USING ONLINE PROGRAMS
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CSS 104 Handout #38
If you do not have access to a computer with a work processing program, college work can be difficult. Both face-to-face and online classes usually require you turn in your work using a word processing program. Fortunately you have several options. First, you can download free office productivity programs such as Open Office, which offers several programs similar to those available in Microsoft Office. Besides the word processing program, Open Office has a spreadsheet, similar to the Excel spreadsheet in Microsoft Office, a presentation program as well as a database and graphics program. It can be downloaded into a Windows or a Mac machine. Find it at
Another program for Windows users, is FreeOffice. Find it at
And one more freebie for Windows – OxygenOfficePro offers many of the features in Open Office and adds a few more. Here is the link
Strictly for Mac users, NeoOffice has a number of features, again free to download. Find this program at
When you are creating a paper for a college class, it is usually a good idea to keep of copy of your paper on your computer for insurance. While you can save documents and presentations that you have created in an online program such as Google Docs or Microsoft Office Web Apps, it might be better to download one of the free office suite programs to your computer.
If you do work on a tablet computer or your smart phone, there are a great number of apps available. From managing your school work to managing your money and having fun, there are literally hundreds of programs to use.
Consider Mint for managing your money.( Gimp for editing your photos ( or Photoscape at
and Office Online for finishing that term paper.
There are a number of advantages to using online programs, such as Google Docs, for your college work. For example, you can access your documents and information from any place with an Internet connection. You can collaborate with other students on group projects, and many online programs interface with programs you have on your main computer. Also, many online programs are user-friendly and intuitive, which decreases the learning curve for using a new program.
A couple of downsides for online programs are security and privacy. However, many consider these threats to be worth the opportunity to work on their documents from any location with Internet access.
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