If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Microsoft Corp. should feel supremely complimented by the OpenOffice.org suite of software. And, perhaps, just a tad worried.

OpenOffice’s sleek word processor, spreadsheet and presentation programs capture Microsoft Office’s look and some of the most popular features – without the $479 price tag and anti-piracy measures. The 50-megabyte OpenOffice download is free.

Unlike most other “free” programs, it doesn’t require an advanced degree to fathom. More importantly – since Microsoft has more than 90 percent of the productivity software market – OpenOffice reads documents that were originally created with Microsoft’s programs and can save in those formats as well.

So, what’s the catch?

There are some rough edges and a few omissions, notably a calendar program, an e-mail application and a database. They’ll be missed mainly by power users and businesses. There’s also no tech support by phone. That’s not to say no help is available. Each program has built-in assistance, and much more can be found by surfing the www.openoffice.org Web site.

Plus, anyone who wants a more powerful suite without paying Microsoft’s prices could still shell out $76 and buy StarOffice, on which OpenOffice is based.

Sun Microsystems Inc., which sells StarOffice, has released most of the code to a community of programmers who work on developing OpenOffice in their spare time.

Why? Besides selling servers and workstations, Sun is also in the anti-Microsoft business. Alternative software is a key component, as is litigation.

Until now, Microsoft has nothing to fear from StarOffice, which Sun formerly gave away. The previous version was disappointing, but that’s not the case with OpenOffice, which is surprising given the reputation most open-source software has for being buggy. Such is the case with most programs written for Linux.

The program is also available for operating systems other than Windows, including Linux and Unix. A Mac OS X version is under development.

OpenOffice does have some problems.

Some complex Word documents, especially those with embedded graphics, are mis-formatted in OpenOffice’s Writer. And macros developed in Microsoft Office don’t work at all. Still, OpenOffice handles with aplomb most everyday tasks, such as composing a letter or balancing a household budget.