Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DiViT who wrote (29239)	9/7/1999 4:31:00 PM
From: mozek	Respond to of 74651

I've downloaded the StarOffice suite and tried it out. Wow! It really sucks! As Ed said previously, an application should not take over your start menu and change the way everything else on your system works. StarOffice doesn't just take it over, it leaves you with 2 different, but similar start menus that overlap by default. It also tries to reconfigure all sorts of system defaults that will probably be problematic for most end-users. As far as the apps, the word processor looks OK, but no where near as easy to use as Word. The image editor is very weak at best, little better than Paint. The presentation program might be comparable to Powerpoint version 1, and the spreadsheet, while decent, looks like it will impose quite a learning curve for basic feature access. All in all, this looks like the functionality of Microsoft Works wrapped in an anachronistic package of arcane UI frought with pitfalls. With all the hoopla, I was beginning to think there was something to be worried about. Evidently, Microsoft still has a number of years before this becomes a serious contender, even as freeware. I find it hard to believe that many corporations would use StarOffice due to the TCO, training, and support burden. I find it difficult to believe that most end-users would touch it due to the difficulty of use and potential system reconfiguring. It may boost the low end consultancy business as people pay to have it removed. Of course I could be wrong, and I'm sure that Sun zealots would be sure I am. If anyone has a different opinion not based on their hope that Sun rules the world, please give it a try. I'd love to hear your impressions. Thanks, Mike