In today's open source roundup: Five free office suites for Linux. Plus: Disproving outdated myths about Linux, and Linux Journal looks at the Anker desktop charger Office suites are important productivity tools that many of us depend on day in and day out. Fortunately, we have a range of office options to choose from in Linux. Some are open source and some are not, but all are useful in their own right. Linux Links has a useful roundup of five free office suites. According to Linux Links: Microsoft Office still dominates market share of office suites. Businesses have often rejected free Office alternatives. However, whether this will continue is uncertain. With the cost of a price plan for Microsoft Office, the average home user or small business will welcome a free alternative. Fortunately, there are some truly excellent free alternatives available for Linux (and other operating systems). Not all of the office suites featured here are released under an open source license, but they are all free to download and use without charge. LibreOffice Apache OpenOffice Calligra Suite Google Docs SoftMaker FreeOffice More at Linux Links Image credit: Linux Links This is a pretty good roundup of some of the office suites available for Linux. But you may also want to check out some of these other articles for some additional ideas and perspectives: TechRadar: Best office suites for Linux: 5 reviewed and rated Nerd’s Magazine: 17 Free & Best Office Suite for Linux InfoWorld: Apache OpenOffice 4 vs. LibreOffice 4.1 TechRadar: Update places LibreOffice ahead of OpenOffice 4.0 but behind Office 2013 MakeUseOf: WPS Office For Linux Looks As Good As MS Office, Performs Even Better My favorite among the bunch listed in the first article is definitely LibreOffice. It offers so much in one package, probably far more than most average users will actually need. But it’s tough to beat if you need a comprehensive office solution. Disproving the myths about Linux Datamation has a useful article that tries to cut through the fog of myths that sometimes surround Linux in the minds of some users. According to Datamation: Over the years, we’ve heard from countless Microsoft Windows fans as to why they believe using Linux was nearly impossible. These folks would cite everything – from poor hardware compatibility to a lack of popular software. And I suppose at one time, some aspects of this were true. But in 2014 when people still claim that using newbie friendly distributions like Ubuntu are too difficult, this nonsense needs to be put to rest once and for all. This article is but a small step in what I hope will be a wake up call for naysayers. Linux Myth #1: Most people don’t install operating systems Linux Myth #2: Hardware detection half-truths Linux Myth #3: Linux software issues More at Datamation I’m very glad to see this article from Datamation. I think it does a good job of dispelling some of the vapid misinformation that’s out there about Linux. It always irritates me when I hear some of these myths repeated by people when the subject of Linux comes up. I do, however, disagree somewhat with the final conclusion of the section about the first myth: The takeaway? Installing ANY operating system isn’t for someone who isn’t a geek – period. Blaming Linux distributions for this perceived difficulty just isn’t fair. I have never believed that installing an operating system is for geeks only. It’s quite possible for a non-geek to install various Linux distributions, as well as Windows or even a clean install of OS X on a Mac. Installing an operating system is also a great learning experience. It lets people learn how to take control over their computers and gives them a better sense of how their computer works. Sure, the first time installing Linux might be intimidating to a non-geek, but that will quickly pass as the user realizes that a lot of the “Linux is hard to install” stuff is just bloated hyperbole. Here are some guides on how to install Linux that you or someone you know might find useful: Linux.com: How to Install and Try Linux the Absolutely Easiest and Safest Way Wiki How: How to Install Ubuntu Linux Ubuntu.com: Install Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS Everyday Linux User: How to install Linux Mint alongside OSX on the MacBook Air Install Ubuntu Linux Alongside Windows 8 in 10 easy steps How to install Ubuntu and Minecraft on the HP Chromebook 14 Anker: The ultimate desktop charger? Linux Journal looks at the Anker 40W charger that works with a large range of devices. According to Linux Journal: Before buying the Anker, I had to get a power strip in order to plug in all the wall-warts required to charge my devices. Two of those devices (the Fitbit and Kindle) didn’t even come with power adapters, just USB cables to plug in to a computer for charging. With the Anker USB charger, I’m able to use a single, regular-sized power cord to charge all my devices. I’ve been using the Anker charger for several weeks and absolutely love it. More at Linux Journal Image credit: Amazon I’d never heard of the Anker charger until I saw the Linux Journal article. But I think I’m going to get one because I have a number of devices I charge frequently and it would be nice to have such a unit instead of the power strip I’m currently using. If you aren’t sure if the Anker charger is for you, be sure to check out the user reviews on Amazon. Right now it has more than 4100 reviews, and 4.6 out of 5 stars. So most people who have bought one seem to really like it. What’s your take on all this? Tell me in the comments below. The opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of ITworld. Open SourceSoftware Development