Writer	A word processor similar in look and feel to Microsoft Word and offering a comparable range of functions and tools. It also includes the ability to export Portable Document Format (PDF) files with no additional software, and can also function as a WYSIWYG editor for creating and editing web pages.
	Calc	A spreadsheet similar to Microsoft Excel with a roughly equivalent range of features. Calc provides a number of features not present in Excel, including a system which automatically defines series for graphing, based on the layout of the user’s data. Calc is also capable of writing spreadsheets directly as a PDF file.
	Impress	A presentation program similar to Microsoft PowerPoint. It can export presentations to Adobe Flash (SWF) files allowing them to be played on any computer with the Flash player installed. It also includes the ability to create PDF files, and the ability to read Microsoft PowerPoint's .ppt format. Impress suffers from a lack of ready-made presentation designs. However, templates are readily available on the Internet.
	Base	A database program similar to Microsoft Access. Base allows the creation and manipulation of databases, and the building of forms and reports to provide easy access to data for end-users. As with Access, Base may be used as a front-end to a number of different database systems, including Access databases (JET), ODBC data sources and MySQL/PostgreSQL. Base became part of the suite starting with version 2.0. Native to the OpenOffice suite is an adaptation of HSQL. While ooBase can be a front-end for any of the databases listed, there is no need for any of them to be installed.
	Draw	A vector graphics editor comparable in features to early versions of CorelDRAW. It features versatile "connectors" between shapes, which are available in a range of line styles and facilitate building drawings such as flowcharts. It has similar features to Desktop publishing software such as Scribus and Microsoft Publisher.
	Math	A tool for creating and editing mathematical formulae, similar to Microsoft Equation Editor. Formulae can be embedded inside other OpenOffice documents, such as those created by Writer. It supports multiple fonts and can export to PDF.

QuickStarter

A small program for Windows and Linux that runs when the computer starts for the first time. It loads the core files and libraries for OpenOffice during computer startup and allows the suite applications to start more quickly when selected later. The amount of time it takes to open OpenOffice applications was a common complaint in version 1.0 of the suite, and Quickstarter was a solution of sorts. Substantial improvements were made in this area for version 2.2.

The macro recorder

Is used to record user actions and replay them later to help with automating tasks, using OpenOffice Basic (see below). It is not possible to download these components individually on Windows, though they can be installed separately. Most Linux distributions break the components into individual packages which may be downloaded and installed separately.

Features

According to its mission statement, the OpenOffice project aims "To create, as a community, the leading international office suite that will run on all major platforms and provide access to all functionality and data through open-component based APIs and an XML-based file format."

 

OpenOffice aims to compete with Microsoft Office and emulate its look and feel where suitable. It can read and write most of the file formats found in Microsoft Office, and many other applications; an essential feature of the suite for many users. OpenOffice has been found to be able to open files of older versions of Microsoft Office and damaged files that newer versions of Microsoft Office itself cannot open. However, it cannot open older Word for Macintosh (MCW) files.

Platforms

Platforms for which OO.o is available include Microsoft Windows, Linux, Solaris, BSD, OpenVMS, OS/2 and IRIX.[10] The current primary development platforms are Microsoft Windows, Linux and Solaris.

 

A port for Mac OS X exists for OS X machines which have the X Window System component installed. A port to OS X's native Aqua user interface is in progress, and is scheduled for completion for the 3.0 milestone.[11] NeoOffice is an independent fork of OpenOffice, specially adapted for Mac OS X.

OpenOffice Basic

OpenOffice Basic is a programming language similar to Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) based on StarOffice Basic. In addition to the macros, the upcoming Novell edition of OpenOffice 2.0 supports running Microsoft VBA macros, a feature expected to be incorporated into the mainstream version soon.

 

OpenOffice Basic is available in the Writer and Calc applications. It is written in functions called subroutines or macros, with each macro performing a different task, such as counting the words in a paragraph. OpenOffice Basic is especially useful in doing repetitive tasks that have not been integrated in the program.

 

As the OpenOffice database, called "Base", uses documents created under the Writer application for reports and forms, one could say that Base can also be programmed with OpenOffice Basic.

File formats

OpenOffice pioneered the ISO/IEC standard OpenDocument file formats (ODF), which it uses natively, by default. It also supports reading (and in some cases writing) a large number of legacy proprietary file formats (e.g.: WordPerfect, StarOffice, Lotus software, MS Works, Rich Text Format), most notably including Microsoft Office formats after which the OpenDocument specification was "approved for release as an ISO and IEC International Standard" under the name ISO/IEC 26300:2006.

Microsoft Office interoperability

In response to Microsoft's recent movement towards using the Office Open XML format in Microsoft Office 2007, Novell has released an Office Open XML converter for OOo under a liberal BSD license (along with GNU GPL and LGPL licensed libraries), that will be submitted for inclusion into the OpenOffice project. This allows OOo to read and write Microsoft OpenXML-formatted word processing documents (.docx) in OpenOffice . Currently it works only with the latest Novell edition of OpenOffice .

 

Sun Microsystems has developed an ODF plugin for Microsoft Office which enables users of Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint to read and write ODF documents. The plugin currently works with Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft Office XP and Microsoft Office 2000. Support for Microsoft Office 2007 is only available in combination with Microsoft Office 2007 SP1.

 

Several software companies (including Microsoft and Novell) are working on an add-in for Microsoft Office that allows reading and writing ODF files. Currently it works only for Microsoft Word 2007 / XP / 2003.

 

Microsoft provides a compatibility pack to read and write Office Open XML files with Office 2000, XP and 2003. The compatibility pack can also be used as a stand-alone converter with Microsoft Office 97. This might be helpful to convert older Microsoft Office files via Office Open XML to ODF if a direct conversion doesn't work as expected. The Office compatibility pack however does not install for Office 2000 or Office XP on Windows 9x.

 

Note that some office applications built with Microsoft components may refuse to import OpenOffice data. Simply Accounting, for example, can import Excel xls files, but refuses to accept OpenOffice xls files for the reason that the OO xls files are not "genuine Microsoft" xls files.

Complementary software

OpenOffice provides replacement for MS Office's Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Equation Editor and Microsoft Visio. But to level the equivalent functionality from the rest of MS Office, OOo can be complemented with other open source programs such as:

• Evolution or Thunderbird/Lightning for a PIM like Microsoft Outlook.
• OpenProj (which seeks integration with OOo, but might be limited due to licensing issues) for Microsoft Project.
• Scribus for Microsoft Publisher