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OpenOffice.org 1.0 for the Apple Macintosh has reached final release status, joining Windows, Linux, and Solaris versions of the office suite. The open-source software suite is based on Sun Microsystems' Star Office suite, and has taken developers two years to complete.

The free application comprises word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing programs in more than 25 languages. It supports a wide range of file formats, so users can exchange documents with users of other office-software suites, such as Microsoft Office.

The software takes advantage of the popularity of X11 in the open-source world, and incorporates FreeType's font engine for anti-aliased fonts. It runs natively on Linux, PPC Linux, Solaris, Windows, and many other flavors of Unix.

Professional Appearance

OpenOffice.org developer Dan Williams said: "Anti-aliasing makes OpenOffice.org look exceptional on Mac OS X. It makes presentations and all other documents look highly professional."

"This release is a triumph for the collaboration between the open-source community and enterprises such as Sun and Apple," said OpenOffice.org community manager Louis Suarez-Potts. "OpenOffice.org 1.0 frees you from lock-in and licensing fees."

OpenOffice.org 1.0 is available for free download from the OpenOffice.org. It has been developed as an X11 rather than Aqua application, but runs in Apple's X11 environment.