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Of those free alternatives, the granddaddy is OpenOffice, the first serious rival to Microsoft Office.
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The need to run Office for compatibility's sake is no longer as compelling as it was either, with a raft of free alternatives all capable of opening even the latest Office document formats with few problems. But both don't come cheap, which can make it a prohibitive cost for an individual or small business. If a friend or colleague asks you to recommend an office suite, your first thought is likely to be Office for PC or iWork for Mac.
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