Forthcoming Report on Alternatives to Microsoft Office

Blogger: Guy Creese

This week I'll be putting the finishing touches on a report about alternatives to Microsoft Office. Its official title is, "Productivity Suite Proliferation: Is It Time to Ditch Microsoft Office?" This report came about due to the current economic downturn. As a way to save money, a number of clients have recently asked me about the viability of getting rid of Microsoft Office and going with a solution that has a lower license cost (such as Lotus Symphony, which is free).

This is not a change to be taken lightly. Most employees use and are used to Microsoft Office, and don't want their security blanket taken away. At the same time, a large corporation spends literally millions of dollars in Microsoft Office license fees, and at this point no expenditure is escaping scrutiny. As with any complex problem, there is not a simple answer. Some enterprises will find it worthwhile to switch; others will not. However, the purpose of the report is to give enterprises a framework in which to consider the issue.