Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sun 25th Feb 2007 22:01 UTC, submitted by geert
"Microsoft Word users now can easily import and export to the OpenDocument Format. The StarOffice 8 Conversion Technology Preview, a plug-in for Microsoft Word 2003 that allows users of Microsoft Word 2003 to read, edit and save to the OpenDocument Format is now available."
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Member since:
2005-07-06
I just tested this out, and in many ways it's better than the Microsoft-sponsored ODF add-in.
To use the MS-sponsored tool with Office 2003, you have to install .NET 2.0 PLUS OpenXML filters PLUS the add-in itself. The MS tool is EXTREMELY slow at opening ODF files (40 seconds to a minute), and it is not integrated into the open/save dialogue boxes, which is pretty annoying.
Meanwhile, this Sun tool is easy to install, about as fast as any other conversion, and integrates right into the open/save dialogues. Unfortunately, it refused to convert one ODF I tried to open that had a table in it, whereas the MS tool did just fine. Also, for some reason with the Sun tool a security check ("this could be a malicious file") pops up every time I open an ODF. Hopefully these problems will be ironed out in the final release.
The only (very) annoying thing is that you have to register on Sun's website to download it, and you have to download it using Sun's download manager, but perhaps this will change once the final version comes out.
Edited 2007-02-25 23:14