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[Pieter]

Want to save $70? Sun's StarOffice application suite would normally set you back that much, but Google has just added StarOffice to Google Pack. For free.

More at Download Squad (direct link). I'm still wondering how Google paid for this... (Yes, I have read about the Sun Toolbar but I have no idea how Sun profits from that toolbar.)

[Chris Rossini]

I've never used Star Office...I use OpenOffice everyday.

Is there much difference?

[bdawg923 (Max)]

I never even heard of StarOffice. 

[Richard]

I've never used Star Office...I use OpenOffice everyday.

Is there much difference?

Ones Open Source (Open Office) Ones Proprietary (StarOffice)

Open Office works on Star Office Code

[Ryan Wagner]

Actually it is StarOffice that is based on OpenOffice, but there really isn't much of a difference. StarOffice does, however, contain proprietary templates and clipart which is something OpenOffice really lacks. I would say it is worth the download over OpenOffice since it is free.

[bob]

I don't think that StarOffice is worth the time to download if you already have OpenOffice. They are almost identical. Besides that, I don't really need clip-art or templates, and if I did they are available for download on the OpenOffice website.

[Pieter]

I'm sticking with the open source version though. Maybe I've become one of these open source software hippies, but why choose for free/paid proprietary software if you can get everything you need for free with open source software?

[13 ideas]

That's a good point.
Anyway, there really isn't a reason to uninstall Open Office to get something that works exactly the same but isn't open source. The free version of StarOffice comes with Google Pack which I would never download because its just more programs I don't need.

[Conficio]

Here is the lowdown on StarOffice vs. OpenOffice.org:
StarOffice is based on the code base of OpenOffice.org and does add a view things that are not OpenSource, such as:
* an improved dictionary for spell checking,
* some better ability to read MS Office documents,
* a ClipArt library,
* a library of document templates,
* technical support.

StarOffice is produced by Sun Microsystem, who did open source the code of the original product as OpenOffice.org after they bought the German maker of it, called StarDivision.

Sun Microsystems sells StarOffice primarily to large organizations that need support in moving wholesale from another office suite. They also offer document conversion.

K<o>

[Conficio]

Apropos Google,
did you know that Google spreadsheet supports Open Document Format (ODF), the native format of OpenOffice.org?

Here is how to download and open a published Google spreadsheet right into OpenOffice.org Calc. You can also open the Google spreadsheet directly from OOo Calc's File Open dialog.

K<o>