[RWG]

On the system that I use to run XP I have decided to go with anything but MS. I downloaded and installed the 602 PC Suite along with the $29.95 add ons. I downloaded and installed a $50 suite of desktop publishing programs and a pdf printer driver. For less than the cost of one of ms's programs I have incredible desktop publishing and office management programs. XP seems to do ok with them.

[Bush2000]

On the system that I use to run XP I have decided to go with anything but MS.

Dominic Harr says that people like you don't exist; that consumers are morons who can't make informed choices; that nobody could possibly compete against MS; that < fill in useless tripe here >.

I say ... good for you. Competition lives.

[Incorrigible]

Software 602 eh?  Never heard of them before but it sounds interesting.  I'd prefer to use that instead of that free software from Sun!

I've also found the Microsoft Works product to be sufficient for low resource computers, students and even for general office use.  It's less than $60 and you get word processing (fewer features than Word but enough for most folks), a spreadsheet (likewise in relation to Excel), a database that meets most people's individual needs (not for network use), calendar, address book, etc.  The file formats are (mostly) compatible with the regular Office products.

If you want all the above plus the full version of Word, Microsoft Money and more, you can splurge on Works Suite for 110 bucks.

Since most people don't use all the features in Excel and only occasionally use PowerPoint, the above should be sufficient.  I consider these good values from Microsoft and often overlooked.