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Update to OpenOffice 2 Released

Posted by Zonk on from the better-word-processing dept.

VincenzoRomano writes "The very first update to OpenOffice 2, namely v2.0.1, has been released. Despite its version numbering, along with minor bug fixes there are a number of new features. From the update page: 'For example, it is now possible to disable and hide particular application settings, which comes in handy for central administration in networks. Plus, a new keyboard shortcut permits the user to return to a saved cursor position. The bullets and numbering feature has been expanded, and a new mail merge feature is available.' Downloads are ready in both binary formats and source code for an ever increasing number of localised languages. Go grab your version!"

13 of 265 comments (clear)

  1. Why don't they release a patch? by n0dna · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Doesn't ~75mb seem a bit stupid every time there is an update?

    1. Re:Why don't they release a patch? by Pneuma+ROCKS · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, I don't intend to spend so much time downloading and reinstalling the whole thing just to get some minor (and a few major) updates. Call me when there's a real major change, maybe version 2.1. They should take a page from Firefox 1.5 and do automatic patching. All the cool applications are doing it :).

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    2. Re:Why don't they release a patch? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 4, Insightful
      well, you could always download the source code and keep up to date yourself using CVS or whatever system they're using... the builds are just for the convenience of those who lack the ability/resources/knowledge to do it for themselves...

      Such as about 99% of office suite users, you mean? :-)

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  2. Thanks for the info by Bullfish · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I appreciate the info about the update, but it's not really worthy of a story posting. I am sure a bunch of games and other software had additions today too.

    This is useful info though. Perhaps Slashdot could make a software update page for things like this rather than posting them on the main page. It would also avoid the inevitable dumbass comments that spring up when these things happen.

  3. New features ? Why ? by dom1234 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I would rather put 99% of efforts to improve compatibility with MS Office. Isn't it the only reason why 99% of people don't switch to OpenOffice ?

    1. Re:New features ? Why ? by hswerdfe · · Score: 4, Insightful

      1. Pivot Tables in Excel are easier to use then OO.org data Pilot.
      2. Excel has a Text to Column Feature, I have never found in OO.org
      4. OO.org is dog slow Linux, faster on windows. but still slower then Excel.

      note 90% of the time I need a Spread sheet I'm in Linux and use OO.org any way.
      but still, it would be nice to have these features

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      --meh--
    2. Re:New features ? Why ? by lahvak · · Score: 4, Insightful

      People don't switch to OO because it is full of ridiculous bugs. There's no other reason!

      That doesn't make sense. People are happily using MS Office which is also full of ridiculus bugs.

      I think the reasons for people not switching are quite obvious:

      1) OO is not singnificantly better to justify the switch.
      2) OO user interface is sufficiently different from MS Office to make people uncomfortable about switching.
      3) OO is significantly slower.
      4) Many companies have their workflow based on MS Office documents with bunch of macros, VB and other crap. That stuff isn't (and probably never will be) completely compatible with OO. That's where the incompatibility kicks in. Of course thay will have to rewrite everything at some point anyway, because it will become incompatible with newer versions of MS Office, but I expect they will hang on the stuff as long as they will be able to.

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    3. Re:New features ? Why ? by Spaceman40 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You forgot one other reason: the average person doesn't know that OOo exists.

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  4. New features in minor updates by tronicum · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Even if this are minor new features I would like them to implement new stuff only with major updates. This updates changes the GUI, imagine you deploy a Open Office version within a company network and minor updates (that might be required due to a bug) change important dialogs.

    Many people will call IT support to get information for such minimal changes that have big impacts.

    I like to have such improvements, but only within "real" version increments.

  5. A Decent Draft Mode by Schlemphfer · · Score: 3, Insightful
    There's one thing OpenOffice.org lacks that both Word and WordPerfect have: a draft mode where you don't have to see page breaks and unnecessary layout visuals. To me, this seems like such a basic and important feature. My needs for formatting and fancy features are practically nonexistent--I just want to concentrate on my writing.

    OpenOffice Writer does offer a "web layout", but it's just not the same.

    I use OpenOffice all the time to dash out letters and so forth, but when I need to concentrate on my writing I always fire up WordPerfect. Lack of a good draft mode is all that's keeping me from using OpenOffice Writer exclusively. I'm sure tons of other writers feel the same way. And I can't imagine implementing this feature would be difficult.

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  6. Yeah, here's an idea. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is useful info though. Perhaps Slashdot could make a software update page for things like this rather than posting them on the main page.

    Or they could make a dedicated site with a fitting name. Freshmeat, for example.

    And then they could make a slashbox for it. How cool would that be?

    It would also avoid the inevitable dumbass comments that spring up when these things happen.

    At your service .

  7. Agreed in part by Solr_Flare · · Score: 3, Insightful

    While I do agree that having a software update section would be preferable, it is important to keep in mind that, next to operating systems, office software is the most commonly installed and used software on any non-server computer. As such, updates to office software carry a bit more weight, especially since you have much larger deployment issues to deal with in a business setting.

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  8. Good News... by tolendante · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I've been using OpenOffice.org for my primary work office suite for over three years now and I'm very, very happy with it. I have students that turn things in in the most obscure, dated formats imaginable and I've only had, maybe, six or seven times out of say 1000 assignments that I wasn't able to open the file and work with it. Of course, if students just understood how to do a "Save as.." command, I wouldn't have to worry about it.