TuX xfree


5 Essential Linux Applications

What are the computer applications people use the most? I would say a word processor and spreadsheet, which usually are part of an office suite. A web browser and mail client. A messaging or chat client. Maybe a graphics package, and lately a mp3 player. Look at AOL, what were the 3 latest and greatest AOL aquisitions? Netscape, ICQ and Winamp ... hum no office package, well, Sun, wich seems to be a good ally of AOL has aquired Star Office. Well, on to the article ...

Office suite - Star Office
One common question is that if Microsoft Office runs in Linux, and if it will soon. My question is who needs Microsoft Office when there is Star Office. Star Office is as easy to use as MS Office, it even has a start button, and it is almost 100% compatible with MS Office. Star Office is available for Sun Unix - Solaris, Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and NT, OS/2, Java and of course Linux platforms. Star Office is also available in eight languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese, Dutch, and Italian.
When Star Office is launched, a window-ish desktop appears, complete with a start button. From there you can select which office component to use by double-clicking on the repective icon. The components of Star Office are:
  • Star Writer - word processing
  • Star Calc - spreadsheet
  • Star Impress - presentation software
  • Star Draw and StarOffice Image - graphics software
  • Star Schedule - calendaring
  • Star Mail - e-mail
  • Star Base - database interface
  • Star Discussion - newsreader
  • Star Math - formula software
  • Star Workplace - desktop environment
The Star Office suite was initially developed by a German company called Star Division. Star Division made Star Office free for non-business users, not only the linux version but all other versions as well. When Star Division was aquired by Sun Microsystems, Star Office was made free for everyone. Sun is also planing on making the Star Office source code avaible through it's Sun Community Source Licence. This Licence would make the source code free for non-business users.

Star Office maybe obtained through a free download, or by buying the CD from Sun's web site. Most official releases of Linux distributions include Star Office on the applications CD.
To learn more about Star Office, or to download a copy go to Sun's Star Office page at http://www.sun.com/staroffice.

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