It lacks an enduser database such as Microsoft Access. It lacks macro support (which prevents it from loading and using a huge number of corporate documents). Advanced formatting doesn't convert properly. No grammar checker. The thesaurus is crap. Missing reading layout. No Outlook/PIM alternative. In short, it's the Taiwan rubber-dog-crap version of MS Office.
>>It lacks an enduser database such as Microsoft Access.<<
That's coming in the new release. MySQL or PostgreSQL along with a knowledge of PHP is better and I've used every version of Access since 1.0. Its as easy to learn the free alternatives as it is MS Access, and you have instant scalability, unlike Access.
>>It lacks macro support (which prevents it from loading and using a huge number of corporate documents).<<
It has a macro language much like VBA. Its templates are much easier to create, as I've created most of my firms' templates from fax covers to appellate briefs over the last year. Specifically what macros will it not run?
>>Advanced formatting doesn't convert properly.<<
Give me an example.
>>No grammar checker.<<
Oh, come on. This is just silly. I've never heard one person mention Word's grammer checker in a feature they needed, in a comparison to another Word Processor like WordPerfect, or any other time for that matter. Go to Amazon Word XP reviews and see how many times the grammer checker is mentioned. If I gave you a dollar for each time, you couldn't buy dinner at Chilis.
>>The thesaurus is crap.<<
In what way?
>>Missing reading layout.<<
What exactly does this mean?
>>No Outlook/PIM alternative.<<
So what? Which version of MS Office did Outlook start appearing in? It wasn't before MS Office 2K, if I recall correctly. It wasn't in 97 nor 95 and obviously nothing before that. Besides, you have Outlook Express, which is free, and other free alternatives such as the Mozilla product. While I use Outlook, I probably won't for too much longer.
>>In short, it's the Taiwan rubber-dog-crap version of MS Office.<<
Exactly how much have you used OO? I've used it for over a year and have no plans to go back to MS Word, for one. Word is one of the buggiest programs I've ever had. I've had problems with the outline numbering scheme since 6.0, and they haven't fixed it.
Don't criticize a program you apparantly know little about.
I agree with all of that except the bit about the grammar checker. Of course, OOorg has no grammar checker that I can find. Then again, the grammar checking in MSOffice is not ready for prime time. I find it to be useless and I pity anyone who is relying on it for good grammar.
As for the rest of your words, the MS thesaurus is very good to excellent, and the outlook PIM is also very good (though I would never actually run it, because it is tied into the risky scheme known as Outlook). OOorg's thesaurus is too broad and unfocused (and unbelieveably NOT present on the context menu), and OOorg has no PIM at all.
OOo 2.0 is about to be released. See what's now in it, including its own database.
It lacks macro support
Actually, it has good macro support, with its scripting framework supporting several languages. It just doesn't copy for Microsoft's VB macro language. The possibility of porting applications (if any) is one consideration in any migration strategy.
Advanced formatting doesn't convert properly.
That's mostly Microsoft's fault for not releasing the entire Office format for compatibility. This is actually a reason to migrate to OOo, because with OOo you know that in the future you won't be locked into anything -- its open XML document format can be converted perfectly to anything else.
Besides, if you want advanced formatting you probably shouldn't be using a word processor, because I'll guarantee you that you're spending too much time getting the advanced formatting to come out right.
No grammar checker.
That may be a problem for some. I never use them.
The thesaurus is crap.
Very true, and that might actually be something that would keep a small percentage of people from moving.
Missing reading layout.
You use that? You're the first person I know who does.
No Outlook/PIM alternative.
Because OOo doesn't cover that. If you want that, download Thunderbird (a better email/news/contact app than Outlook). Unfortunately, a good competing PIM isn't out yet, but it's coming soon in Mozilla Calendar and the "Lightning" project to closely integrate it with Thunderbird. Given Mozilla's track record, I expect it to be very good.
There are OSS PIM projects out there for Windows now, but I don't think any of them are good enough to compete with Outlook.
. In short, it's the Taiwan rubber-dog-crap version of MS Office.
Word was the rubber-dog-crap version of WordPerfect (interestingly, in early days popular on the Mac but not on the PC). Powerpoint is a Mac application that Microsoft bought. Excel is a copy of Lotus 1-2-3 (in turn a copy of VisiCalc), and only won because of the difficulties Microsoft created for everyone but them when porting to the new Windows (like with WordPerfect).