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Stories and comments across the archive that link to openoffice.org.

Comments · 2,060

  1. Re:So have they fixed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0 · on OpenOffice 2.2 Released

    There is a glossy brochure high level summary here and a gory details hacker version here.

  2. Re:why? by antonlacon · · Score: 1 · on OpenOffice 2.2 Released

    NeoOffice's code cannot be used by OpenOffice due to licenses (and copyright assignment).

    OpenOffice's take on it: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/FAQ_Openo ffice.org_and_NeoOffice

    NeoOffice's: http://www.neooffice.org/neojava/en/faq.php#11

  3. Open Office Aqua by javacowboy · · Score: 1 · on OpenOffice 2.2 Released

    Open Office is working on a native (as opposed to X11) version of OpenOffice for OS X, but according to the latest project plan, the final release won't be out until the end of the year:

    http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/news/index.html

    In the meantime, Neooffice is a decent option, considering that the project is only maintained by two people, and part-time at that:

    http://neooffice.org/neojava/en/download.php#downl oad

  4. Re:It's nearly unusuable. by tehmorph · · Score: 1, Informative · on OpenOffice 2.2 Released

    You can download this free update to get the faster word processor you desire!

  5. 2.2 and still no outline mode... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful · on OpenOffice 2.2 Released

    In the Openoffice issue tracker outline mode is a low priority issue that has been open since 2002 - that is almost five years ! Meanwhile, many users keep MS Word around just because this way of handling text makes them much more productive.

  6. OO.o by ChrTssu · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    I like Open Office word documents, and the save to .pdf has saved me and two employers quite a lot of time and money, since we were able to write /directly/ from a document to .pdf without unnecessary steps or proprietary (and sometimes too expensive) software. Calc has also always worked for me, though I don't use it nearly as much, and can't tell you that much about the differences between Excel and Calc. Draw is a really good tool, and my sister switched to OO.o from MS just for that feature (combined with GIMP, she's made some really nice brochures, flyers, business cards, etc.). Open Office's Impress, however, is no Power Point. It's not nearly as nice looking (just check out the demo: http://www.openoffice.org/product/impress.html), and is just noticeably slower - more of an annoyance than anything. A lot could be done to make it look better, though. /twocents

  7. Re:So what's included ? by Rick17JJ · · Score: 2, Informative · on Introducing GNU/Linux Via Applications

    I have not actually seen what is on their CD, but there are some examples of free programs, most of which, have already been mentioned, that are available for both Windows and Linux.

  8. Re:OpenCD by JacquesDemien · · Score: 3, Informative · on Introducing GNU/Linux Via Applications
    I am often asked by family, friends, and coworkers (I work in IT and have contact with a large number of end-users) what applications I use, and what I recommend that they use. I do suggest GNU/Linux, but clearly most of them are using Windows and prefer to keep it that way for now. Here is the list of applications which I usually give them. Granted, some of these are NOT "free as in freedom" but are rather just "free as in beer" since, as noted elsewhere in this thread, for some categories of software there is no open source package available for Windows, or at least none available that your proverbial Grandma could be expected to use without installing Cygwin or something. (Obviously this list is aimed more at your Grandma than at the average GNU/Linux user, since that is the target audience. In real life I only use some of these applications myself. However, I do support family and friends who use them.) You could, of course, argue that better choices could be made, and you'd be correct.... General Tools

    Internet Tools

    Basic Tools

    Security Tools

    Advanced Tools

  9. Re:Use NeoOffice by McDutchie · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    Due to politics, OpenOffice.org has exorcised all reference that a perfectly functional, native, and Aqua port of OpenOffice.org exists for the Macintosh.
    Liar, liar, pants on fire.
  10. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join [openoffice.org]

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi [openoffice.org]

    (I did a search with component =Presentation Summary=audio and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Presentation&issue_ status=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=S TARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED &email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&emai l2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype= include&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&c hfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=&short_desc_ type=allwords&long_desc=audio&long_desc_type=allwo rds&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substring& status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=substrin g&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0=noo p&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&order=Re use+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit+que ry

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has 203 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=24 969

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.
    --

  11. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join [openoffice.org]

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi [openoffice.org]

    (I did a search with component =Presentation Summary=audio and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Presentation&issue_ status=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=S TARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED &email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&emai l2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype= include&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&c hfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=&short_desc_ type=allwords&long_desc=audio&long_desc_type=allwo rds&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substring& status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=substrin g&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0=noo p&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&order=Re use+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit+que ry

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has 203 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=24 969

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.
    --

  12. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join [openoffice.org]

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi [openoffice.org]

    (I did a search with component =Presentation Summary=audio and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Presentation&issue_ status=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=S TARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED &email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&emai l2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype= include&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&c hfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=&short_desc_ type=allwords&long_desc=audio&long_desc_type=allwo rds&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substring& status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=substrin g&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0=noo p&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&order=Re use+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit+que ry

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has 203 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=24 969

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.
    --

  13. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join [openoffice.org]

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi [openoffice.org]

    (I did a search with component =Presentation Summary=audio and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Presentation&issue_ status=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=S TARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED &email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&emai l2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype= include&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&c hfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=&short_desc_ type=allwords&long_desc=audio&long_desc_type=allwo rds&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substring& status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=substrin g&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0=noo p&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&order=Re use+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit+que ry

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has 203 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=24 969

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.
    --

  14. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi

    (I did a search with component =Spreadsheet and Summary=Large and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Spreadsheet&issue_s tatus=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=ST ARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED& email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&email 2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype=i nclude&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&ch fieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=large&short_d esc_type=allwords&long_desc=large&long_desc_type=a llwords&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substr ing&status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=subs tring&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0 =noop&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&orde r=Reuse+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit +query

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has only 3 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=19 05

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.

  15. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi

    (I did a search with component =Spreadsheet and Summary=Large and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Spreadsheet&issue_s tatus=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=ST ARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED& email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&email 2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype=i nclude&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&ch fieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=large&short_d esc_type=allwords&long_desc=large&long_desc_type=a llwords&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substr ing&status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=subs tring&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0 =noop&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&orde r=Reuse+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit +query

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has only 3 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=19 05

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.

  16. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi

    (I did a search with component =Spreadsheet and Summary=Large and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Spreadsheet&issue_s tatus=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=ST ARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED& email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&email 2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype=i nclude&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&ch fieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=large&short_d esc_type=allwords&long_desc=large&long_desc_type=a llwords&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substr ing&status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=subs tring&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0 =noop&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&orde r=Reuse+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit +query

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has only 3 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=19 05

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.

  17. Vote to have this fixed! by denis-The-menace · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    1-Create an account
    http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join

    2-Login and do a search on your bug/pet peeves
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/query.cgi

    (I did a search with component =Spreadsheet and Summary=Large and got this)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/buglist.cgi?issue_ type=DEFECT&issue_type=ENHANCEMENT&issue_type=FEAT URE&issue_type=PATCH&component=Spreadsheet&issue_s tatus=UNCONFIRMED&issue_status=NEW&issue_status=ST ARTED&issue_status=REOPENED&issue_status=RESOLVED& email1=&emailtype1=exact&emailassigned_to1=1&email 2=&emailtype2=exact&emailreporter2=1&issueidtype=i nclude&issue_id=&changedin=&votes=&chfieldfrom=&ch fieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&short_desc=large&short_d esc_type=allwords&long_desc=large&long_desc_type=a llwords&issue_file_loc=&issue_file_loc_type=substr ing&status_whiteboard=&status_whiteboard_type=subs tring&keywords=&keywords_type=anytokens&field0-0-0 =noop&type0-0-0=noop&value0-0-0=&cmdtype=doit&orde r=Reuse+same+sort+as+last+time&Submit+query=Submit +query

    3-Vote for this bug if it matches your problem. (At this time it has only 3 votes!)
    http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=19 05

    CAVEAT: You might have to cut-n-paste the URLs yourself.
    OpenOffice.org might not take links from Slashdot directly (too much traffic from lazy people)
    TIPS: You have up to 5 votes. Sometimes you can place 2 votes on one issue.

  18. Re:macros by khanyisa · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    Calling it a fork is extreme - it's a branch. All changes are merged back into upstream as and when possible. And Sun and Novell have agreed to work on VBA compatibility together, merging this code and extending it: http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/sun_and_novell _work_together More info here: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/VBA

  19. Actually, APK by StarKruzr · · Score: 4, Informative · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    You're wrong again, and I'm right.

    http://about.openoffice.org/index.html

    The source is written in C++ and delivers language-neutral and scriptable functionality, including Java(TM) APIs.

    This means the application has support for including Java routines to do things, much like VBA does for MS Office. Apparently you can remove this functionality to slim the install down and get it to run faster, too, but you don't have to start the Java runtime every time you start the application. The parent poster was incorrect.

    Oops! Guess you fucked up again, chuckles!

    Give my regards to Osama, you fucking Commie.

  20. OpenOffice PDF export is a liability by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 2, Informative · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    Why bother? Just convert it to PDF or print it to postscript.

    Unfortunately, there is a rather fundamental bug in OpenOffice Writer that means that a large class of professional grade fonts don't get used properly when saving as PDF. This has been well documented for several years, but the OO team show no great interest in fixing it; they laughably classify it as a feature rather than a bug, and it's scheduled for "OOo Later". Meanwhile, the first you know about it is when your carefully crafted report/flyer/whatever using high quality fonts exports as garbage instead of a PDF your print bureau can use.

  21. Re:Bloated by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    Yada yada yada. The old OpenOffice-Java slowness thing again. Shame for your argument that it's optional to use Java and most functions work perfectly well without it. http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Java_and_ OpenOffice.org

  22. Complicated presentations by RR · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    There's always the rendering issue, especially when you do stuff like multiple character sets, rotations, embedded Word objects... The presentations I run are from other people, so the rendering is really important.

    Spanned displays. If you want to specify the secondary monitor for your presentation, you have to use PowerPoint. Apparently, there has been a lot of discussion about this, and rudimentary multi-monitor support might make it to the next release.

    It's also unbelievably slow and bloated.

  23. Complicated presentations by RR · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    There's always the rendering issue, especially when you do stuff like multiple character sets, rotations, embedded Word objects... The presentations I run are from other people, so the rendering is really important.

    Spanned displays. If you want to specify the secondary monitor for your presentation, you have to use PowerPoint. Apparently, there has been a lot of discussion about this, and rudimentary multi-monitor support might make it to the next release.

    It's also unbelievably slow and bloated.

  24. Complicated presentations by RR · · Score: 1 · on Open Office - What's the Downside?

    There's always the rendering issue, especially when you do stuff like multiple character sets, rotations, embedded Word objects... The presentations I run are from other people, so the rendering is really important.

    Spanned displays. If you want to specify the secondary monitor for your presentation, you have to use PowerPoint. Apparently, there has been a lot of discussion about this, and rudimentary multi-monitor support might make it to the next release.

    It's also unbelievably slow and bloated.

  25. Re:Huh? by pravuil · · Score: 3, Informative · on Selling Open Source Solutions to Upper Mgmt?
    Kind of have to agree with the parent on this one. The alternative was better because adoption was practically guaranteed. If you are serious about implementing open source solutions, you do have to put your $0.02 worth in to get the most out of it. Doing it solo seems a bit irresponsible. Ask around, I'm sure someone would have loved to offer their services.

    About marketing; while marketing OSS is a process in itself, some projects do have marketing materials available, just have to know where to find them. Then have to take some time to pick out what works and what doesn't. Examples: http://marketing.openoffice.org/ , http://www.ubuntu.com/products/casestudies , http://www.redhat.com/solutions/intelligence/

    Finally, don't see why this is on the front page. This is a question to the public, not news. Take it to a freakin forum.

  26. Re:Why? by AKAImBatman · · Score: 1 · on OpenOffice.org Tries to Woo Dell

    b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange


    Dear customer, the source code for OpenOffice can be downloaded at no charge by clicking on http://www.openoffice.org/XXXXX/ooo_2.4.7.tgz. We appreciated your business.

    All done.
  27. Re:Why? by 'nother+poster · · Score: 1 · on OpenOffice.org Tries to Woo Dell

    Been too many years since I read the GPL. Ok, reread it.

    Section 3 is the pertinant section. Ok. So it says you either have to include the software "on a medium customarily used for software interchange" or be required to make the source available "on a medium customarily used for software interchange" at the users request if it is not included, for a nominal fee to cover costs.

    Still not sure why Dell couldn't just point them to http://download.openoffice.org/2.1.0/source.html through a desktop link or web redirect, or charge $.10 for a download from their own FTP server to cover costs if the first wasn't legal for whatever reason.

    Hell, just put the source on the hard drive since that is Dells "medium customarily used for software interchange" with their customers and be done with it.

    Now, I am not a lawyer, but I doubt that many associated with OO.o would have a problem with those options if it meant a few tens of thousands more installs.

  28. Re:A somewhat obvious answer: by joto · · Score: 1 · on OpenOffice.org Tries to Woo Dell

    I'm sure this can be explained right on the page you order from. E.g. with text like:

    Note: Dell doesn't sell or support openoffice, as it can be downloaded freely from http://www.openoffice.org./ However, by ordering it here, it will come preinstalled on your computer, configured for the same language as your operating system

    If the TV-station idiot consumer report guy doesn't get that, I'm sure some lawyers will.

  29. Re:Why? by MMC+Monster · · Score: 1 · on OpenOffice.org Tries to Woo Dell

    Do they even need to do that? If they are distributing an unmodified copy of openoffice.org, can't they just say "source code is available from http://www.openoffice.org/", or something like that?

  30. Re:This 'could' be a good thing! by jawtheshark · · Score: 1 · on Microsoft XML Fast-Tracked Despite Complaints

    with the only real competition being the WordPerfect suite...

    You must be pretty new here. No, and that is not the only one: KOffice, StarOffice, Gnumerus, AbiWord and even Google Documents

  31. Re:Please don't forget that this is an alpha stage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0 · on ReactOS 0.3.1 Released

    "No one has ever gone after MS's meat and potatoes before. "

    This can be disproven here: http://www.openoffice.org/

  32. Some of Mine: by sugapablo · · Score: 1, Informative · on The Best Mac OS X Software Tools

    Being a web developer who works from home, here's my short list of tools I like:

    Web Developer Ext. for Mozilla: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/60/
    MailTags: http://www.indev.ca/MailTags.html
    FTP/SFTP Client: http://cyberduck.ch/
    Text Editor: http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/
    OpenOffice: http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/
    Image Editor: http://www.macgimp.org/

  33. Re:The main reason is lack of clear knowledge by jelle · · Score: 1 · on Management 'Scared' by Open Source

    "I'm glad you found it so easy. And did you observe the same inexplicable 30 second freeze up while it created the graph?"

    While it was creating the graph, there was a burst of CPU usage that did seem a little excessive, but I didn't time it and it didn't bother me enough to thing about timing it.

    You can report OpenOffice bugs or enhancement requests on-line. A quick look aroung the openoffice website found this place for that: http://qa.openoffice.org/

    If you report it, and somebody fixes it, then I guess you can save $500 per computer...

  34. Re:But the sad thing is... by EvanED · · Score: 1 · on Australian Students Can Get Office at 95% Off Retail

    It works okay. It's at least 5 years out of date; the track changes feature in Word 2002 is vastly superior to OO.org's, and it's very possible that even earlier versions were the same. There is an open enhancement request for OO.org to support one of the main differences if you want to vote for it.

    (Actually the issue is the ability to display comments in a Word-like manner. This is essentially a prerequisite to the improved track changes handling, because deleted text "should" be displayed in a similar manner. Currently OO.org strikes out deleted text, which both is busier to the eye and totally messes with line, paragraph, and page breaks.)

  35. Limited installations by om3ga · · Score: 4, Insightful · on Australian Students Can Get Office at 95% Off Retail

    I thought I'd point out a few things that were mentioned on the article from a few days ago:

    - This ultimate edition thats available through this offer is limited to installation on one PC, vs installation on three PCs available to those who buy the student edition (around $249AU)
    - You don't get the CDs with the offer, but can download it, or get a disc from a participating university (I didn't check if it was just a burnt copy or a nicely labeled pressed disc). I'd pay $75 if OpenOffice came in such a fancy box!

    I was one button away from purchasing it, until I realized how unnecessary it is for me. I use OpenOffice for my university studies, it opens every word document and PowerPoint presentation thats given to us from the Lecturers. I'm not sure how it is for other things. But for those of you who think this is a good deal, please consider, or atleast try OpenOffice first!

  36. playing the Infopath / MS OOXML lock-in by SgtChaireBourne · · Score: 1 · on Microsoft Wanted To Drop Mac Office To Hurt Apple

    I think the big question is: did Microsoft consider dropping it merely because it wasn't generating enough revenue, or mostly because they wanted to hurt Apple.

    I would posit the latter. Look at some of the ODBC problems in M$ products for Apple. The problems have been around for ages and M$ has no plans to fix them, and hasn't fixed them despite new releases. The solution promoted is to ditch Apple. That company doesn't appear to treat Windows users any better, so my solution, however, was to ditch M$ and that has worked quite well.

    Yes, the M$ Office for Apple has been profitable, but another reason for M$ to keep it around would be to maintain the lock on the office file formats. So to drop it now is probably just trying to force the few into Windows and thus the InfoPath / MS OOXML lock-in. IMHO, it's a premature move and will cost them.

    There are a quite a few options, that are in most ways better, though different. The weakest points, which could go away in short order, are the file formats. The M$ formats are still undocumented and only some on the list below fully support OpenDocument, though that number is rapidly growing.

    That's just focusing on word processors. There is a similar range of choice for spreadsheets and presentation graphics. Now see how important control of those file formats is.

  37. Well la de da! by Orion+Blastar · · Score: 2, Interesting · on Microsoft Wanted To Drop Mac Office To Hurt Apple

    You'd think that, over the years, that Apple would have created their own version of Office software that works with MS-Office file formats like OpenOffice.org did? Or at least work with OpenOffice.Org to bundle OOO with OSX instead of MS-Office and break that stranglehold Microsoft has on Macintosh users forcing them to use MS-Office for Macintosh?

    Odd, Microsoft does not make MS-Office for Linux, *BSD Unix, Solaris, and other operating systems and it does not even seem to harm them and their marketshare keeps increasing anyway. I highly doubt that dropping MS-Office for the Macintosh would harm Apple, it would more likely harm Microsoft because Microsoft just cut out a lot of profits from the sales of MS-Office for the Macintosh.

    Logically it would make good business sense for Microsoft to make MS-Office for other platforms as well, which would increase their profits.

  38. bleck by Danzigism · · Score: 1 · on Microsoft Wanted To Drop Mac Office To Hurt Apple
    as much as I despise Apple in the first place, I don't think a move like this will harm them.. I'm sure they could just make their own Office Suite, or someone will figure out a way to run OpenOffice like the guys at http://porting.openoffice.org/mac

    if they're desperate, they'll install XP on their Mac, or just continue to use older versions of Office for Mac.. at this point in the game, it'd be stupid to stop making the software since I'm sure it makes M$ a *little* bit of a money..

  39. Re:Define Open by jeevesbond · · Score: 5, Informative · on ODF Threat to Microsoft in US Governments Grows

    the specs for these formats are going to be so complicated that nobody will be able to open the file in a text editor and just read through it.

    I have untarred several documents from the ODF family and found them easy to understand. I would suggest you do the same as the software to create these files is Free. If you can't be arsed to do that, then stop writing inane commentary. :)

    The specification for ODF is available online. Since that is the case, please attempt to read it before spouting-off about it being unreadable. It is 722 pages long, I've had a brief look at it and it seems very readable (better than that: it looks implementable!)

    In my opinion Microsoft's format is neither XML, or open. It's binary, patentable cruft in an XML wrapper. So it's best not to describe it as an 'XML Format' at all. The specification for this is reportedly 6,000 pages long. This is also available online.

    The advantages of XML file formats are:

    • Increased Robustness
    • Document Archiving
    • Version Interoperability
    • Documented and Transparent File Content
    • Standards Based
    • Easy Import and Export of Other File Formats
    • Search Engines / Knowledge Management Systems

    All of these were copied from the OpenOffice Web Site, explanation of the items in that list can be found there.

  40. Re:Starting to annoy... by FunWithKnives · · Score: 4, Informative · on Is Vista a Trap?

    ... doesn't have a single decent image-browser ...

    Gwenview, Picasa...

    ... dc++ client ...

    Is in production. Check the CVS for latest builds.

    ... office suite ...

    I really don't understand why you included this. OpenOffice.org, KOffice, AbiWord; all more than comparable to MS Word.

    ... Not to mention decent looking fonts ...

    In Debian based distros, sudo apt-get install msttcorefonts. Rather simple. Other distros have packages of their own.

    In short, I'm under the impression that you haven't really tried to use a modern Linux distro for more than the five minutes it took you to stereotype it, say, "This sucks because it's not what I'm used to!", and go back to Windows.

  41. Apple vs Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0 · on Can Apple Penetrate the Corporation?

    Well, I would have to call into question the financial responsibility of any IT manager
    buying boatloads of Apple equipment for any department other than research, marketing, or publication.

    Most standard users not explicitly needing EXCEL or some other windows based software
    could make due with a $200 PC running standard Puppy Linux with Open Office installed.

    And any Widnows applications could be run from a Citrix Server.

    Rolling out hundreds of Apple Pros to everyone would be a bit expensive,
    once you add RAM, applications, etc. I priced this out as a joke for
    my boss once, weighing in somewhere around $3.4 million, without software. Ouch.

    Apple needs a new computer type: the Work Mac PC
    - a step up from the iMac, but lower than the Mac Pro.
    A budget desktop with slim microATX style case, 1GB RAM, and a decent CPU.
    Make CD/DL DVD burner, keyboard, mouse, everything else, optional.
    Provide various hard drive sizes, or no hard drive, just an internal 8GB flash drive for booting.

    Typical corporate security features preloaded with everything needed so it is easy to manage, remotely control, and remotely update.

    A step up from a thin client machine, easily upgradable for the 'power users', but the base configuration works for all the other worker drones in the corporation.

    Mac Minis are too easy to 'vanish' in a corporation.

  42. Mac client confusion and Open Standard by Lord+Satri · · Score: 1 · on Metalinks Tries to Simplify Downloads

    Strangely enough, the OpenOffice distribution page links to a pay-for Metalink client for the Mac, but hopefully, just two links above, there's the cross-platform open source client. That's confusing. I clicked on the Mac client, thinking I would end up at a Mac-oriented free (even open source?) client, but no, one must choose the cross-platform. Nothing really wrong there, only that it's confusing.

    Unrelated, I saw numerous attempts of such integrated p2p downloads. The part that got me from the Metalink main page: "Metalink is an Open Standard". This makes me believe I will join the bandwagon. And yup, the Wikipedia Metalink page is (surprisingly?) informative.

  43. suspicious use of the 'i' word .. by rs232 · · Score: 1 · on Opera CTO Hits Back at Microsoft's Standards Push

    'A standard is going to limit innovation in word processors'

    A novel argument if I ever heard one. For argument sake lets say innovation in GPS is being limited by a lack of multiple standards .. ?pause to cogitate .... nop, still don't make any sense . How is a document format going to affect a display format. I always suspect where the argument is coming from when they have to invoke the 'i' word.

    'If the goal is to send out a document that anyone can read, then convert to PDF or a web page'

    No the goal is to send a document that anyone can edit, display and print the same on any Word Processor. The real reason the file formats change with each new version of msOffice is to force us back each time for some more 'innovation'. Your best bet is to send them an OpenDocument file and point them to the Open Office site.

    Or else .. receive a word doc, send it as Word 2000 file to someone who has word XP who sends it to someone who has Word 2003 and saves it as DOCX who sends it back to me, who can't open it, who saves it as RTF, which then loses all the lovely shaded boxes.

    http://www.openoffice.org/

    was: Why is this an issue?

  44. Re:Microsoft vs. Google: Cost by OmegaBlac · · Score: 1 · on Microsoft Testing "Pay-As-You-Go" Software

    We've already got OpenOffice.org (which I'm convinced would gain 3% more market share if they didn't have .org as part of the product name. Stupidest decision I've seen in a while.
    There is a reason that it is this way though >> http://www.openoffice.org/FAQs/faq-other.html#4/. They would have to completely change the name if they wanted to drop the .org part.
  45. Re:Requests != demand by MaelstromX · · Score: 1 · on Pre-Installed Linux Tops Dell Customer Requests

    Let's drop the charade that OO.o and MS Office are interchangable. I'm as big an open source fan as anybody but OO.o simply cannot compete yet. Read this bug report/feature request for an example; it's been almost five years and we've STILL waiting for some very basic statistical functionality in Calc. It's frustrating little things like this that require me to keep a copy of Windows & MS Office around.

  46. Tell me about it! by Doug+Dante · · Score: 2, Funny · on Has Open Source Lost Its Halo?
    I was just remarking the other day how I'd like to remove all of IBM's edits from apache so that it's less stable.



    I've never used DotNetNuke, which is basically a Microsoft friendly rip off of PHP-Nuke, but the mere fact that it exists and that "Microsofties" are using that as free software to make their lives better just pisses me off.



    And all of the "improvements" that Sun has made to OpenOffice.org? C'mon, we all know that it started as Star Office, and even though it's free and it does a great job, I just hate telling everyone about how it allows them to do everything that they need without buying Microsoft office. The stench of corporate influence makes me gag as I make great reports with awesome graphics. I wish that they'd just stop developing it.



  47. Re:I disagree by Trelane · · Score: 1 · on Microsoft Settles Iowa Antitrust Case

    nfortunately Word is the only guy left on the block
    oh is that really so?

    I say that governments and the people can demand the standards and APIs to be open, and then competition will naturally follow.
    This will allow technical competition, but not economic nor political, as any competitors might have the same APIs (good luck verifying that, though), but will face huge hurdles to overcome because of bundling deals, discounts on Windows if they sell only Office, etc, not to mention advertising and buying politicians, which Microsoft can afford much more than anyone else.
  48. Re:I think MS could survive the death of Windows.. by Salsaman · · Score: 1 · on IBM Launching an Open Desktop Solution
    OO has basic drawing tools. They are in Impress.


    See those little icons at the bottom ?


    Obviously you don't have clue what you are talking about.

  49. OpenOffice 2.1? by Lord+Satri · · Score: 2, Insightful · on Mash Apache Derby with New OpenOffice 2.0 feature

    I know TFA really indicates v2.0, but this "new OpenOffice 2.0" sounds strange considering OpenOffice 2.1 has been in the wild for a while.

  50. Re:Give It A Real Name, FFS by innocent_white_lamb · · Score: 1 · on The Pirated Software Problem in the 3rd World

    It is my understanding that "Open Office" is a registered trademark, and it doesn't belong to the OpenOffice.org folks. Therefore, they have to be OpenOffice.org and not OpenOffice without-the-org in order to avoid infringement.
     
    This is indirectly alluded to here.
     
    Doing anything else would require changing the name to something completely different and losing all of the "goodwill" that has built up around the OpenOffice with-or-without-org name to date.