Microsoft Office

    So I have this new computer (since March) -- a laptop. And I've been slowly getting it set up the way i want it. And by slowly, I mean S-L-O-W-L-Y. No impulse additions. I downloaded OpenOffice 2.1 because I was trying to wean myself away from Microsoft Office. Unfortunately, no one anywhere makes an acceptable substitute for Outlook.
    Then, after doing without Outlook for 2.5 months, and missing it every day, I was reminded by an email that I subscribe to Microsoft's Outlook Live. The next day the latest copy of Outlook arrived in the mail. Oh joy. Of course I installed it immediately.
    More joy -- I was able to sync the computer's Outlook with the online Outlook and recovered all of my contact data. Yea!
    A few days later I discovered a box that had been part of my new computer package. Apparently I hadn't been particularly thorough in getting everything out. Found, for example, a tuner card (had been wondering where that was) and the discs for MS Office 2007 and Roxio DVD Creator 9. I think I'm getting too old for this.
    Anyway, Office and Creator are now installed also. But I find that, except for Outlook, I kind of like OpenOffice better, mostly because it's more like Office 97/2003. If you're looking for a freebie substitute for Office, I'd try OpenOffice.
    Whatever -- it pays to check the packing.