OpenOffice.org 2.3 has been released. "Available for download now, OpenOffice.org 2.3 incorporates an extensive array of new features and enhancements to all its core components, and protects users from newly discovered security vulnerabilities. It is a major release and all users should download it."
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Member since:2006-10-08
''Shall I go on? I know...."SHUT UP ALREADY!!" ''
I may continue. :-)
We have used OpenOffice at work (version 1.4 and 1.5 due to hardware limits) in an interoperable way (needed because one of the computers was a "Windows" box). Worked very good. For the version 1 of OpenOffice, standard german orthography dictionary and hyphenation were still available, this was one of the reasons the documents produced were of high quality. Typesetting and font rendering were excellent. Integrated PDF export was the nonplusultra (initially needed for printing up to the point a postscript capable printer got installed).
Allthough I prefer LaTeX for everything written using the computer, OpenOffice is a joy to use. I started using its "older brother", Star Office since version 4.0, and I am very happy with OpenOffice 2.x today. Hey, you can even read the content of an OpenOffice file without having OpenOffice installed! And the files keep staying small.
Furthermore, I can install it on customers' computers without needing pirated copies of MICROS~1 products. This makes it easy to share documents because of a standardized and open file format.
Member since:2006-05-04
OO.org font handling is far from perfect. OFT fonts are available for years now, in 2002 someone filled feature enhancement that would allow Openoffice to handle OTF, after 5 yrs this is still pending.
There are two types of Open Font format:
OTF (PS1) and OTT (TT). While linux system can cope with both (far from perfect though but still possible) Openoffice refuses to see/use OTF (PS1). For anyone using more than simple editing, this is a serious drawback.
Also font rendering is hit or miss. Most users does not have any problems because they use coreTTF (MS), Bitstream Vera or dejavu.
It is interesting that Kword, much simpler than Openoffice Writer handles fonts much better (but it is missing other formatting options available in OO.org)
Member since:
2005-07-06
I agree...it's not perfect...but I have been using it exclusively since version 1.1 and it works fine for me...and they come out with improvements, bug fixes and maybe even a new "face" in the future...you can't beat the price and it's fun watching the development and working the development builds on my test machine in both Linux and Windows...previewing what's to come.
And..it's cross platform and uses a standard format...exports to pdf easily...does my spreadsheets just fine...seems to be getting marginally quicker with every release...it's free...(did I mention that?)....my wife uses it exclusively now (Ph.D candidate) and is happy with it...my kids don't know what MS office is (which is fine with me)....
Shall I go on? I know...."SHUT UP ALREADY!!"
OK