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100 Comments
- wompwomp, on 10/12/2007, -20/+72Little caveat to 3
3. OpenOffice can open all your microsoft word files
3a. OpenOffice will open most of your microsoft word files incorrectly. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+46Every time somebody aligns text with spaces, God kills a kitten.
- leszek, on 10/12/2007, -54/+8210 things every Microsoft Word user should know:
1. OpenOffice can replace Microsoft Word
2. OpenOffice is free
3. OpenOffice can open all your microsoft word files
4. OpenOffice don't hide things in your document files
5. OpenOffice is opensource
6. OpenOffice use the opendocument format so you can still see your files correctly in 20 years
7. OpenOffice can make pdf files easily
8. OpenOffice don't contribute to a monopoly
9. OpenOffice is multiplatform
10. you can download OpenOffice here : www.openoffice.org - NV0U, on 10/12/2007, -2/+27Not to mention the ones that use Comic Sans like it is going out of style....
I actually got a letter the other day from a customer of ours... Fortune 100 company and all that. All in Comic Sans. - supergwiz, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2711. To kill Clippy, delete C:/Program Files/ Microsoft Office/ Office/ Actors
- nuclearpenguins, on 10/12/2007, -15/+35It'd be nice to report comments as inaccurate.
- nuclearpenguins, on 10/12/2007, -12/+29If you own a business, don't bother with Open Office. That's my best advice.
Yes, I know this will will get downDugg, but the truth usually does on this site. - adolfojp, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18Good for you.
I've known spanish since I was 3. Does that invalidate the need for spanish classes, tutorials, books, etc? - generaldisarray, on 10/12/2007, -9/+22Okay, I have to put this to rest.
The article applies to Word and OpenOffice. In it, I even advocate using LaTeX. So stop being snobby and realize that the article applies to almost every WYSIWYG word processor.
And if you're going to be a snob, be a LaTeX snob. - davidrussell, on 10/12/2007, -7/+20The article is titled "10 things every Microsoft Word user should know". If you're an Open Office user, then fine - but don't junk up the comments with propaganda on why we should switch. These tips are useful and your comments... are not.
- duke, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11I know of at least two very valuable things that OpenOffice can do that MS Office can't:
12. OpenOffice can unlock and open many password protected MS Office documents
13. OpenOffice can be used to open and repair corrupted MS Word documents.
And, again, the PDF feature is great. It is beyond comprehension that MS didn't build that in. If an OSS app can do it, then there's no excuse for a profit-based app to integrate it.
I use OpenOffice like I use Knoppix - I work in Windows as a general rule, but sometimes I need Knoppix to get me out of a jam that Windows either caused or can't cope with. Similarly, I use OpenOffice to do the things that MSO can't.
On the negative side, trying to open a PowerPoint file in OpenOffice is a disaster!!! - timmclargehuge, on 10/12/2007, -8/+15I use linux but I avoid OO at all costs. That thing is beyond bloated, and isn't anywhere up to the task of replacing MS Office on a windows machine. Abiword is a far more polished and responsive piece of software than OO Writer is, and is my word processor of choice on Linux.
- Jams, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I spoke to some MS guys the other day about office 2007 and they confirmed that it would have the abuility to export PDF files. The only problem is everyone will most likely slate MS for putting the companies that create PDF exporters, out of business.
- splintax, on 10/12/2007, -8/+13Reluctantly dugg. These tips are useful, but there are still far too many people that are below this and suck complete ass at word processing.
I'm talking lining stuff up with spaces instead of tabs, people who don't know how to center text and things like that. - bstock, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8If you're using an old copy of Word, the new OpenOffice should work fine for you. If you need to send documents to anyone else, just be sure to save the file as Microsoft Word format so everyone else can open it.
- cully, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4When you say, "changing your text," I'm assuming you mean, "changing your style." If you use Styles in Word, changing the style of your document is easier in Word than in Latex. Latex is cool, I used to use it exclusively, but it just seems so hacked together and inconsistant. Doing relatively simple things is difficult (complex tables, included figures, etc.).
Latex does have the advantage of being good under version control. Diff'ing a Latex file actually gives you some useful information. - muleking, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7I'm using a copy of word I got with a pc like 5 years go, is Open Office stable enough to merit switching over? Or is it just the hatred of microsoft and it being free that warrants its use?
I just need business type programs for school/lite personal use. - spyres, on 10/12/2007, -6/+9Yes, the current stable release is just that. Very stable. The word processor stacks up nicely with MS word and can indeed replace it for a huge percentage of users. (notice I didn't say all, but many here)
It doesn't cost anything to download and try it out. - lostboy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4alternatively abiword can replace word/OOo if you only want a word processor and don't need spreadsheet, presentation etc etc etc. useful for students who need to write essays and that's all that they need to do. I've never, ever needed anything but word processing programs and so this is excellent for me.
it's small, fit, and does what it's supposed to. and of course can work with .doc files. and of course, it's free. - nofxjunkee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3scheper: You can't be serious. PDF is a multi-platform standard. It's embarrassing for MS that Office still doesn't include it.
If you mean that they didn't do it because it doesn't keep people tied to Office, then I still disagree. PDF has it's place, and MS doesn't have anything that competes, to my knowledge. (PowerPoint is _not_ competition.) - alai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Most heavy users of Word will already know all of these, but it's a lot of good information.
- bmc152006, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7open office is also slower than m$ office
- lordTalus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4A professor of mine insisted that we use LaTeX for an upcoming paper. I wan't opposed to this idea, but have never used LaTeX and wasn't looking forward to learning a new markup language just to write the paper. Enter lyx. Lyx is a WYSIWYM editor for LaTeX and handles a lot of the markup stuff for you. After a few hours of playing with LyX I was sold. The editor gives you all of the Power of LaTeX with a reduced learning curve. IMHO producing professional looking ducuments is much easier with LyX/LaTeX than it is with M$ Word. References, cross references, figure captions, table of contents, bibliography entries via BibTex are a snap. It's free, and it works great...the only 'limitation' is there is no compatibility with word.
- SweetsGreen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I love how all the secretaries that I work with constantly bother me with word questions....You'd figure that sombody who uses word ALL DAY LONG would know how to use it better than a sw developer that only uses word for email.......ahh that feels better....
- shmatt, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7most likely it should be fine.
- CharlesDarwin, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4"open office is also slower than m$ office"
bmc152006, when was the last time you used OO? - scheper, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5I don't see why people dogg comments promoting OpenOffice? OpenOffice isn't nearly as comprehensive or able as MS Office, but as a free alternative it's a pretty good product. As a word processor, you might be persuaded to use the free Abi Word instead, but overall my experience with OO is a pretty good one.
- carguy84, on 10/12/2007, -46/+48OpenOffice does NOT replace Word, you're a newb user if you think it does.
MSFT Office intregration is leagues beyond OpenOffice. - Fryth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Use tabs instead of spaces to align text in your document! God, how I wish people would do this!! That article is thinking too complex...
- zonk3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2i dig openoffice but it just doesn't replace word for everything. however, the difference is that there is hope for openoffice because it is open source whereas many of the problems i have with word will likely never be fixed...
- wallclimber, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It has a name, it's called "Ipsum Lorem" and it's a page filler to use as a place holder when doing layouts before the content is ready. Here's some you can copy and paste if you ever need to. :o)
http://www.lipsum.com/feed/html - sophiaperennis, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Decent list for novice users. MS Word is blatantly horrible with its auto-functions of re-formatting, re-aligning, and re-positioning just about anything in a document, but especially when it comes to its behavior within tables and when copy and pasting text into a document.
- shoover, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3And if you're an open office user, these apply to you as well.
- Tweidle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Indeed, there are so many users who don't know how to use a word processor, they know how to use Word. If anything gets changed or moved (version upgrade, someone moves their tool bars around) they freak out. Not to mention the high level of integration for office applications.
NeoOffice works great on my PB, I don't need to write many documents, view many spreadsheets, or PPT presentations on it, so the several hundred dollars that OO has saved me is appreciated. - generaldisarray, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That's called greeked text. It's common when you want to demonstrate how some text will look visually, but you don't want to come up with a whole lot of fake copy. I used enough to demonstrate how the different style whould affect three paragraphs. I don't think that's high or mighty, let alone both.
- leszek, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@Jams
the new XML format for office is a complete joke.
In this format even if the text will be clear, they are using a binary string to represent the formatting which defeat the whole purpose of XML.
This way microsoft can keep their lock-in which is the only reason why they are still in business now. - SEMW, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@Zonk3r, I read your post with mounting disbelief. You have listed almost all the reasons why Word fails as a DTP application. Did you ever consider that the reason could, just possibly, be that WORD *ISN'T* A DTP APPLICATION? It's a word processor. It's not designed to be a DTP application, it's not meant to be a DTP application. Do you also complain that Excel isn't very good at picture editing, or that Powerpoint doesn't make a wonderful programming environment? No. So, instead of using Word for DTP and compaining that it doesn't work very well, stop using it for a purpose it wasn't designed for.
- generaldisarray, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Actually, you type backslash tableofcontents.
Maybe I should write a 10 things you need to know about LaTeX, too. - stalinvlad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1NO DIGG
view -> outline
Use the tab / shift-tab to move between heading types/normal text
List, tables and figures are all automated in a standard install
When exporting to HTML, RTF Help file, look up stylesheet
There was someone who mentioned lyx, if you use Latex I recommend having a look at it as well - theWaterboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have an office of my own, and converted over to openoffice, while still having MS Office available for use. I have run into a couple issues with ooo, one being spellcheck problems, but overall it works nicely, even if it is slow. It doesn't fully replace office yet-- although I truly look forward to the day where either;
a) it does replace office, or...
b) something else opensource, or non-opensource does that maintains the opendoc standard --- and runs on both windows, and Mac.
:) - stuffhappens, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1'/tableofcontents' eh?
Silly me, and there I was slavishly clicking four times in Word...
Insert...Reference...Index & Tables...OK
Granted, though, I'd rather not use Word for anything bigger than a 3 page memo even though I have used it to write 500-page+ training manuals - much against my will I hasten to add, but some corporates won't budge from a blinkered. MS view of the world.
Have to stake my claim as a PageMaker/In-Design fan for the bigger stuff. - Frankie4Fingers, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Definately... to me is like comparing a open source photo editing program to Photoshop. You can change hue and saturation in both programs, but Photoshop has 1000+ additional features and functionality.
- diggnationdevon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Okay Openoffice fanboys sorry to tell you but, Office 2007 makes Openoffice look like WordPad.
- Intensecure, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"OTOH, OpenOffice is just fine for writing a thank-you note to Aunt Mildred..."
Wordpad is actually adequate for thank-you notes....and the average letter. - Mipmap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Missing tip: CTRL + mousewheel
Zooms in and out on the document in realtime. Works in Excel too. Handy. - wallclimber, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1>generaldisarray wrote: "Maybe I should write a 10 things you need to know about LaTeX, too."<
==========================================
Yes! Please do! (Seriously!)
w - bytesmythe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This one struck me as a useless feature:
"8. Character-based formatting
But before you go rushing to the Tools menu to turn off all of the automatic formatting, consider taking a moment to learn how such formatting works. If you understand it, it could save you a lot of time. For example, by typing text surrounded by asterisks (*like this*), you can have Word make your text bold. Or by surrounding text with the underscore character, you can have work make the selected text italic. When you don't have to take your fingers off the keyboard to apply formatting changes, you can work quite a bit faster."
Is it really that hard to just hit Ctrl-B, Ctrl-U, and Ctrl-I for the different character formatting options? I can do that just as fast and still not take my fingers off the keyboard. I know those keystrokes have been around since before I used MS Works back in the early 80s. Anyway, why wouldn't surrounding text with underscores make it underlined? I would think you'd want to use slashes around text to italicize it. - duke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The worst I've seen is people who actually type out headers, footers and page numbers into the text itself, before and after each page break. Then when text gets inserted, they have to move that stuff around manually.
IMO, anyone caught doing that deserves to be fired on the spot!! -
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