OpenOffice 3.0 released, crashed server
OpenOffice may not have got the headlines it deserves in the past, but that suddenly looks to have changed… With today’s release of OpenOffice 3, developer Sun Microsystems has seen download demand for the suite reach such levels it has been forced to run a stripped down site to avoid the thing going under. Consequently all that currently remains of openoffice.org is a text only page with download links (it’s tough being popular). This popularity is looking deserved too with OfficeOffice 3 running on Windows, Linux RPM, Linux DEB, Solaris x86, Solaris SPARC and Intel based Mac OS X Mac OSX PPC OSes making it the most platform friendly office suite out there.
So what do we get this time around? In truth the benefits are more centred around improving functionality than beautification (traditionally the way with ‘OOo’) and to this end the suite takes a major step forward with a newbie-friendly smart start page (pictured) and crucially full support for Microsoft Office’s new xml based file formats including docx, xlsx and pptx. Other notable highlights include Writer’s ability to now display multiple pages at once (great for larger monitors) while the Calc spreadsheet has seen its 256 column limit expanded to over 1,000 and there are improved network collaboration tools as well. Meanwhile OpenOffice’s famed high speed, low impact performance is claimed to be better than ever.
Source: Trusted Reviews

Comments(26)
Hey!!! I downloaded OOo 3.0 today ITS EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!
torrent links
http://borft.student.utwente.nl/~mike/oo/index2.html
“In truth the benefits are more centred around improving functionality than beautification”
who needs “beauty” software anyway?!
no x64? huh, welcome to the future as sun imagine it.
who needs “beauty” software anyway?!
coming from someone who’s whole outlook on life has been turned to grey from microsoft and its stubborn refusal to stick with windows 3.11 style?
Is this better than MS Office?
short answer yes, long answer no
#6:
Is Obama better than McCain?
depends on who you ask.
Looks like it may have the same bugs in the last 2.x.x release such as verticle text not showing up. And for those that do DTP- use draw. Writer does not do so well. Just sayin.
NOOBS- DTP = DeskTop Publishing
@8: At least MS Office isn’t a secret muslim suite that befriends terrorists!!11!wanwan
still have 2.3 and it runs fine on winxp x64
nice flame there btw, office software has to be usefull u know
you can stick with ur hardwareeating girliestyle blingbling msoffice if u like, at least it’s not free
nice program – to write a text.
for everything else, it sucks major donkey balls… I love free software (ff, google, miranda ftw) but for anything a little bit more sophisticated, you will definitely be better of with office 07, as much as I hate to say it. It’s not just easier and more INTUITIVE to use – it really has some functionality that OOo simply lacks.
It’s not just me, I know a lot of people who say so, even one geek who doesn’t even use windows has recently admitted that OOo would need “some more development”.
So, for texts you may use google docs as well, and for everything else… just try out what suits u better… if you are on this site, you certainly know there are “alternatives” to running to the store and buying Office
MS Office does all you need without bugs / lacking features.
We’re talking about word processors & similar programs here, performance is fairly irrelevant. Using that as one of their main “features” gives the impression their desperate.
The recent features added were done years ago by MS, I don’t see why anyone would choose this over MS Office unless they didn’t have a compatible OS, had something against piracy and had no money or was one of those anti-microsoft loosers.
if the servers are down again…
http://rapidshare.com/files/154011563/OOo_3.0.0_Win32Intel_install_wJRE_en-US.exe
lifehacker had a link to some mirrors a few days before the official site http://lifehacker.com/5061691/openofficeorg-30-final-on-a-server-near-you
enjoy, its a lot faster and better btw
@10 At least MS Office isn’t a secret muslim suite that befriends terrorists!!11!wanwan
Explain yourself on that comment a lil’ more in depth…..does’nt make any sense, untill you explain….
OpenOffice FTW!!
@8 Do some research, Obama’s christian. Open Office works for me it has just everything i need
Imagine you have something like a non profit organization, or a small office and you have a choice, either or not use pirated MS office or this, then choice is clear, considering the consequences when/if somehow MS finds out and sues the shirt off you.
OOo is way more stable than Office with documents longer than 100 pages!
@9: vertical text is working here.
@19
A non-profit organization might get a donation of software from Microsoft depending upon it’s purpose. Microsoft loves to give to schools and charities. It’s a huge tax write off.
Now for the small business that cannot afford volume licensing is where OpenOffice really shines.
After you turn off Java, OpenOffice 3 is the bee’s knees.
I laughed when I saw the logo/moto.
Great Software…
…Easy to use…
…and it’s free!
So is MS Office 2K7.
http://rapidshare.com/files/154209341/OOo_3.0.0_LinuxIntel_install_wJRE_en-US.tar.gz