(The exception is Office 2007 files to work with those, you'll need to wait for OpenOffice 3.0 or use Microsoft's own Office Compatibility Pack.) Although OpenOffice defaults to the OpenDocument format, you can easily open and save Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. In case you're unfamiliar with OpenOffice, you'll be glad to know it offers total file compatibility with Microsoft Office documents - arguably the most important capability of any alternative suite. The latest version, 2.4, adds a host of minor fixes and improvements. Because it's open-source software, it doesn't cost a penny. Before you spend hundreds of dollars on the latest version of Microsoft Office, consider a less-expensive alternative: OpenOffice, which offers business-caliber word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and drawing.