A free office suite from IBM

Microsoft Office is the standard in productivity programs. Most people use it in professional and personal settings. And it really is a great tool. I use it every day in the office.

The only problem is Microsoft Office is pretty expensive. Not everyone wants to shell out that kind of money. And some people simply can’t afford it.

But it’s hard to function without some sort of office suite. Lotus Symphony is the answer. IBM created this award-winning productivity software. And best of all, it’s free.

Lotus Symphony won’t replace everything from Microsoft Office. But the most commonly used programs are represented. And it’s easy to find replacements for anything left out.

It comes with word processing, presentation and spreadsheet programs. That easily covers everything you need for day-to-day activities. You can even collaborate with others with Lotus Symphony. It is compatible with Microsoft Office documents.

Cost: Free

Link: symphony.lotus.com

System: Windows XP and Vista