I used to have a laptop that came with Windows ME and no wireless card. I remedied both situations, but every time I reformatted that clunker, I had to manually install the driver for my Linksys PCMIA card. Whenever I would do that, my computer would pop up with a dialog saying that the driver hadn't passed "Windows Logo Testing," and gave me two choices: "STOP" and "Continue." They don't need a list of supported drivers, it seems. From what I understand, Microsoft digitally signs drivers that they've tested for full compatibility.
Things'll start getting really interesting when your warranty is voided after installing OpenOffice... You'll probably get a "FLOSS error."
I'm reasonably happy with OpenOffice.org--it's free, after all--but it's so ugly! Under Ubuntu 6.10, it uses the default (i.e.: hideous) GNOME icons, instead of the much prettier Human icons, and I don't know if it's themable. The Windows port of OpenOffice.org looks a little strange as well. I can't place it, but there's something about the user interface that looks strange. Toolbar shading, probably; I've gotten too used to Office 2003.
I wonder what the F/LOSS community's response to the Ribbon will be. I personally love it (even though I hate Microsoft), and I think it's the first upgrade-worthy improvement in Office since the '97 edition (which I'd still use if my school didn't insist I use the free copy of Office 2003 they gave me).
The "old" Office Equation Editor was a stripped-down version of Design Science's MathType, which I own a copy of. MathType is pretty damn good, and quite easy to use. It also lets you export to several different versions of TeX (LaTeX, AMS LaTeX, etc.). It doesn't require Office, it just integrates with it via OLE, so I've often used it in combination with LaTeX.
MathType gets its power from the bazillions of keyboard shortcuts and the "template" feature, where you basically drag an equation you typed onto the toolbar, and it adds a new button for you. I never really used Equation Editor, and I don't think it supports the templating feature, but it might share the same keyboard shortcuts.
OpenOffice.org Math uses a LaTeX-like input language, but it has the advantage that you can see what's happening as you type. LaTeX produces nicer-looking output, but, to be frank, I don't have the patience for it. This is how Wikipedia "spells" the Quadratic Formula with its LaTeX system:
x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt {b^2-4ac}}{2a}
Whereas, in MathType, I'd do this (off the top of my head, don't know if this is perfect):
x = <em>Ctrl-F</em> -b <em>Ctrl-Shift-K, +; Ctrl-R</em> b <em>Ctrl-H</em> 2 <em>right arrow</em> - 4 a c <em>down arrow</em> 2a
Doesn't look as nice, but it's easier to type Ctrl-F than \frac{}{}, IMHO, and muscle memory takes care of almost all of it. Go to http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/ and download a demo, and see how you like it.
I haven't tried the Office 2007 Equation Editor, but, if the rest of Office 2007 is any guide, it'll probably beat the crap out of anything else on the market. I personally hate Microsoft, Windows, and Clippy as much as the next Slashdotter, but I have to say that Office 2007 did a good job. Wish my beta copy hadn't expired...
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I used to have a laptop that came with Windows ME and no wireless card. I remedied both situations, but every time I reformatted that clunker, I had to manually install the driver for my Linksys PCMIA card. Whenever I would do that, my computer would pop up with a dialog saying that the driver hadn't passed "Windows Logo Testing," and gave me two choices: "STOP" and "Continue." They don't need a list of supported drivers, it seems. From what I understand, Microsoft digitally signs drivers that they've tested for full compatibility.
Things'll start getting really interesting when your warranty is voided after installing OpenOffice... You'll probably get a "FLOSS error."
This is the video in question.
That video should be required watching for Microsoft marketers/engineers/etc.
But then you'd have this:
"How Microsoft can make the Zune a Success"
"Dvorak to Microsoft: Stop the Zune"
What would Slashdot think of that?
I'm reasonably happy with OpenOffice.org--it's free, after all--but it's so ugly! Under Ubuntu 6.10, it uses the default (i.e.: hideous) GNOME icons, instead of the much prettier Human icons, and I don't know if it's themable. The Windows port of OpenOffice.org looks a little strange as well. I can't place it, but there's something about the user interface that looks strange. Toolbar shading, probably; I've gotten too used to Office 2003.
I wonder what the F/LOSS community's response to the Ribbon will be. I personally love it (even though I hate Microsoft), and I think it's the first upgrade-worthy improvement in Office since the '97 edition (which I'd still use if my school didn't insist I use the free copy of Office 2003 they gave me).
MathType gets its power from the bazillions of keyboard shortcuts and the "template" feature, where you basically drag an equation you typed onto the toolbar, and it adds a new button for you. I never really used Equation Editor, and I don't think it supports the templating feature, but it might share the same keyboard shortcuts.
OpenOffice.org Math uses a LaTeX-like input language, but it has the advantage that you can see what's happening as you type. LaTeX produces nicer-looking output, but, to be frank, I don't have the patience for it. This is how Wikipedia "spells" the Quadratic Formula with its LaTeX system: Whereas, in MathType, I'd do this (off the top of my head, don't know if this is perfect): Doesn't look as nice, but it's easier to type Ctrl-F than \frac{}{}, IMHO, and muscle memory takes care of almost all of it. Go to http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/ and download a demo, and see how you like it.
I haven't tried the Office 2007 Equation Editor, but, if the rest of Office 2007 is any guide, it'll probably beat the crap out of anything else on the market. I personally hate Microsoft, Windows, and Clippy as much as the next Slashdotter, but I have to say that Office 2007 did a good job. Wish my beta copy hadn't expired...