OEone and Open Office Working Together

Mike Potter writes "OEone and OpenOffice.org have announced a new partnership that will see the two groups work together to bring OpenOffice applications to OEone HomeBase and see the Mozilla calendar data integrated into the OpenOffice suite. OEone is hard at work getting a version of HomeBase running on RedHat 7.3 and Mandrake, with help from open source developers."

Comments

so what exactly is HomeBase?

[Trepidity]

Yet another Linux desktop environment? We'll have what, GNOME, KDE, HomeBase, and (if it ever gets finished) Enlightenment DR17, and who knows how many others?

Re:so what exactly is HomeBase?

[Anonymous Coward]

You act like it's a bad thing being able to choose what you like best.

Re:so what exactly is HomeBase?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem if one of them worked as smoothly as Windows XP.

Re:so what exactly is HomeBase?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's a desktop written in Mozilla for the kiosk, granny-idiot market. It runs atop Redhat 7.3 right now, and (from the site) contains an Internet browser, Multi-account e-mail, Business-card" style address book, Flexible calendar, Fully-featured word processor, Multimedia Centre, Settings menu, Personal Portal.

Re:so what exactly is HomeBase?

[Anonymous Coward]

Haha. Good joke. I love sarcasm.

Re:so what exactly is HomeBase?

[Michael Wardle]

Actually, the OEone download page states clearly that its OEone HomeBase Desktop product requires Red Hat Linux 7.1 or 7.2, and will only install on those versions. I tried to run the install script on a Red Hat 7.3 box and was told my operating system was currently unsupported. The FAQ confirms same.

This is a good thing

[SourKAT]

I think OEOne is a pretty slick alternative desktop. And with the addition of OpenOffice.org, the future just seems a litle brighter.

On a side, I think they should not just target a particular distro (i.e., RH and Mandrake) but maybe target LSB? After all Mozilla is supposed to be platform independent, and much more so, Distro idependent.

Re:This is a good thing

[nshoe74]

I agree that they should shoot for opening up the number of working distributions as a primary goal. But, I would like to add that partnerships like this are incredibly exciting. Maybe additional bundles like this should be used and rather than searching for that "killer app" we should more realistically look for that "killer package."

Re:This is a good thing

[Russellkhan]

Well, Their FAQ says they're working on a version that will work on RedHat 7.3 and that is LSB compliant, so if I'm figuring right, that should mean it would work on other LSB compliant distros.

Russ

Re:This is a good thing

[Anonymous Coward]

Something like mozilla should be platform independent in one sense, but should also utilize the advantages that a particular platform offers. Much like gcc does with different processors. One thing I would like to see, is a GNOME2-Mozilla that has anti-aliased fonts.

Re:This is a good thing

[_Sprocket_]

One thing I would like to see, is a GNOME2-Mozilla that has anti-aliased fonts.

As opposed to the in-work GNOME2 version of Galeon?

Re:This is a good thing

[PEdelman]

"I think they should not just target a particular distro (i.e., RH and Mandrake) but maybe target LSB?"

I think they are trying to build a complete operating system to install on a blank computer. But IIRC the source code is open so you can put it evrywhere you want.

So... QWZX

[Anonymous Coward]

Will they actually FIX the bugs in OpenOffice such that it won't core dump when I try and open a simple Excel file?

Re:So... QWZX

[mz001b]

Will they actually FIX the bugs in OpenOffice such that it won't core dump when I try and open a simple Excel file?

have you submitted a bug report, including the excel file that causes it to crash? This is the way things get fixed. They cannot fix the bug if they don't know about it.

MozillaZine Story

[Anonymous Coward]

MozillaZine has an article about this with a few more details.

I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

How about getting OpenOffice to run without segfaulting? It isn't 1.0 yet. The install process is too complicated (and doesn't work), and OpenOffice will faceplant (won't run, install or uninstall) if a Java environment is installed after it is.

And "yeah but it worked for me" is no different than the standard Microsoft tech support answer "it's running on our systems here"

Any program that segfaults is broken. Period. End of story. Programs that segfault make Linux no better than Windows. We use Linux to get some work done, not turn the system into a giant, dependency-drenched nightmare that falls apart at the slightest nudge.

Mozilla doesn't segfault. Abiword doesn't segfault. Gimp doesn't segfault. Let's get to that level of stability first.

OpenOffice needs a LOT of work before adding more cruft.

Re:I have a better idea

[Billly Gates]

I have been using openoffice 1.01 on win32 for several weeks and I had not even had a single crash. On my older system it is alot more quicker and efficient then staroffice 5.2.

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

sumpinz scrud wid your sys dood ...mine is fine here.

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

But as the guy said and I quote: And "yeah but it worked for me" is no different than the standard Microsoft tech support answer "it's running on our systems here" doesn't mean it works for everybody

Re:I have a better idea

[mz001b]

OpenOffice needs a LOT of work before adding more cruft.

Submit bug reports detailing the problems/crashes you are having. Like many others, I don't have any stability problems. I did in earlier builds, and I submitted some bug reports. That is how things will get fixed.

Re:I have a better idea

[pardasaniman]

Your second sentance has a blunder. It has actually at 1.01 for a few weeks now.

Re:I have a better idea

[shepd]

Yup, because that so much delegitimatizes the notion of third party truth, doesn't it?

Sorta like "Smoking never killed anybody. And saying 'but its killing me' doesn't count."

Sorry, but its just a non-argument, and deserves to be ignored.

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

They can call it whatever they want. It isn't 1.anything if it segfaults.

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, I tried it on stock Mandrake 8.1 and 8.2 installs. As far as I know the Win32 install works ok, but I don't use Win32.

As anyone except root, all programs segfault except setup. That is flat out unacceptable, *EVEN IF* it were installed incorrectly, which it wasn't. Naturally, they invented their own setup program (just like Mandrake, whose install doesn't work either), which is half the problem. The other half has to do with Java dependencies, in all likelihood, and the fact that all the libraries are in some non-standard place, which defeats the entire purpose of UNIX in the first place.

If such care must be taken during the setup process (and this is no different with Win4Lin for example), then there is something wrong with setup. Click click click it works. It should be that simple.

Here's the scoreboard:

OpenOffice 1.0: click click click segfault

Win4Lin 3.0: click click click your system isn't supported

Mandrake 8.2: click click click hangs

Mozilla, FileRunner, Perl, XMMS, Evolution, Gnome, Gimp, Blender, Mesa, etc. etc. etc. all run fine, as does the rest of the system.

My guess is that OpenOffice is broken, and needs work.

Re:I have a better idea

[woogieoogieboogie]

I have also been experimenting with OO 1.0 and have found it to be extremely usable and stable on a win 32 platform.

From what I have seen so far from 00 1.0, I might actually be able to bring this to the boss as a BETTER solution than MS Word.

Re:I have a better idea

[Chemicalscum]

Firstly OpenOffice.org is 1.0 now. I have been using OOo 1.0 for Win32S at work for some time it is still slow and the kerning does not look right but it is both stable and functional.

At home I have installed the Beta 641 build that comes with Mandrake 8.2 download edition - it too is stable and functional (but the fonts look disgusting even if you use the MS ones) - no segfaults though..

Abiword 1.0 from (rpm from Mandrake cooker) is not it segfaults if you try to save RTF files.

What OOo build are you using 621 or something ancient like that?

Re:I have a better idea

[Idaho]

How about getting OpenOffice to run without segfaulting?

Am using Openoffice.org 1.0 exclusively on Windows and Linux since 2 months. Am not getting any segfaults. Maybe you overclocked your PC or got some bad memory banks?

The install process is too complicated (and doesn't work)

Yes, it's really hard indeed (N-O-T). './setup -net' as root, click 'next' a few times, then run $INSTALLDIR/setup as the user that wants to use Openoffice, and then you can start it using the KDE menu (or probably the Gnome menu, I suppose it supports that as well). Wow...exactly as the documentation describes you should do. Real hard, ain't it?

And "yeah but it worked for me" is no different than the standard Microsoft tech support answer "it's running on our systems here"

Except in this case you are the only one around here that claims to have severe problems all the time, while with Microsoft they are generally the only ones claiming NOT to have problems with their own products.

Any program that segfaults is broken.

I agree in general, but I know from personal experience that broken or overclocked hardware can cause this as well. I don't think Openoffice.org belongs in the category that 'falls apart at the slightest nudge', as you so eloquently put it.

Just my 2 cents, ofcourse :)

Re:I have a better idea

[Elbows]

Yes, it's really hard indeed (N-O-T). './setup -net' as root, click 'next' a few times, then run $INSTALLDIR/setup as the user that wants to use Openoffice, and then you can start it using the KDE menu (or probably the Gnome menu, I suppose it supports that as well). Wow...exactly as the documentation describes you should do. Real hard, ain't it?

Ummm... compared to "apt-get install koffice", yes, it's hard. Also, it makes you do a separate install for each user, instead of one global install like a good Unix program. This confused the hell out of me and it took me most of an hour (and a couple of reinstalls) to get it working right.

Sure, this is all probably documented in a README somewhere that I should have looked at... but is it too much to ask that OpenOffice install like every other Linux program?

Re:I have a better idea

[Archie Steel]

Well, I tried it on stock Mandrake 8.1 and 8.2 installs.[...] As anyone except root, all programs segfault except setup. [...] (just like Mandrake, whose install doesn't work either) [...] OpenOffice 1.0: click click click segfault [...] Mandrake 8.2: click click click hangs

Mmh...did you consider that this might be a hardware problem? I can assure you, Mandrake's installer (and OpenOffice's too) work quite well. I don't know, but it seems to me that something is wrong with your setup, either software or hardware, but definitely your situation is exceptional. It does not reflect my own experiences with those products, nor those of most Mandrake users I know/meet...What's your hardware platform (Motherboard, graphic card, memory, etc...)?

Re:I have a better idea

[Fizzol]

>Except in this case you are the only one around here that claims to have severe problems all the time No he isn't. I gave up on it myself for the same reason, that and every time it crashed it scattered 20 or so .tmp files in my home directory.

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Same here. I've been using OpenOffice on Linux (Debian Woody) at home, and Windows NT at work, and OO hasn't crashed once.

Re:I have a better idea

[Pretzalzz]

So why don't you just use "apt-get install openoffice.org"? I assure you that it is just as easy as apt-get install koffice. The debian maintainers have cut the per-user install down to ~1.3MB which isn't absurd and based on a search of my home directory kde, and netscape[two programs I don't use] created similarly sized .<config> directories. It is currently in debian's incoming ftp section and should hit unstable any day now or if you are impatient use:

deb http://ftp.freenet.de/pub/ftp.vpn-junkies.de/openo ffice/ testing main contrib

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Mmh...did you consider that this might be a hardware problem?

Yes. It might also be little purple creatures from dimension X. The Occam-approved standpoint however, is that it is OpenOffice.

This hardware works with everything else. There is no reason it shouldn't work with OpenOffice.

I can assure you, Mandrake's installer (and OpenOffice's too) work quite well.

Sure. Mandrake 8.1's installer works great. 8.2's installer hangs. OpenOffice's installer works great. The programs all segfault.

definitely your situation is exceptional.

So OpenOffice will be proclaimed "1.0" and we'll just slide on down the road, just like Windows. The fact is: It's too complicated. It doesn't work. It needs to be fixed, before we cruft it up with calendars and animated paper clips.

Re:I have a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe you overclocked your PC or got some bad memory banks?

The PC is not overclocked, and no other programs segfault on startup. There is nothing wrong with the memory either. OpenOffice is broken.

Yes, it's really hard indeed (N-O-T). './setup -net' as root, click 'next' a few times, then run $INSTALLDIR/setup as the user that wants to use Openoffice

And that's exactly what was done. Of course
rpm -ivh openoffice.rpm is too uncomplicated, right? We've got to build our own animated installer with seagulls and progress bars to entertain us while we install a program that segfaults.

exactly as the documentation describes you should do.

Yeah, like I didn't read the documentation.

I don't think Openoffice.org belongs in the category that 'falls apart at the slightest nudge', as you so eloquently put it.

I do. I had a working OpenOffice install at one point. Then I installed a Java SDK. THUD. OpenOffice was completely useless (along with two dozen documents). I'd call that falling apart.

Re:I have a better idea

[kavau]

Yes, it's really hard indeed (N-O-T). './setup -net' as root, click 'next' a few times, then run $INSTALLDIR/setup as the user that wants to use Openoffice, and then you can start it using the KDE menu (or probably the Gnome menu, I suppose it supports that as well). Wow...exactly as the documentation describes you should do. Real hard, ain't it?

(sigh) How many times did we have this discussion already? How many times will we still have to go over this again? (I fear the answer is somewhere close to infinity...)

The installation is indeed very easy for the average Joe Slashdotreader. I simply follow the detailed instructions, and everything worked fine. No problem.

But how do you explain to somebody who is used to some 'Installshield' stuff, why he has to select the network setup to install on a single-user pc? Or that he has to install the program two times, once as root, and once as user? Come on, most Average-Joe-Users will run away waving their hands and screaming if you ask them to use the command line to run an install script!

Most people don't want to learn about the inner workings of their computer. Most people simply want to write letters, calculate spreadsheets, read their email, and maybe play some games. And they want to do this as hassle-free as possible. Most people are not like us nerds, who love tweaking around with their system. Command-line interfaces and specific commands and command options are perceived as a huge hassle. Tell the user to click the 'Install' button, and he understands (or at least he has the impression he understands). Tell him to type './setup -net' in a command-line window and he will feel completely clueless (well, you could say that's only because he IS indeed clueless, but that's not the point. Nobody wants to feel clueless and most people feel disinclined to use any tools that make them feel that way).

It doesn't seem like a huge task to write a simple point-and-click interface to guide Joe User through the installation process. And one could simply have the user-installation script automatically executed the first time a user runs the program. Anyways, the upshot is: If you think that OSS is only for geeks, there is indeed no need to improve the installation. For folks like us it's already as easy as heck. If you want to improve OSS's popularity with the mainstream, on the other hand, we better make this work more smoothly!

Re:I have a better idea

[Jeppe Salvesen]

I installed it from Ximian. Worked OK, as far as I could tell.

However, I agree that stability work is important. Luckily, we have code revision control systems that allows teams to work on stability on one branch, and new features on another.

Re:I have a better idea

[Archie Steel]

This hardware works with everything else. There is no reason it shouldn't work with OpenOffice.
[...]
Sure. Mandrake 8.1's installer works great. 8.2's installer hangs.

In both cases, before saying that it's a software bug, you should try it on different hardware. Have you tried to install it on a different computer? Mandrake 8.2's installer worked like a charm for me, as it did on my dad's and my girlfriend's PCs...OpenOffice works flawlessly as well. It seems to me you should research this problem a bit more before complaining that it's the software's fault, especially since there doesn't seem to be any outcry about it among users - this tends to validate the fact that your problem is "special". Did you contact Mandrake and OO.org about those problem? I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out, and possible add fixes to their products with the knowledge gained from your misfortunes.

So OpenOffice will be proclaimed "1.0" and we'll just slide on down the road, just like Windows. The fact is: It's too complicated.

Are you kidding? What is so complicated about executing a single file? How more simple could it be? Are you sure you're not just trolling here? Because, compared to most other Linux programs, the OpenOffice/StarOffice installer are a model of simplicity. Heck, they're even a lot simpler that installing MS Office!

Re:I have a better idea

[Archie Steel]

Oops! I know I should have previewed...damn italics tag!

Re:I have a better idea

[srussell]

Mozilla segfaults on my machine, and OpenOffice doesn't. Maybe your hardware is buggy.

Re:I have a better idea

[benb]

> Yes, it's really hard indeed (N-O-T).
> './setup -net' as root, click 'next' a
> few times, then run $INSTALLDIR/setup
> as the user that wants to use Openoffice

Hahaha. That's not how it works under Unix. I install it as any user I like (which is certainly *not* root), in any location I like, and then start the executable as the user using the app (which is different from the user owning the installation).

I tried to do that, and wasted lots of hours until it worked. Because OpenOffice didn't give me error msgs, when it didn't like something - it just crashed.

The setup path you describe might work for you, but I will not run such software as root. Almost any other Unix software can deal with that.

> Except in this case you are the only one around
> here that claims to have severe problems all
> the time

Wrong. Most people I spoke of said that the installation of OpenOffice under Unix is a catastrophe.

> I don't think Openoffice.org belongs in the
> category that 'falls apart at the slightest
> nudge'

But that's exactly my experience. I don't want to disminish the work of the people, because I used it only for a few minutes (successfully), but within that time, it crashed several times (IIRC).

From OEone's web site... ???

[Anonymous Coward]

Pulled off the "about us" section on the OEone web site...

"OEone has applied for seven patents on the company's unique 'balanced processing' architecture to create a barrier-to-entry from vendors using proprietary platforms."

Uhhhh... Yeah. That's interesting. Anybody know anything about this?

Re:From OEone's web site... ???

[officeboy]

Yeah, I can't see how that's gona be a good thing, even if "OEone has embraced the Open Source model because of the significant advantages to its customers." I think we may find some interesting things in here too. http://oeone.com/EULA/

Re:From OEone's web site... ???

[officeboy]

Well this is all I can find for OEONE, Don't know if it means anything, all this patent stuff is just way to vague sounding to me.

Re:From OEone's web site... ???

[passthecrackpipe]

Yeah - some cool stuff in the EULA indeed:

• Item 1-b):The Software may include certain plug-in components ("Plug-Ins"), including the Real Networks RealPlayer, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Macromedia Flash. You may only call to or otherwise use such Plug-Ins through the use of the OEone applications. Any direct use of Plug-Ins through a non-OEone proprietary application, including a custom or user-written application is prohibited by this Agreement.
• Item 2-c):You may only use the Software for your private, non-commercial use. You may not use the Software in any way to provide, or as part of, any commercial service or application. Copies of content files, including, but not limited to songs and other audio recordings, which are downloaded or copied using the Software, and which are protected by the copyright laws or related laws of any jurisdiction, are for your own personal use only and may not be distributed to third parties or performed outside your normal circle of family and social acquaintances.
• Item 5-a): The Software consists of interactive Internet applications which perform a variety of communications over the Internet as part of their normal operation. A number of communications features are automatic and are enabled by default (for example, Auto Update of software for security and bug fixes). Such automatic communications features do not send any personally identifiable information about you without your consent. Most automatic communications features can be changed by you in User Preferences. By installing and/or using the Software, you consent to the Software's communications features. The Software also allows the use of Cookies, similar to an Internet browser. This allows any website to set cookies for you when you view any of the website's content through the Software, unless you have disabled cookies. To learn more, visit the OEone Consumer Software Privacy Statement link on our website at http://www.oeone.com. You are responsible for any telecommunications or other connectivity charges incurred through your use of the Software.
• Item 5-b):The Software automatically communicates with OEone's servers on the Internet to check for updates to the Software, such as bug fixes, patches, enhanced functions, and new versions. OEone will notify you when updates are available. If you decide to update, you agree that OEone may upload updates and install them as part of your Software. All such updates to the Software are governed by this Agreement, unless other license terms are provided with the update. Although OEone uses encryption technology to provide security for the autoupdate process, OEone is not responsible for the failure of such security measures.
• The whole of item 6):DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ("DRMs"). The Software may include third party DRMs as Plug-in components which are subject to their own license agreements. DRMs are designed to manage and enforce intellectual property rights in digital content purchased over the Internet. You may not take any action to circumvent or defeat the security or content usage rules provided or enforced by either the DRM or the Software. DRMs may be able to revoke your ability to use applicable content. OEone is not responsible for the operation of the DRM in any way, including revocation of your content. OEone is not responsible for any communications to or from any third party DRM provider, or for the collection or use of information by third party DRMs. You consent to the communications enabled and/or performed by the DRM, including automatic updating of the DRM without further notice, despite the provisions of section 5(b). You agree to indemnify and hold harmless OEone for any claim relating to your use of a third party DRM.

This is not very nice and opensource and all - especially 5 and 6 look cool. Also, under strict interpretation of item 2-c, I cannot use OpenOffice.org to create a writer file (content) and send to someone I don't know. I cannot create a webpage with OEone, since I will be distributing content to people I don't know. What the fsck?

Re:From OEone's web site... ???

[Jeppe Salvesen]

2c seems relatively ok to me. No piracy, and no using the OEone for commercial purposes.

I am more worried about 6. It was probably demanded by one or more plug-in providers. It also seems to conflict with 5b (you are given the option to accept updates for software, but not DRMs.)

Re:From OEone's web site... ???

[passthecrackpipe]

Well, at least they promised to improve it - a very good thing that they listen to the community. http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?msgId=3 87968&listName=discuss

Yippee

[MicroBerto]

The screenshots are pretty piss-poor, but I can still see that they're re-inventing the wheel.

More fragmentation of the userbase is not what the linux desktop needs. I really don't have much else to say here, the screenshots leave me speechless -- but not in the good way, more like in a stupified way. I just ask, why??

Re:Yippee

[SourKAT]

Why, is a good question. But the answer could be that this desktop is not actually targeted for hackers but regular end users. And if I read correclty they're targeting specialized devices such as settop or dedicated email/web machines. Their UI is very similar to a Browser/Web interface so it would be easy for momp, pop, little sister and that neighbor that insists on hangin' out on our living room to be comfortable with ... hmmm ... on second thought maybe it's not such a good thing after all ;)

Re:Yippee

[axxackall]

I don't think that HomeBaseis good or bad in any functions, considering how it would bring "M$-Outlook" capabilities to OpenOffice.org. But I know for sure that I want all HomeBase's functions in my OpenOffice. And I want them on any platform where OpenOffice works. The last argument saves Evolution from being bothered by integration with OpenOffice - There is no such thing as Gnome for Win32 and MacOS/*. I love Gnome, but with all do respect, I prefer the path of Mozilla and OpenOffice.org - work the same way across all platforms. And HomeBase is perfectly completing the picture of Mozilla/OpenOffice.

Re:Yippee

[zennix]

Yes, the screenshots are bad. They also chose the nastier of the two themes available for the screenshots. In real life, the desktop looks much better and there were no issues with seriously ugly fonts. As for using it, well I did try it on a clean install of RH 7.2 on a reasonably fast laptop (750Mhz, 190MB Ram, etc) and it works fairly well. For some odd reason it decided that my soundcard should have the gain all the way up with the mic on as well everytime I rebooted. The resulting feedback was loud enough to make my skin crawl and become borderline ill. Nothing I did would maintain my volume preferences so I ditched it. Not the politicaly correct thing to do of course, I should have tried to actually fix it but I do not feel the need to be bothered with that when it just works on other distros. Debian went back on and all was well. The other issue was purely a user interface one, and that is there is no intuitive way to close an application once you start it. No little X, no File > Exit or Close, no nothing. I ended up using xkill to close the included full screen apps. Performance was actually very similar to a default RH laptop install as far as memory usage and application feedback is concernec, though it is nowhere near the speed of something like Fluxbox. All in all I would not recommend it for anyone as it stands. KDE and Gnome are both more immediatly usable and intuitive for most I think. Your mileage may vary.

Re:Yippee

[Anonymous Coward]

Why? Because GTK+ looks like ass. Seriously. GTK+ applications look like grey pixelized blocky chunder. This looks half-way decent. It looks clunky, as if it was designed by the same people who did the UI for ICQ. It just plain sucks.

yes, because it forces me to choose "all"

[Trepidity]

A great deal of the useful apps these days are too tightly integrated with one of the major desktops to be useable without them. As a result, I have the vast majority of both KDE and GNOME installed, which seems to be a bit of a waste (I don't have either actual desktop environment, but I have pretty much all the libraries, due to various dependencies). I don't want to have to end up having 1gb of desktop environments.

Re:yes, because it forces me to choose "all"

[Anonymous Coward]

> A great deal of the useful apps these days are too tightly integrated with one of the major desktops to be useable without them.

Which apps would these be? Assuming I've got the basic libraries, I can run Gnome apps under KDE and vice-versa. I don't need to run the 'right' desktop at all.

What about fonts?

[Bullfrog]

I agree with the comment below about poor quality screenshots. I don't get excited over fuzzy, out-of-focus screenshots. This makes it all to easy to hide aspects of the interface that won't sell well, like crappy screen fonts.

With Microsoft's recent withdrawal of the free web fonts, I have to wonder how OEone is going to surmount this particular hurdle easily. And before you start ranting about how the Microsoft EULA allows these fonts to be freely distributed if in their original packaged form, so therefore the fonts will be and still are available, I noticed an article in The Register where the actual license granted to *Microsoft* by the foundaries to use the fonts is only valid if the fonts are used in a *Windows* OS. Any other use is illegal, which is probably the main reason Microsoft withdrew them as free downloads. They weren't being used, nor could they be guarranted to be used only on Windows, which violates Microsoft's license to use and distribute the fonts.

It appears that OEone has solved this particular, ongoing and nagging Linux problem, I guess. I hope. Here's wishing...

Bullfrog

port to FreeBSD

[Anonymous Coward]

It would be great if this were ported to FreeBSD. Even though FreeBSD can run linux binaries better than linux kernel, it'd be even cooler to go native.

Will this make its way to Mac OS X???

[Eric_Cartman_South_P]

Hope so...

Re:Will this make its way to Mac OS X???

[Billly Gates]

Yes and no. Here is the link and a screenshot. As you can tell by the color and style of the Windows is that gui aqua support is lacking and needs work. Unfortunately this and other things like the scripting engine need alot of work and may be more then a year or 2 away from a release. I believe even FreeBSD is not fully ported yet either so this means alot of work needs to be accomplished. I read your posts on macosX and assume your a user. The openoffice team had only 2 developers the last time I looked which were working on the Xdarwin/macosX port. If you know how to code or want to beta test it then you can help out.

Patents and segfaults. Wonderful

[borked]

This is really not what we need right now. Previous users have mentioned OpenOffice's current segfaulting behavior. Couple this with patents(!?!?) and you get a product that looks like it came out of Redmond! I'll stick with Moz and OpenOffice as separate applications. I prefer to launce a browser when I want to browse and launch an editor when I want to edit. Did anyone EVER use that silly file desktop in StarOffice 5.2? Right now, my support goes directly to the developers of Moz and OO rather than some patent-filer mooching off of the efforts of Moz's and OO's developers.

don't want net apps...

[Anonymous Coward]

whether they come from OSS or M$. My data is NOT safe nor is there a provider I'd trust with that data online. Without that function this is another desktop, more power to them, just what a frag'd linux market needs.

Reinventing the wheel, or Windows?

[Duderstadt]

Damn, but those screenshots look like the ones posted of Microsoft Whistler (XP) Beta 2. At the time, XP's UI looked kind of like a cross between their 'Luna' and 'Classic' modes.

But damn again, when will the OSS world learn that you cannot overtake Windows, especially on the desktop, until we have something better than XP? Looking at those fuzzy screens, I almost cringe at the idea of what the fonts look like up close. And i do cringe at the thought of how slow this thing has got to be on less than prime grade hardware.

Seriously, folks, if we really want a peice of the desktop, we have to take Apple's lead and build a new UI. If they can do it, there is no reason OSS can't.

Re:Patents and segfaults. Wonderful

[HiThere]

Patents? Do you have references? I haven't heard of any relevant patents.

Re:I have a questoin

[i.r.id10t]

Yes, it will, but first you have to make sure you've enabled your LRF support in the kernel.

no, it's the opposite

[Trepidity]

Sort of like someone complaining that smoking is bad for your health, and you replying "but I've been smoking for 45 years and haven't had any problems". Still doesn't mean smoking isn't bad.

Re:Patents and segfaults. Wonderful

[Anonymous Coward]

Previous users have mentioned OpenOffice's current segfaulting behavior. Couple this with patents(!?!?) and you get a product that looks like it came out of Redmond!

Thank you. THANK YOU!!

Patented segfaults. This is not good at all.

Ever notice how all these new "desktop initiatives" all do the exact same things:

1) Try to look like Windows with Aqua slathered all over it as much as possible.

2) Invent an entire new set of objects/interfaces/libraries/utilities, etc. to replace ones that have been in the standard UNIX libraries for years

3) Try to cram all functionality into a single menu/application/web page.

Now I'm by no means a UNIX guru, but I think most of these projects would save themselves a huge amount of effort if they used what's already *in* Linux, like Interprocess communication, dynamic modules, dynamic libraries, GUI elements, etc. instead of building *another* bonobo/Gnorba/GTK/Nautilus/RPM/Evolution dependency mess.

Just a thought.

Re:Patents and segfaults. Wonderful

[BigBir3d]

Right now, my support goes directly to the developers of Moz and OO rather than some patent-filer mooching off of the efforts of Moz's and OO's developers

You do not understand the idea of OSS at all do you? THe idea is that anyone can use it, distribute it, modify it, sell it in somne modified form, or whatever. Tht is what OEone has beeen trying to do. How do you know that OO segfaults on HomeBase? Have you tried it?

Myself? I am using it right now... It has a few slick features, and a few that suck (DHCP support blows with my particula ISP and cable modem). They have taken something that is not supposed to be just a web browser (mozilla), modified it, freely distributed it, with source, as well as offering it for sale. That is the whole idea of OSS.


Hell, mozilla is being sued right now for infringing on the godzilla likeness and trademarked name...

The calendering claim.

[Anonymous Coward]

and see the Mozilla calendar data integrated into the OpenOffice suite.

So I'm thinking Ohhhh, iCal implementation! Great!

www.openoffice.org - search on ical - nothing.

OEone has one page that makes it sound like ANOTHER *linux fork (some call it a distro) Another page makes it sould like a replacement for GNOME/KDE/Windowmaker/whatever.
No reference on iCal.

So.....where is the claim and see the Mozilla calendar data integrated into the OpenOffice suite coming from?

Re:The calendering claim.

[duranrob]

Try here . Seems as if OEone is giving something. "The initial codebase is being donated by OEone Corporation and should be thought of only as a demonstration of what can be accomplished using XUL, JS, CSS and XPCOM"

The name STILL sucks.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm STILL not going to use something by someone who calls themselves owe-ee-own

Just the owe-ee part is fucking annoying.

Re:Patents and segfaults. Wonderful

[King of the World]

Mooch? The whole idea of OSS is not to re-invent the wheel. OEone aren't taking and not giving back either - they've giving back a lot. They're obviously not mooching, you rude little boy.

Disk is cheap. Deal with it! [n/t]

[Anonymous Coward]

Disk is cheap. Deal with it!

Looks Good

[Tyreth]

I really like the idea of OEone's desktop. Combining with OpenOffice seems like an excellent idea - both projects should benefit from each other reviewing their products.

Doesn't matter about segfaults - these will get fixed as time passes and as the two projects co-operate. Alternatively submit bug reports yourself.

Good news...

[VValdo]

The recent CNET debacle over will-Apple-or-won't-apple-help-w/OS-X has apparently driven a lot of Mac developers to the site. I've been following the porting mailing list activity a bit (as you can see here, there have been nearly twice as many posts this month as last month), people really seem to be interested in getting this thing working on OS X.

So it looks like there are more than the original two developers on this thing now.

I can't wait...I was thinking for a while that Abiword would have an OS X port first, but now it looks like OO.o has the momentum.

W

Thankx!

[Eric_Cartman_South_P]

Thankx for the info. I'm busy doing some crazy work right now, but when things slow down I actually plan to start working on my first open source project, and it's gonna be the port of OO to Max OSX. Wish me luck. :)

The fonts are still available

[Vicegrip]

http://corefonts.sourceforge.net/

And, judging by the license they were licensed under, probably always will be.

Re:The fonts are still available

[Bullfrog]

If this is so, and I know about the corefonts site, then Microsoft has been distributing these fonts in clear violation of their own agreement with the foundries, which stipulates that the fonts are only licensed for use on a Microsoft OS. Period. I don't know if the corefonts guys realise this or not, or if they're just bending the rules in a grey area. I don't really care, but I thought the legalities were interesting.

Bullfrog

libraries is what I meant

[Trepidity]

I personally run Enlightenment 16.5, and don't use either KDE or GNOME, but I still need to have all the KDE and GNOME libraries to run the apps I use. And the libraries (libgnome, libkde, etc.) constitute at least 70% or so of KDE and GNOME's size.

Their bug tracking system sucks

[Walles]

Considering the hoops you have to jump through to do anything with their bug tracking system (note the WONTFIX tag), I have actually given up about that :-(. Those problems have been there for at least half a year, without anything visible being done about them. Sooner or (probably) later they will probably get those things fixed, but they have currently at least managed to scare me off from reporting any bugs. So when I run into any, I just suffer in silence :-(.

YMMV.

Re:Their bug tracking system sucks

[Anonymous Coward]

Louis Suarez-Potts

Sounds like a fucking lazy mexican, what the fuck did you expect?

Re:Patents and segfaults. Wonderful

[Jeppe Salvesen]

We are not the center of the universe. We are not typical end-users.

That is all I have to say.

Open Office is trivial to install

[FreeUser]

The install process is too complicated (and doesn't work), and OpenOffice will faceplant (won't run, install or uninstall) if a Java environment is installed after it is.

If you are running a source based distro like Source Mage or Gentoo, openoffice is trivial to install:

(If you are using gcc 3.1 or greater and wish to compile with optimizations local to your hardware)

emerge openoffice

(If you are using gcc 2.95, you'll have to install the precompiled binary)

emerge openoffice-bin

The second command exists analogously for Debian, using apt-get. It doesn't get any easier than that.

Any program that segfaults is broken. Period. End of story.

Agreed. You should submit a bug report. I have not experienced any of the seg faults you are describing. Was your binary compiled against a slightly different set of library versions (that is one of the huge disadvantages of binary distributions, and one of the reasons those of us who have switched to source based distros such as Gentoo will never go back).