OpenOffice is a GPL (free) licensed suite of applications that provide similar functionality to those of Microsoft Office. OpenOffice is a multiplatform bit of software that uses Java as is base programming.

Everything that you need to use OpenOffice is included with the installer application. The Installer asks the usual questions about the features that you might want to install.

OpenOffice has the ability to open and use existing Microsoft Office document formats, so you can replace your Microsoft Office with OpenOffice if you needed to.

The Interface to the OpenOffice applications seems a little basic when compared to Microsoft Office, but non the less all of the functionallity that you need is there. Obviously the applications have different names, so that can be confusing the first time that you use it. Listed below are the application names with the equivilant Microsoft Office names.

• OpenOffice.org Writer lets you design and produce text documents that can include graphics, tables, or charts. You can then save the documents in a variety of formats, including Microsoft Word, HTML, or even Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF).
• OpenOffice.org Calc is a spreadsheet application that you can use to calculate, analyze, and manage your data. You can also import and modify Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
• OpenOffice.org Math provides numerous operators, functions and formatting assistants to help you create formulas. These are all listed in a selection window, in which you can click the required element with the mouse to insert the object into your work.
• OpenOffice.org Impress lets you create professional slide shows that can include charts, drawing objects, text, multimedia and a variety of other items. If you want, you can even import and modify Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
• OpenOffice.org Draw lets you create simple and complex drawings and export them in a number of common image formats. You can also insert tables, charts, formulas and other items created in OpenOffice.org programs into your drawings.

Using OpenOffice could save your school upto ?60 per machine in license costs, so it is worth looking at. You can find out more and download the application from http://www.openoffice.org/