Linux Compatible word processor suggestions

[Hamhound]

Just bought a cheal PC with Linspire OS but have no word processor or spreadsheet apps. Any suggestions for something basic and cheap?
I could install XP and Office as an alternative...
TIA
Al

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Cheap as in free? Then OpenOffice might be your solution. Antiword would also allow you to read the documents(word), but I don't think it handles the speadsheet. I would go for OpenOffice.

[shaticus]

Open office is pretty good: http://download.openoffice.org/1.1.4/index.html

Shaticus

[Hamhound]

Thanks for the ideas. I'd heard of OpenOffice but could not recall the name. I forgot to mention the desire to have it be able to read a MS Wrd document. Since I will give this machine to my 82 year old father who never used a computer till 6 months ago, simple and easy is the key.

Thanks for the feedback.
Al

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Originally Posted by Hamhound I forgot to mention the desire to have it be able to read a MS Wrd document.

Just making sure you know, OpenOffice opens and edits all of the powerpoint, excel, and word files with great ease. He won't be able to tell much of a difference.

If other people will need to read the documents then make sure he gets into the habit of saving as an .rtf file or a some Microsoft Word compatible format, as I don't believe the OpenOffice standard format is readble by Word.

[Floppyman]

If you use KDE as a desktop manager an office suite is also included which includes KWrite as wordprocessor. However, OpenOffice is a good option too. HTH

[Ind-PC_student]

Originally Posted by ZeratulsAvenger Just making sure you know, OpenOffice opens and edits all of the powerpoint, excel, and word files with great ease. He won't be able to tell much of a difference. If other people will need to read the documents then make sure he gets into the habit of saving as an .rtf file or a some Microsoft Word compatible format, as I don't believe the OpenOffice standard format is readble by Word.

There is no need to specify the document format every time, in the options you can tell the application to save as .doc or other ms extentions by default I do it every day.

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Stand corrected I guess. Even easier.

[Hamhound]

Originally Posted by Ind-PC_student There is no need to specify the document format every time, in the options you can tell the application to save as .doc or other ms extentions by default I do it every day.

Thanks for the clarification. I find no reason to avoid using this application at this point.

Rgds,

Al

[Chiquito]

HammHound, download Abi-word and it will work on any system, its compatible with Windows and BSD or Linux. Chiquito!!!

[LocoCoyote]

Open Office is the way to go. It sports much better file compatability than any other alternative.

[Chiquito]

Loco Coyote, you are right, especially with the new 2.0, but it is a good alternative for a beginner and or to get the feel of Linux and its flexibility. Chiquito!!!