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The Open Source Migration Guide is edited and maintained by Mike Banahan of GBdirect Ltd. This page last updated May 06 2003 10:51:32.
The OpenOffice.org Office Software Suite
OpenOffice.org (the name used to be just Open Office but that apparently clashed with a trademark, hence the rather unusual product name) is an Open Source derivative of the StarOffice product maintained and distributed by Sun Microsystems. OpenOffice.org and StarOffice are very similar. For the sake of brevity they will both be treated as if they were the same product here. Knowledgeable readers who spot minor inconsistencies are asked to be tolerant. OpenOffice.org is distributed free of charge whereas the corresponding product from Sun attracts a licence fee which varies from about USD $50 and downwards per seat.
OpenOffice.org / Staroffice provide a comprehensive office automation suite including word processor, spreadsheet, presentation package and drawing tool, very similar to leading proprietary products. They offer import and export filters for major proprietary packages. The facilities offered by the software is likely to be entirely suitable as a replacement for proprietary software for all but the most demanding of users. That said, no two packages are identical to one another and there will inevitably be some differences. To quote from the OpenOffice.org website:
"OpenOffice.org is both an Open Source product and a project. The product is a multi-platform office productivity suite. It includes the key desktop applications, such as a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation manager, and drawing program, with a user interface and feature set similar to other office suites?. Sophisticated and flexible, OpenOffice.org also works transparently with a variety of file formats, including those of Microsoft Office.
Available in 25 languages with more being constantly added by the community. OpenOffice.org runs stably and natively on Solaris, Linux (including PPC Linux), and Windows. Additional ports, such as for FreeBSD, IRIX, and Mac OS X, are in various stages of completion.
Written in C++ and with documented APIs licensed under the LGPL and SISSL Open Source licenses, OpenOffice.org allows any knowledgeable developer to benefit from the source. And, because the file format for OpenOffice.org is XML, interoperability is easy, making future development and adoption more certain."
Migrating to OpenOffice.org
Migrating towards a whole office suite is a major undertaking. So many different organisations have such different desktop requirements that it is very risky to start making recommendations. Instead, it is probably best to read through a range of case studies (see below) and take suggestions from all of them.
It is very important to note the range of platforms that this product runs on. Because it is available for Microsoft Windows, this offers organisations a very interesting migration route. Pilot schemes can be deployed on existing Windows desktops or on GNU/Linux or equivalents without needing to introduce a degree of change that might be thought to be revolution rather than evolution.
The management summary of the NCC review makes the following points:
- StarOffice offers obvious benefits in very cost-sensitive areas
- StarOffice offers a viable solution for departments with straightforward requirements
- StarOffice offers significant potential benefits for developers of customised office applications
- Poor interoperability with Microsoft Office file formats will delay uptake in some circumstances
Further comments in the NCC review address migration in more detail. At the present time the full study has not been read by the author of this page, only the freely available summary.
Reliability
Only anecdotal information is available for this based on personal experience and not widespread deployment. Since this site seeks to be at least moderately authoritative, it seems unfair to propagate one person's experience only.
Security
No known issues, but no detailed information is to hand
Flexibility
More information required. It would appear that because of the availability of source code and the software development kit, the product potentially offers much greater flexibility than proprietary alternatives.
Performance
More authoritative studies are not available but experience of the use of the product at the author's own company indicates that whilst it is not blisteringly fast it provides adequate performance on modern hardware. Deployed in a thin-client model (the application runs via the X Window System to workstations) a moderately powered server shows some delay on first startup of the application but then entirely usable performance for routine office automation tasks such as word processing, spreadsheet use and the production of slide-show presentations. There have been no gasps of breath or comments like 'instantaneous' but the proprietary competitors have a sluggish reputation too.More information is still required
Standards compliance
XML is the default file format for the product, but as anyone involved in XML will attest, this does not necessarily reduce problems. Nonetheless, at least the format is not proprietary or closed and it should be capable of processing by XML-aware tools.
Case Studies and Background Information
Where the links below point to information maintained by the producers of the software, one can hardly expect warts-and-all criticism to be found. More disinterested case studies are urgently sought and will be very welcome. The NCC report cited below is one such independent evaluation, though already somewhat dated (published May 2002).
- Testimonials on the OpenOffice.org website.
- Case studies for Staroffice on the Sun website.
- The UK National Computer Center is an independent analysis and advice body. They have published a commercial review of Staroffice, (not free of charge, but summary available free).