"The strengths of IBM Lotus Symphony are also its weaknesses. Based on the OpenOffice.org source code, on the one hand, the beta of this newly released office application offers a much needed revision of the interface. On the other hand, too much of this revision takes the form of leaving out features, and the changes are accompanied by high hardware demands. This trade off means that what you think of Symphony will very likely depend on your own level of expertise with office applications--and probably your computer's specs as well.
"Available for both GNU/Linux and Windows XP and Vista, Symphony consists of three applications: Documents, Presentations, and Spreadsheets, whose functions are self-explanatory. The beta is currently available as a free download, and installs via an InstallShield interface, rather than using any native format..."
