Who Uses Open Office?
Open Office is a completely free alternative to Microsoft Office. Featuring a word processor, a spreadsheet program and presentation software, Open Office's programs can open and save to Microsoft formats with surprising accuracy. While Microsoft Office is still by far the major player in the office suite realm, Open Office is slowly building a worldwide user base. But who is this user base? As it turns out, it's people from all walks of life all over the planet.
Other People Are Reading
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Linux Users
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Most modern versions of Linux---such as Ubuntu, the best known version today---include Open Office by default. As such, anyone who uses Linux as their primary operating system probably uses Open Office as their primary office suite. According to some estimates Linux users represent one percent of all computer users---a tiny percentage but not insignificant. This gives Open Office a solid deployment, but does not represent the entirety of Open Office's user base.
Other home users
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Windows and Mac versions of Open Office are also available, meaning anyone can download and use this free office suite. This, combined with Open Office's compatibility with Microsoft Office files, makes Open Office a common alternative to Microsoft Office for students and many others. According to an estimate cited by CNET, there are 11 million active Open Office users in the United States alone---that's five percent of American Internet users.
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Government
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Governments around the world have switched from Microsoft Office to Open Office to save their taxpayers money. Because Open Office is free to download and install as well as to update the only cost associated with Open Office is technical support---something required when using Microsoft Office as well. Denmark's federal government uses Open Office on its machines, as does Belgium and a plethora of government agencies and city governments all over the planet.
Not-for-profit
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Often operating on smaller budgets, not-for-profit operations are always looking for ways to cut costs and many have discovered Open Office. Because the software is free, it's easy for not-for-profits to afford. It's also capable of everything a not-for-profit needs for day-to-day operation. Greenpeace Spain exclusively uses Open Office, as does the European Youth Forum. A number of schools also use Open Office, as does the State of Indiana.
Businesses
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Usage is increasing in the business world too, as more companies realize the cost-savings potential of going Open Source. Premier English newspaper the Guardian is using Open Office on all its machines, and has since December of 2008. Thailand's Bangkok Airways also uses the software, to name another prominent company. To find out more about business and other deployments of Open Office, check out the Resources section of this article.
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