Microsoft Alternatives

Part II – Desktop Applications

In Part I we talked about Server Operating Systems (OS) options. Many of you will probably never take a direct interest in the platform your file server runs on. Desktop applications, however, include software packages that almost all of us use on a regular basis. These include word-processing, spreadsheet, e-mail and, to some degree, desktop publishing programs. Of the three areas we’ll be discussing in this series (Server OS, Desktop applications, and Internet connectivity and browsing applications) this is the arena with the largest selection.

Microsoft is the leader in nearly all of the products mentioned above. This is due, in part, to the fact that they were among the first to bundle their products into a single software package (Microsoft Office). As digital file sharing between offices became common, it became almost necessary to join the leading platform. Today, however, many of Microsoft’s competitors have viable converters built into their products to remove this barrier. Whether or not your MS Office-using friends can open your documents, however, depends on which competing product you choose.

The most popular alternative to the MS Office Suite is Corel’s WordPerfect Office. Many people (and even some entire industries) prefer it for cost savings and for easier formatting (in their view). WordPerfect is widely used in law offices and in educational institutions. Microsoft does convert documents created in most versions of WordPerfect very nicely and vice versa. Problems arise, however, if users have not installed the built-in converters in MS Word. The converters are not installed by default, and the installation disks are necessary to install them after the initial installation. Some formatting will be lost, but it is probably the smoothest conversion available.

IBM’s Lotus SmartSuite has lost some ground in recent years, but remains a viable solution for many offices. Its spreadsheet application, Lotus 1-2-3, was the standard just a few years ago. MS Excel has nearly swallowed it up, but many die-hard users still swear by it. IBM claims, “It is easy to convert files from earlier versions of SmartSuite and other business applications including Microsoft Office.” (1)

Many alternatives exist, even some free ones, but few can compete with the applications and features provided by Microsoft’s Office, Corel’s WordPerfect Office or IBM’s Lotus SmartSuite. Depending on your specific needs, it may make sense to go with a simpler package. If you need only a word-processing solution and have little or no need to share files digitally with the outside world, then the sky is the limit.

If you have questions about determining your needs or if you would like to hear about further alternatives please call us at 317/733-2388.

(1) Lotus.com Website – May 1, 2002