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IBM releases free productivity tools

KilarneyKilarney
edited September 2007 in Technology
IBM has just released a bunch of Lotus productivity tools for free!
Download here.

Looks like this is a pretty decent alternative to Open Office.

Comments

  • AlexAlex
    I was forced to use Lotus Notes at a previous job. The memories are not pleasant.

    This isn't Notes, but as far as I'm concerned the whole Lotus development team still has a lot to answer for.
  • ......
    If it's just as sucky, and thus not more sucky, then M$ Office, and has a smaller memory footprint, then I might use it. Sadly one needs to log in with IBM info to get a download link... I don't wanna sign up.
  • xenomousexenomouse
    If it's just as sucky, and thus not more sucky, then M$ Office, and has a smaller memory footprint, then I might use it.
    From the FAQ:
    Note: Be sure your system meets these client system requirements:

    * Supported Windows platforms: Windows XP, Windows Vista
    * Supported Linux platforms: SLED 10, RHEL 5, Redhat5
    * 900MB disk space minimum
    * 1GB RAM memory minimum
    * US English locale
    (My emphasis added.)
  • KilarneyKilarney
    Ouch. My big complaint with Open Office is that it's a resource hog. Looks like this isn't exactly easy on the system, either. Although... it also says you need 900mb disk space. Obviously this is to install everything. I wonder if the 1GB RAM requirement is needed to run everything?
  • xenomousexenomouse
    I'm sure that just running Lotus Symphony Documents (hereafter known as LSD) won't take up that much memory. Though, I've heard that repeated uses can result in brain damage.
  • AprecheApreche
    Ouch. My big complaint with Open Office is that it's a resource hog. Looks like this isn't exactly easy on the system, either. Although... it also says you need 900mb disk space. Obviously this is to install everything. I wonder if the 1GB RAM requirement is needed toruneverything?
    Any Office Suite will always be a resource hog. You have one application that is doing the work of 4 or more applications. If you want to avoid this, use Google Docs, Abiword, Gnumeric, or other stand alone or web-based word processors, spreadsheets, etc. This is the way to avoid using all your system resources just to spread some sheets. Though, you will not have the absolutely insane number of features that you will find in something like Excel.
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    The one thing that keeps Excel on top is it's scripting. I remember a supremely awesome Excel workbook I used to use that facilitated making cars for the Car Wars game.
  • KilarneyKilarney
    Any OfficeSuitewill always be a resource hog.
    IBM offers separate downloads for each component.

    According to a friend I know at IBM, it's still technically in Beta.
  • ......
    *1GB RAM memory minimum
    Saw that. Got 1 gig. And always run Firefox with a minimum memory foot print of 200 Megs. Tons of extensions, windows and tabs means a lot of memory. Though it's holding up very nicely with the 2.x.7 update. Once I watched a vid embedded in flash (As youtube, though a different site), and it went insane! At one point said tab+vid was making Firefox claim 2 gigs of memory.
    According to a friend I know at IBM, it's still technically in Beta.
    And will wait. It'll probably be easier to download after it's officially released.
  • KilarneyKilarney
    Here is what my source at IBM said:

    It's officially "beta," but that's a little weird because IBM is already
    shipping this function within Lotus Notes 8 which is release level
    software. The new Lotus Symphony is those office suite bits of Lotus Notes
    8 packaged separately and made freely available to everyone.

    Probably best to call it "Version 1.0." From what I've heard it's in
    pretty good shape and quite usable, assuming you've got memory. (If you
    don't have a decent amount of memory it can be painful. CPU is less
    important.) You can expect a fairly decent pace of new versions, from what
    I've heard, and you'll probably want to stay on top of that. IBM is
    putting 35 developers onto this project, and presumably they'll be busy
    doing something.
  • KilarneyKilarney
    edited September 2007
    According to the New York Times "Tech Talk" podcast, Lotus Symphony is just a re-branding of Open Office. That's why it's so bloated.

    They recommended AbiWord.
    Post edited by Kilarney on
  • AprecheApreche
    Abiword is awesome. So is Gnumeric. However, lately I find myself just using Google Docs.
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