OpenOffice.org Free Software Proves a Success at WalMart

Barcelona, Spain – Delegates gathered in Barcelona, Spain for the OpenOffice.org Annual Conference heard how their software has proved a hit with a whole new market segment in the US. In a keynote speech, Community Manager Louis Suarez-Potts reported on a successful experiment carried out by PC manufacturer Everex. Following extensive product testing, Everex had taken the innovative step of including OpenOffice.org software on a range of PCs for sale through the WalMart chain. The eco-friendly range was launched in July, aimed at the US 'back to school' market, with a price tag of just $298.

Conference delegates watched a message from John Lin, General Manager, Everex: "On July 18th 2007, Everex launched its first 'Back to School' PC with OpenOffice.org 2.02 into WalMart stores throughout the United States. The response was fantastic. Not only did Everex receive rave reviews in the media, but consumer interest resulted in a three-fold increase in web traffic to everex.com. Feedback from WalMart was also very positive: they have requested all our future units include OpenOffice.org productivity software. Everex would like to thank everyone involved in OpenOffice.org for their help and support, and congratulations again for providing the world with such a wonderful product."

Suarez-Potts explained the importance of this success: "OpenOffice.org is well-known and well-admired among technology professionals. This move by Everex brings our software to ordinary consumers who just need office software that works in they way they expect, using files they already have, and is reliable day in and day out. People buying PCs now should be demanding OpenOffice.org from vendors. If you want to pay extra for your PC vendor to install a costly commercial alternative - with your consent - then that's fine. But installing commercial software without offering a free alternative means someone is depriving you of choice, and is profiteering at your expense."