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Worldwalker · 08-03-2010, 06:44 PM

Sure, for some people with specialized needs, OpenOffice (or any given program) might not do what they need. I wish I could have some Corel PhotoPaint functionality in Photoshop, too. *sigh* It's sad when the de-facto industry standard is still somewhat of a compromise. But for the average home user, who doesn't even know what 90% of the things he sees in the menus do, Volkswriter for MS-DOS would probably do what he wants.

Hell, I do my writing in a text editor; if I got any more retro, I'd be prowling the antique shops for a typewriter.

Sure, there are people (you apparently being one of them) who need something specialized that makes $500 you paid for MS Office Pro worthwhile. I've paid that much for software before, and I will again, because I need it for what buys my groceries. But for most users, MS-Office isn't $200 more useful than OOo, let alone the $500 they'd need to pay for the full package. For the average user, a cheap PC with Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, and of course calibre will blow the doors off the most expensive of everything the industry had to offer ten years ago. (then they can donate the money they've saved to buy a capital 'C' for calibre)

08-03-2010, 06:44 PM	#28
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	Sure, for some people with specialized needs, OpenOffice (or any given program) might not do what they need. I wish I could have some Corel PhotoPaint functionality in Photoshop, too. sigh It's sad when the de-facto industry standard is still somewhat of a compromise. But for the average home user, who doesn't even know what 90% of the things he sees in the menus do, Volkswriter for MS-DOS would probably do what he wants. Hell, I do my writing in a text editor; if I got any more retro, I'd be prowling the antique shops for a typewriter. Sure, there are people (you apparently being one of them) who need something specialized that makes $500 you paid for MS Office Pro worthwhile. I've paid that much for software before, and I will again, because I need it for what buys my groceries. But for most users, MS-Office isn't $200 more useful than OOo, let alone the $500 they'd need to pay for the full package. For the average user, a cheap PC with Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, and of course calibre will blow the doors off the most expensive of everything the industry had to offer ten years ago. (then they can donate the money they've saved to buy a capital 'C' for calibre) Last edited by Worldwalker; 08-03-2010 at 06:46 PM.