LibreOffice seems to be one of the best free and open source office suites, designed to replace MS Office. LibreOffice 4.2.5.2 is a complete free office suite offering you no less than the paid office suites. It bundles separate application for word processing, spreadsheet creation and editing, slide-shows, diagrams, database maintenance and math formulas in one.

Features

• Six-module office pack

• Works with other formats

• Open-sourced

• Familiar interface

LibreOffice is a cross-platform open source software, which can be installed on any Windows, Mac or Linux-powered PC. In addition, it is available as a portable version as well in case you don't want to bother with installation. Like its rivals, LibreOffice comes with an extensive supported language list, more than 30. In order to be proper competition, this software bundles six different modules – Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentation creating), Draw (vector graphics editing), Math ( formulas managing) and Base (database management). Keep in mind that this open-sourced office suite comes with very detailed online documentation in case you need some help.

Interface

LibreOffice has a familiar interface, which makes it very intuitive and easy-to-use. It includes direct shortcuts for all its modules. This software comes with standard and well-known command bar, where you can create a new document on any of the supported type programs from the File menu, change the look from the View menu, etc. In case you have some previous experience with OpenOffice.org, you will definitely find major similarities. In addition, multiple templates can be imported or created using the built-in template manager.

Basic Operations

Thanks to the aforementioned interface similarities, LibreOffice is extremely easy to work with even from the very first attempt. The entire working processes are exactly the same starting from creating a text document to formating the text, inserting pictures and tables, creating spreadsheets, using the chart wizard for them, designing beautiful presentations with many different slide transitions, drawing whatever diagrams, shapes, flowcharts, etc.

Conclusion

LibreOffice is a proper free replacement of MS Office. It is appropriate for both home and business users. We strongly recommend that you download and try it first before start judging it.