OpenOffice can not compete with the full version of Office 2010. But if you compare Office 2010 Starter with OpenOffice, I think OpenOffice is the winner, since it has more programs at no cost, and no ads. But if MS includes PowerPoint in Office 2010 Starter, then I think most people will use Office 2010 Starter, and don't download OpenOffice. Of course, MS has to make Office 2010 Starter available for everyone, like OpenOffice is.
I am not participating for the selecting the best but I suggest to have both. The main reason is that except encryption / password type protection every protected file created in microsoft office can be changed by open office suit. Second reason is that even there is a specific plugin for microsoft office suit to open and change open office files but it is not worked properly and hence better to have separate room for each other.
It is not a good idea to compare something free with something that it is not free with developers working 100% on this soft. OO can be used for everybody needing that soft, being careless of nicest interfaces. MS Office is a great product, nice fonts, gui's etc but it cost money. What it has to be really discussed is how many of home users are needing those programs and if, indeed needed,how many can use OO free to satisfaction vs MS office at cost. Personally I feel that most of MS office at home it is used less than 5% of its power.
I think OO is pretty good for most people - and excellent for a free application.. and apart from the fact that some functions are not available in OO that i use in excel i would have no reason to use MS office.. The GUI in MS office looks smarter, in 2007 and 2010, but if you are a mac user OO is pertty much similar to MS office.. I do like outlook though, and havent found anything that is close to it yet..
Why only OpenOffice vs Microsoft Office, not OpenOffice vs Microsoft Office vs Softmaker Office 2010? Seems Softmaker Office 2010 is better than OpenOffice, isn't it?
Frankly, I see not much of a practical, day to day diff. between Office 2007 and 2010. In fact, some of the things I was used to are no longer there or tougher (all windows in same taskbar). Backscreen is tough.
Microsoft Office still my number one choice for the compatibility...as long as other mostly use this then I must use this stuff even it lacks thing