OpenOffice is great when you're using it on your own, but when it comes to taking computer classes--they'll want you to use Office. I'm taking some beginning Microsoft Office class right now and the workload is a pain. I end up just bringing the book home and following it on Office 2003 just to complete my assignment. It's so boring because all you're doing is following the steps from the book to designing a document, etc. Then you print it out and submit it. Then towards the end, there will be a project on using Access, Excel, and PowerPoint. The format must be Office with no exceptions.