Migrating to SO 6 from MS Office 97

[zephyran]

We are exclusively running MS Office 97 in our network, with the exception of three Office 2000 users. Likewise, we are almost exclusively Windows NT 4 SP6, except for a handful of Windows 2000 pioneers . We are considering StarOffice 6 as a possible upgrade/migration path, especially because of its null initial cost.

I must ask, what are your recommendations? Would it be worth the move or not? If so, what kind of conflicts are we looking at? Almost nobody here uses Access, so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Kubilus1]

Well, I use StarOffice 6 exclusively at home for word processing, and I find it does everything I need it to. I've had no trouble opening MS office documents, or getting star office documents (saved as MS office documents of course) to run in MS office. As a matter of fact, some MS office documents that give MS office trouble work just fine in Star Office.

However, as a draw back, you will lose grammar checking by swithing to star office. I always turned that feature off when I used MS office, so that doesn't bother me.

I have not used the Star Office spread sheet program, so I cannot compare it to excel.

It's really a great package, and the parts I use very much rival MS office. Plus you can't beat the price!

Matt

 

[Kubilus1]

Keep in mind SO6 is still in Beta, I would wait till the final version (sometime early next year, I think) before I attempted to use it in a business environment. Let them work out any last remaining bugs.

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

<snip> I have not used the Star Office spread sheet program, so I cannot compare it to excel. </snip>

I used the Spreadsheet program for my class in which we were supposed to turn in Excel spread sheets. They never knew the difference. ;-) I didn't use the more advanced funtions, just basic calculations.

I agree with Kubilus1 about using beta software in production environment. You should start you compatibility testing now as helpdesk/developers. Then if it handles everything you want it to... convert when the production version comes out in early 2002. That will give you a couple months to work everything out.

I would also recommend a short class for your users so they don't have a hard time adjusting to the new program and they won't hate it as much. Mike Wills
AS400 Programmer