Raising Linux . com

Although I have touched on this particular Open Source software package in my Free Linux Desktop article, I thought it would be worth mentioning that this product is also available to Windows users as well. If you are are in need of an easy to use yet fully featured office software suite and you don’t want to spend money on one of the other commercial products out there, then follow these steps to download and install OpenOffice and begin creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and more.

1. Ensure your Windows computer meets the minimum requirements needed to run OpenOffice here. Basically, if you are running an “updated” version of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, or Windows Vista, you should be fine.
2. Click here to download the latest OpenOffice installer and save the file to your Desktop. The file is about 150MB.
3. When the download is complete, locate and double-click the downloaded file called “OOo_3.1.0_Win32Intel_install_wJRE_en-US.exe”. The filename may differ depending on the available version.
4. Click Next on the OpenOffce.org Installations Preparation window. (pic below)
   
5. Click Unpack to unpack the installation files for install. The default unpack location is fine. (pic below)
   
6. Once the install files have been unpacked, click Next to the Installation Wizard window. (pic below)
   
7. Enter your username and organization (if applicable) and for the most compatibility for other users of this computer, choose Anyone who uses this computer. (pic below)
   
8. In the Setup Type window, you can choose a complete or custom install. Go ahead and choose Complete and click Next. This will give you the full benefit of all the different components of OpenOffice. (pic below)
   
9. Go ahead and allow setup to create a Start Link on the desktop so can easily launch OpenOffice. (pic below)
   
10. Click Finish to complete the installation and then double-click the new OpenOffice shortcut on your desktop to launch the program. The first time you run OpenOffice, you will be asked to provide a some user info in order to populate your document properties. (pic below)
    
11. The next screen gives you the opportunity to automatically keep your version of OpenOffice up to date and does not transfer any personal data. I recommend using this feature to also ensure your software is updated from a security point of view. Click Next to continue. (pic below)
    
12. This next screen is optional and allows you to register with OpenOffice if you wish to share some info with them. For now, choose I want to register later and click Finish. (pic below)
    
13. Now, each time you launch OpenOffice, simply choose your task from the welcome page. (pic below)
    

That is all for this blog topic on OpenOffice for Windows users. Over the years I have informed many users about OpenOffice as an alternative with great success and I hope you benefit from it is well.

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