StarOffice and openoffice.org are product families that offer the benefit of an open software development approach while giving full-featured products that fulfill business requirements.
Both software provides powerful tools for spreadsheet management, word processing, presentations, and a lot more.
However, many users have been wanting to know the features and differences between the two software or have somewhat different questions concerning the two. Is there any difference between the two. ? Yes!
There are some real distinctions between the two products, even though the differences might be far more relevant to enterprise users than to those in the SMB market. Now;
StarOffice
StarOffice is a software suite developed by Sun and it offers several tools which include spreadsheets, word processors, drawing tools, databases, presentation tools, and supporting applications. Stardivision was founded in the 1980s and is the sole developer of the Star Office suite of software, this company was sold to sun microsystems during the 1999 summer period.
Sun charges a fee for StarOffice, which it distributes under a relatively lenient, but still proprietary, software license. Here are some merits and demerits of StarOffice;
Pros
Proficient and top-notch support from Oracle.
Strong and comprehensive feature set.
A smooth and effortless corporation with other Oracle products.
Cons
It has limited community support, unlike OpenOffice which has full community support.
Quite a costly commercial product.
OpenOffice
OpenOffice or OpenOffice.org, sometimes abbreviated as OO, is an open-source office productivity tool that is compatible with all major operating systems. It includes all of the components in StarOffice software.
Its community-developed software is released completely free of charge under a standard open-source software license. Technical support is available for free from community-sponsored sources (mailing lists, forums, etc) or as a fee-based service from several third-party providers.
Listed below are some pros and cons of OpenOffice;
Pros
One of the main edges of OpenOffice over StarOffice is that it has strong community support and frequent updates.
Usage is free and it's easy to distribute.
Customizable through third-party extensions.
Cons
Limited official customer support, support is mainly from the community.
Integration with Oracle products might be less seamless compared to Staroffice.
Combined with the fact that OpenOffice usage is free, and no dime is required, one can easily understand why Sun's office marketing team faces such a tedious task.
Nevertheless, once you get past the look, feel, and what's within, StarOffice offers additional features that many users will find worthwhile, and possibly even crucial:
Yes, StarOffice offers more features that incorporate technical support, and technical documentation, all of which are part of the licensing fee. Precisely, StarOffice has three free technical support incidents within 60 days, and Sun also sends vast support packages for enterprise and high-volume users.
Moreover, sun indemnifies Staroffice users against any patent-infringement lawsuits or other intellectual property litigation linked to the Staroffice/openoffice.org code base.
StarOffice code base is subjected to a more legal quality-assurance process compared to OpenOffice where community-based QA testing is used. Besides, Sun provides access to a formal escalation and resolution process for enterprise users, working with Sun's support and software engineering staff to fix critical bugs.
In addition, Sun ships several third-party components including templates, PDF import extensions, and clip art that OpenOffice.org users will have to download separately or look for on a third-party site.
However, staroffice.org might be considered to be relevant to large businesses/enterprises working in a strict regulatory environment, it holds relatively few charms for the SMB market. Thus, it's advisable for small businesses to opt for OpenOffice.org.
Let's look at the steps involved in downloading both software;
How to Download StarOffice and OpenOffice?
StarOffice
Let’s show you how to download StarOffice 8 on your pc. you'll need an internet connection and a web browser to follow the below steps;
Go to https://www.staroffice.com/. This is a website where you can easily download StarOffice software. Click on StarOffice 8 download. It's not free!
You'll be redirected to a page where you'll pay for the software to unlock your access. Fill in every necessary information and click continue
After unlocking your access and the download is complete, double-click on the file to launch the installation wizard. Follow the instructions on the screen to install StarOffice 8 on your computer. You may be required to accept the license agreement and select the destination folder for the software.
After completing the installation, you can now start enjoying the program by clicking on its icon on your desktop or in your start menu.
That's all on how to download StarOffice.
OpenOffice
Follow the below steps to download and install Apache OpenOffice on your computer;
Visit the official website https://www.openoffice.org/ in any available web browser.
From what is displayed on your screen, click on I want to download apache open office link.
You'll be redirected to the download page on which you can select your operating system, language, and version of the Apache OpenOffice, and then hit download full installation.
Then look for an executable file in the download folder of your system and run it. Follow every instruction on your computer screen to install the program.
Click the Finish button after the installation process is done. Open the software by clicking on its icon and start enjoying it.
StarOffice and OpenOffice have been functioning by fulfilling every requirement of enterprises and the SMB market. However, WPS has not been disappointing either - in fact, it's the best alternative to OpenOffice and StarOffice. Here are some attributes of the WPS Office suite;
WPS is the Best Excellent Alternative
WPS (an acronym for writer, presentation, and spreadsheets formally known as Kingsoft Office) is a comprehensive and cost-effective office suite that provides a wide range of features and tools to make productivity easier.
WPS is the best free office alternative to create, open, edit, save Microsoft Office files, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and is fully compatible with Windows and Mac. Using the WPS Office suite means you have access to;
A user-friendly interface that's similar to OpenOffice and StarOffice.
A PDF export function that allows you to create PDF files from any StarOffice document.
A database manager that enables you to create and manage databases with ease.
Spelling and grammar changes usage function that helps you improve your writing skills.
A compatibility mode that permits you to open and save files in StarOffice and OpenOffice formats, such as doc, ppt, and xls.
A drawing feature that allows you to create diagrams, charts, and illustrations.
How to Download WPS Office
Here are the steps involved in downloading and installing wps software on your pc;
Visit the website https://www.wps.com/ to free download the latest version of WPS Office.
Click the free download button.
When the download completes, open the WPS Office inste.exe file from the downloads list in the lower-left corner of the interface.
The WPS office wizard dialog appears. Read and review the WPS office license agreement and privacy policy. Clicking the Install Now button will instantly take you to finish the installation with just one click.
WPS is finally installed on your pc.
FAQS
1. Is Star Office compatible with Microsoft Office?
Yes, StarOffice is capable of reading and writing in several file formats used by Microsoft Office like docx, xlsx, and pptx. To save documents using Microsoft's file format within StarOffice simply use the save as type: drop-down menu, found in the save dialog box.
2. Is openoffice.org completely free to use?
OpenOffice.org is a free office suite. That means it's free for anyone willing to download it, free to install on as many PCs as you like, and free to share with as many users. OpenOffice can be used for any purpose without any restrictions or limitations: educational, commercial, private, private…. It's nothing but free!
3. Can I install both Star Office and OpenOffice on the same computer?
You can surely install both StarOffice and OpenOffice suites on the same computer, but it's advisable to avoid potential conflicts by using only one at a time.
Conclusion
The ultimate goal of the StarOffice and OpenOffice.org project is to create a world-class office suite compatible with all operating systems while giving open access to the suite's source code for further enhancements. In fact, coming versions of StarOffice will be based on the OpenOffice.org source, to which Sun will continue to contribute. That, combined with community intervention in the development of the suite, will ensure the growth of OpenOffice and won't be left in the dust by its proprietary sibling.
Meanwhile, the WPS office suite can be a good alternative to both office suites. WPS Office is a popular productivity suite that offers a wide range of features and tools for free, making it the best excellent alternative for individuals and small businesses.
And when it comes to availability, wps office's online tools are available to all users without paying a dime, meaning that for those who need access to their documents on the go- the WPS Office suite may be a more cost-effective option.
There are several reasons to consider WPS Office as the Best excellent alternative!
