The OpenOffice.org project team has revved its popular open-source office suite all the way from v2.0.4—released in October—to v2.1, available as of Dec. 15. “OpenOffice.org 2.1 is recommended for all users, as it represents a significant improvement over all previous versions,” the project team said.
OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the suite is free to download, use and distribute. It contains a word processor (Writer) that is highly compatible with Microsoft Word documents and a slide presentation program (Impress) that boasts a high degree of Powerpoint interoperability, plus a mathematical function creator (Math), a vector drawing tool (Draw), a spreadsheet creator (Calc), and a database (Base) program.
The suite has gone to a new, “rolling” release cycle that promises “faster implementation and delivery of patches and features and greater satisfaction to developers and users,” spokesperson Louis Suarez-Potts told DesktopLinux.com.
“Instead of waiting half a year or longer for new things, developers and users will need only wait a few months—three or so,” Suarez-Potts said.