Thing #18 – OpenOffice plus

Because everyone else said it took a long time to download. I chose not to. My computer is running slow (or perhaps I am running slow—it is Spring Break after all!). But I did go through the tour for Impress, the “PowerPoint” version of OpenOffice. I like the way it looked. It seemed to have all the features I am used to in PowerPoint and some extras. The 3D and the ability to turn into a Flash document seemed more than I know how to do with PowerPoint. I am ready to switch to OpenOffice.

I like this part of the rationale for open source software: .”… For rapid evolution to happen, people need to be able to experiment with and redistribute modifications.”

I agree with all the positive comments I have seen about Google Docs. I think they are an excellent resource. I have seen teachers use Google Docs for some exceptional WebQuests for their students. Like I said, something is slow. I could not get the “Learn more" link to work. Therefore, I could not confirm nor refute the rumor that everything created on Google Docs belongs to Google. More research is needed.