My Open Source Advocacy for the Week: OpenOffice.org 2.0

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Narcissus

Reserve Grader
OK guys...

I'm not going to go into the whole 'why Free software is better in the long run thing' (unless of course there's an interest for it :) ) but for now, let me just tell you about OpenOffice.org (OOo).

OOo is an office suite (compare with MS Office). It runs fairly similarly to MS Office and can open most of your Office documents (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) perfectly (and in a lot of instances where you're opening files from an older version of Office, it works better than Office itself).

It can save to the normal MS Office format quite well, as well as saving straight to PDF. You can save your files as a MS Word document and whoever you send it to to open will not know that you didn't use Word 99 times out of 100.

On the other hand, its default file format for saving is an Open standard. MS are talking about possibly supporting it in future versions (not because they like it, but we can get into that later, too). Governments and libraries around the world (including Australia) have stated that they will be using this file format as soon as they can.

So I guess, long story short, it's a replacement for MS Office. Except it's free. The one thing is doesn't have is an Outlook replacement. Having said that, most people at home don't use Outlook (I'd guess Outlook Express) and those in a work environment that do can still keep the MS Office installed.

If you feel the need, head on over to the OOo website and download it. There's nothing to lose.

This is the perfect time for those of you at home that are using an illegally licensed copy of Office, or some other office suite to get up to date and most importantly, LEGAL. There's so many people out there that use Word just for printing letters and cards and there's no reason to not use OOo. Not that that's what it's limited to. I have been using it exclusively for over a year now and the only time that people I work with question it is when no version of Office they can find can open an apparently 'corrupt' file, and yet I can perfectly :)

So that's my thread... it looks as though the Firefox one is losing steam, so maybe this will get the closet geeks back out. Let me know what you all think!
 
Can we limit the nerd spiels to one a week or something similar :)

whats in store next week? Crochet for begginers
 
Can we limit the nerd spiels to one a week or something similar :)

whats in store next week? Crochet for begginers

You could always give us a breakdown on your hobby of shirt lifting!
 
[quote author=Fro]
Can we limit the nerd spiels to one a week or something similar :)

whats in store next week? Crochet for begginers

You could always give us a breakdown on your hobby of shirt lifting!
[/quote]

Sounds like you're very interested
 
[quote author=Daniel]
[quote author=Fro]
Can we limit the nerd spiels to one a week or something similar :)

whats in store next week? Crochet for begginers

You could always give us a breakdown on your hobby of shirt lifting!
[/quote]

Sounds like you're very interested
[/quote]


Of coure I am interested...freaks always interest me, I always wonder what it would be like not being normal!
 
Just out of curiosity, Fro: can you define for us 'nerds' how to determine when one 'spiel' ends and another begins?

I mean, you ask for only one a week, but I don't really remember anyone geeking out this week...
 
Dan, I'm not gay, thats my boyfriend your thinking of :)

and yes Narc I agree they all tend to blend in to one another after a while.

And my word they are biting well today, must be the weather bringing them to the surface
 
This is superb. I checked out the programme on the PC and it is sensational. As it is a work one I will have to take it off again as it has changed all the icons into different thingies!!

Glad there is a Mac version so that I can go and put it on a real computer!!! :lol:

Also delighted there is a nerd on this forum that isn't snappy!!! :clap:
 
just a matter of time CW...I have seen Narc snap before....see but he is a hippy too so he is calm from that
 
Narcissus. If you were to get a PC for yourself.

Would you.

Expect a same spec Dell to be cheaper and better.
Than a machine you've sourced parts for yourself and built yourself?
 
CW: All of the compliments make me a little nervous. Whenever I hear positivity, it's always followed by 'by the way, you know how to fix computers right?' :)

Having said that, you have a Mac, so you shouldn't have any problems!

Just to let you know: the reason the icons changed is probably because you selected to make OOo the default application for Word documents and so on. Not a problem (it will still open them, even if you don't make it the default application) and I'm sure Word will take them back for you. But I'm glad you liked it!

To be honest from what I've heard, the Mac version is not as good as you'd expect from the Mac. The interface is not as much candy as you'd hope for, but it should still be just as functional.

Daniel: too right :) Though I don't mind keeping it cool over here and making you look like the firey one. Instead, I just take my anger to various IRC channels :)


Fro: I've been whipped up by lesser fishermen than you... I'm definitely the dumb fish. However: you mention the weather? I don't know about you, but I've been living in 30-40 km winds all week, so forgive me if I'm a little tetchy. Before you say anything, Daniel. No, I wouldn't change it for the world :)
 
I am the firey one.....people tend to ask you less computer questions when they get their heads snapped off for it
 
Narc you werent the one that bit and made the shirtlifter comments, thats our little snapper over here
 
Fro

I'm interested in Narcs view.....honestly :)


byso Narc owns a dell widescreen laptop...but will take any computer he can get his hands on!
 
Yep, I have to admit I'll take whatever comes this way :)

Personally, I like to buy my own parts, or at least go to a little computer shop that I know has knowledgeable staff. Recommendations, on the other hand... If I know that I'll be able to help someone, then I'll recommend the smaller shops. If I know that I won't be able to help them if a problem occurs, I always say "you know, I couldn't tell you: I haven't bought anything in years to be honest, so maybe just go with a Dell or something?" I do that so that if anything goes wrong with it, they can just send it back (plus I never really recommended them in the first place). The smaller stores that I go to expect you to try and fix it yourself.

Having said all that, if I can get the exact specs I want, I'm generally happy to go with a Dell, so long as it's the right price. I just normally have tastes at either extreme which are hard to find at places like Dell whereas the smaller shops can normally cater for you.


Hmm... was that diplomatic enough? :)
 
yeah we use open office at work because it was way to expensive to get licenses for Office for a couple of hundred stores.

Its not too bad if i was going to describe it, it would be poor mans version of Microsoft Office.
 
the poor mans M$ office is a piece of paper, a pen and a ruler
 

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