Microsoft family and thus make your working life easier.
Open Office—the free alternative to Word?
When buying a computer, whether for private or business purposes, consider from the outset which programs you need on your computer. Obviously the standard programs, such as Chrome or Firefox, music software or a video player. Most users use the tried and tested Microsoft Office products, of which Word is a part. But in recent years, free alternatives have also become more popular. The best-known alternative in this context is probably Open Office. But to what extent do the two programs actually differ and what are the similarities?
Let's first start by looking at the basic functions and information about the applications.
Open office
- Scope: Open Office offers you a wide range of functions. Templates are also available to you.
- Cost: Open Office is a free writing program for creating documents, labels, and more.
- Operation: Open Office is similar to Microsoft Word 2003 in terms of operation. The program follows the usual operating standards and offers, among other things, a help function with immediate help.
- Extensions: The Open Office Calc, Impress, Base, Math and Open Office Draw extensions can also be downloaded for Open Office. These extensions can be used to create lightweight calculations, tables and drawings.
Word
- Scope: Word has all word processing and editing functions. This includes, among other things, the table function or the formatting of headers and footers. You can also use and find templates in Word.
- Cost: Word is not a free program. The cost of the applications depends on the version. Depending on the scope, a license costs up to €270.
- Operation: Using Word is extremely easy and quick to learn. Many functions can be implemented with just a few commands. To get you started, Word offers you a short tutorial and an optimized help function with customer support.
- Extension: Word is part of the Microsoft Office family. In addition to Word, these include PowerPoint , Excel , Access and Visio .
Word or Open Office—two programs in direct comparison
We have now highlighted the basic functions of the two applications. Now the question is which program suits you better. A direct comparison of the two applications is suitable for this purpose.
Open Office offers the advantage that documents can be exchanged and edited across platforms. The program is compatible for Windows as well as Linux and Mac. The format used for this is .odt.
The Open Office source code is also freely available. This allows developers and programmers to advance and carry out modifications and further development processes. The menu structure is also simpler and there are no complex nestings using ribbons.
Nevertheless, one should not lose sight of the advantages of Word. Especially if you have previously worked with Word, the Office user interface takes a lot of getting used to and requires some time to get used to it. The overall graphical interface is nowhere near as attractively designed as Word.
There is also no compatibility with Office applications. It can happen that, for example, presentations cannot be displayed or are shifted due to the different formatting. The same applies vice versa: .ppt files cannot be loaded smoothly into Impress.
Open Office also shows clear weaknesses when it comes to spell checking, especially for languages other than German. One can download the package with only one language pre-installed. If you want to change the language later, you will have to install the package again in the desired language. This complicated method does not exist with Word: here you can work with several languages with just one installation.
Word or Open Office—which program is more worthwhile?
Purchasing Word tends to be more worthwhile than purchasing Open Office. Word offers numerous advantages compared to Open Office. Documents are easier to import and the options for editing methods are much greater with this member of the official Office family. Word's user interface is more sophisticated and far more appealing than that of Open Office.
The Office licenses are ideal for purchasing Word. There is a good price-performance ratio here, with which you get a wide range of functions.
However, if basic functions are enough for you and you want to spend a certain amount of time working with the functions of Open Office, you can also be happy with the free alternative. Especially users who don't want to spend a lot of money on a writing program get a bad alternative with Open Office.
Whether Open Office or Word is better depends on your needs and purposes. However, for professional work without compatibility problems and with sophisticated spelling and grammar checking, Word stands out in this competition.
If you have any further questions about the discussion about Word and Open Office, software-dealz will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
