According to an article posted by Paul Thurrot at Windows IT Pro, Linspire’s bringing open-source applications OpenOffice and Firefox--which compete with Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer, except that OpenOffice also can create PDFs--is wrought with controversy.

First off, the Linspire box is dubiously named OOoFf!. Secondly, it costs $30, although it’s possible to download the software elsewhere for free. Thirdly, Thurrott writes, Linspire didn’t work directly with the open-source organizations that support OpenOffice and Mozilla, which will likely anger movers and shakers in the open-source community that otherwise might support an OpenOffice foray into retail, hoping that it might entice even more users to get on board. The kind of users who have low-bandwidth Internet connections or who fear viruses.

Firefox and OpenOffice, wherever you get it, is available for Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.

OOoFf!

• http://www.oooff.com

Mozilla Firefox 1.0 Download and Donations

• http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox
• http://www.mozilla.org/foundation/donate.html

OpenOffice.org 1.1.3 Download and Donations

• http://www.openoffice.org
• http://www.openoffice.org/contributing/donate.html