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OpenOffice.org is an Open Source and FREE software suite that is designed as an alternative to Microsoft Office.  It has components that are able to read Excel, Word, Powerpoint and more.  It is very easy to install, easy to use and is very reliable.

The sub-programs that are included are: Writer (Word Processor), Calc (Spreadsheets), Impress (Presentations), Draw (Drawing), Base (Databases). All of which have the ability to use their own open formats, or you can create, edit and save documents in many other formats, such as Microsoft Office and many other common formats.

Another exciting feature of OpenOffice.org is that it has the built-in option to export your document to a PDF, or Adobe Acrobat file.  This is a great way to share a document with anyone and have the peace of mind that it won’t be changed in any way.

There is an installable version of the software (main version) and a portable version has also been created. The portable version allows you to run the software without being installed.  This can be beneficial if you want to save a little space on your SSD and run the program off a flash drive, or your built in memory card slot.

The full install version of the application can be downloaded from: http://download.openoffice.org/.

The portable version (for memory card or flash drive install) is available at: http://portableapps.com/apps/office/openoffice_portable.