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There's not one. OpenOffice.org is open source software, and economics has
nothing to do with the project's intentions.
To be more specific, OpenOffice.org is open source software. You can install it
on as many computers as you like, make as many copies as you like, and give it
to as many people as you like - all perfectly legally. In fact, the project
encourages you to do so.
> -Why should I trust that this program won't mess up my computer?
Why should you trust that any program won't mess up your computer? I mean,
think about it for a minute.
If you look around the OpenOffice.org site, you'll see that this is a massive
project, with over ten thousand contributors and a very high profile. Its code
is available for anyone to inspect. Under these circumstances, what do you
think the chances are that it includes any malicious code?
Or perhaps you would prefer an endorsement? If so, have a look at the Techwr-l
web site for my article on OpenOffice.org. Or look at Solveig's web site. For
myself, I can say that I've been using OpenOffice.org for 18 months, and that
is generally equal to MS Office in functionality and superior in some aspects.
(Of course, how much this endorsement convinces you depends on what you think
of me. I won't ask ;->)
However, I suspect that underneath your question lies a suspicion that open
source software is inferior to proprietary software. If so, all I can say is:
have a look. And consider, too, that open source software is probably in your
life already without you knowing it. For example, Apache runs about two-thirds
of all servers. And I know for a fact that Techwr-l runs on Linux. Open source
software, like any software, ranges widely in quality, but the best of it is as
good as any commercial software you can name. In some cases, it's better.
The only way that OpenOffice.org might "mess up" your computer is if you
install under Windows and absent-mindedly set the file associations so that all
your MS Office documents open in it when you click on them from the Windows
Explorer or desktop. However, you have to deliberately choose these options. If
you somehow do set the file associations, it's easy enough to reset them.
If you (or anybody else) have any questions, please feel free to ask me on the
list or privately. I've made some minor contributions to OpenOffice.org,
reviewed it several times, and am currently writing a book on the subject, so
I'd be happy to answer questions.
--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604-421.7177
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