Posted in Computers & Tech / Software / Business & Productivity
Author: yeh Total-Replies: 12

Hi... I'm new to Open Office. And i don't rate myself as an advanced user of Microsoft Word. Just know enough to write whatever documents that I want to. So the question now is, are there any differences in features between the two? Some of you might say this is a redundant question since I'm not an advanced user of Microsoft Word in the first place, but hey... I just want to know. And how about saved documents in Open Office Write? Can those documents be opened in the intended format in Microsoft Word? And lastly, if you have ever encountered any problems with Open Office and its compatibility with Microsoft Word, please feel free to post it here. I would love to know about it.



PS: I'm referring to the new Open Office, 2.0. As for Microsoft Word, I'm referring to all versions since some older versions are still in used.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Software / Freeware
Author: beatgammit Total-Replies: 14

I have used OpenOffice alot of late, creating everything from presentations to documents. I have come to the conclusion that OpenOffice is cleaner and better. I like the whole word completion thing and I love that OpenOffice has smaller files (not really necessary, but I like it). I love how it is saved in an open format that is based off xml so other programs can use it (specifically Google's Docs and Spreadsheets). I like that it is free and offers many of the same features as Microsoft's version (and I like the way they implement them better too).

I was wondering what everyone uses. I know Microsoft Word has been the standard forever, but is it time for a change? Microsoft is also developing their own open xml format to compete with OpenOffice's, which is a good move, but I was wondering if this is reason enough to keep using Microsoft.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Software / Business & Productivity
Author: jcguy Total-Replies: 8

Well, unless alternative office and word processing software can give me a really compelling reason(s) to try them out, there is not really any real incentive for me to switch over from Microsoft's products. Almost everybody else used Microsoft Office when i was using OpenOffice, and I switched back to MS products quite soon after.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Operating Systems / GNU/Linux
Author: yordan Total-Replies: 10

Your topic has several questions, like
1) should I switch to Linux
2) Which linux is the best one
3) Will I be able to do everything on my pc ?

Concerning the firtst question, the answer is obviously "yes" : everybody should learn how to use a unix system, and a Linux system is a rather good unix system.

Concerning the second question, you will see on that forum a lot of posts concerning "which Linux is the best one", see for instance
http://www.astahost.com/index.php?showtopic=7693&hl=

I think the most important is your third question : will you be able to do comfortably what you want, more confortably than on MS-Windows ?
Depends from the application layer, which is simply not depending from Linux !
A) you want to do word processing. On my old Win98 PC, Microsoft word starts up far faster than OpenOffice. This is an OpenOffice problem, so you will probably have it on all the Linux distros you will find.
B ) you want to look at DVD's on your PC. Did you already read DVD's when your PC ran Microsoft windows ? were you satisfied with the result ? Then, for Linux, you should look at the posts I mentionned a few line above, look at the descritpion of these distros, and look if they have a standard embedded DVD player.
C) In my own opinion, you don't use your old Toshiba laptop now, you can spend a couple of hours installing a Mandrake distribution. You need to know nothing special for doing a basic install, and then you will be able to see the look and feel of Mandrake. If you don't like it, boot on a RedHat CD and install RedHat, and see if your prefer it. If not, go to Suze. Make yourself your own opinion. And then, come back to this forum and fight with the people having an opinion different from yours!

Posted in Computers & Tech / What's New...?
Author: nightfox Total-Replies: 17

Today I got my Maximum PC magazine and I found this in the Fun Size News section:


I guess you can also count me as a person with "limited needs" too. OpenOffice is my primary office suite with Office XP as a secondary.

Wow... Microsoft sucks. I'm glad I primarly use Linux...

[N]F

Posted in Computers & Tech / Internet and Websites
Author: Vyoma Total-Replies: 5

Recently I came across an online document editor. (You may see that I have blabbered about it quite a bit in my blog post).

It is called Zoho Writer. I can forsee the decreased dependancy on Microsoft Office and such related softwares. Atleast, there would be decreased dependancy in the Piracy that is rampant with respect to these softwares.

You can do most of the basic stuff that can be done in Microsoft Word©, and apart from that, multiple people can edit the same document. The document can be shared to public also. The Zoho guys have other services up their sleeve - I am trying that out at the moment.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Designing / Web Design and HTML
Author: pluperfect Total-Replies: 23

Another less-efficient option is OpenOffice.org; the big free office suite from Sun has an HTML page feature in it and it is WYSIWYG but since the program is not geared towards website it borders a little on the inane, though not as bad as Microsoft Word's webpage feature.

I was in kind of the same quandry earlier this week because I can program HTML by code but it gets really cumbersome these days. It was a lot simpler to do when I started around 1996. But anyway I realized I had OpenOffice and went in to use it and got kind of a first page done but there were a few things I couldn't do and then I ended up having to open it up and edit the code anyway.

But depending on what you want to do OpenOffice is an option though it's probably not as good as a program that's geared towards WYSYIWYG web editing.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Operating Systems / Windows (All Versions)
Author: levimage Total-Replies: 15

It could be a driver or compatibility problem. If you are a Vista user, make sure any and everything you install is compatible with Vista 32 or 64. You have to check the proper version. Also read the EULA, read me, and any other last minute documentation, especially on compatibility with Vista or other Microsoft components/technology. Some updates supersede others and/or disable certain compatibility with other software. If you're running OpenOffice make sure you have the latest graphic drivers, check your Java Runtime software/update for compatibility. If this does not help. Check what starts up when your computer loads. Something is not right compatibility wise, not configured properly, or you're stressing the load on your processor/memory. Keeps notes on what you're doing with your machine before any hardware and software additions. If this doesn't work make use of your tech support and/or warranties. You may even have to let your pc sit on the sidelines till newer updates are available - provided this is not a custom setup. good luck

Posted in Computers & Tech / How-To's and Tutorials / MISC (no matching category)
Author: Quatrux Total-Replies: 19

Well, current OpenOffice and Microsoft Office versions can save as PDF files, also, you can print any file to PDF using tools like PrimoPDF, you can get it here:

http://www.primopdf.com/index.aspx

If you can print a document with a software, you can print to PDF, as PrimoPDF acts like a printer, but it outputs you a file, it's a Windows versions software, but I bet there are plenty such of type of software which can output a PDF from a print on Linux and Apple.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Operating Systems / Windows (All Versions)
Author: FirefoxRocks Total-Replies: 19

This shortcut has been in Windows 98 or maybe even before that, I'm not sure as I have not used any version of Windows before that. It still exists in Windows 7, and I suppose it is useful if you don't have indicator lights to see if your caps/num/scroll lock button is turned on (for instance, my laptop only has an indicator light on the caps lock button itself to indicate that status of the button).

Usually though, you'd notice if caps lock was on or not, as for num lock just start typing in numbers in the num pad in any text box to determine the status of that. As for scroll lock, I believe the only common program to support that is Microsoft Office Excel. I just noticed that I don't even have a scroll lock key on my laptop.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Hardware Workshop
Author: yordan Total-Replies: 13

Have a look at your PC.
Do you have several windows open at the same time ?
For instance a Microsoft Word session and a Web Browser window and looking for a file inside a Windows Explorer?
Then you can take benefit of several cores.
I am really happy with my Quad Pentium system, I have far more cpu power than when I had a single cpu system, and I find it far more comfortable.

Posted in Computers & Tech / Operating Systems
Author: Omkar™ Total-Replies: 20

I'm a fan of the Microsoft Corporation and I simply love their OS(s).

The best thing about a Windows OS is:
1. Its GUI - Windows are the best GUI I've seen, compared to MacOS & even Linux.
2. Its compaitibility - 99% of the softwares on the planet are compaitible with Windows.

Here's what my collection is about: (in latest order)
Windows Vista (Beta)
Windows XP (Home/Professional & Media Centre edition)
Windows 2000 Professional
Windows ME
Windows 98SE (Now that's ancient!)

I think that's about a Microsoft Windows OS Collection. A suggesstion : Micorosft should also launch a Collectors' Edition of their OS(s), what do you think?

-Omkar Ekbote

Posted in Computers & Tech / Hardware Workshop
Author: FirefoxRocks Total-Replies: 14

I usually run Windows Live Messenger, Windows Media Player, Mozilla Firefox, Notepad++, Opera, Safari, Internet Explorer, OpenOffice.org (sometimes Microsoft Office) and my regular security applications (AVG antivirus and ZoneAlarm firewall). As for gaming, I play the default Windows games, which I am planning to try on the new Vista system.

Also, I am getting a TV tuner with the new computer, so there might be TV recording. And I'm undecided about purchasing Guitar Hero to go with the new computer, which I might do. I have upgraded my video card for these things.

And most of all, I may want to install Ubuntu or another distribution of Linux onto it and use Linux applications.

That's my regular computing stuff. I'm looking at the online web advertisements by Dell and Intel. The print ones seem to say the same thing.

Posted in General Discussion / Computer Talk
Author: The Simpleton Total-Replies: 19



Yup that's right - with each day it's becoming difficult to get famous


Yes, nothing wrong with it. And of these 80% at least 90% of people already know that all their hard work would go unnoticed by the general public anyway, and so they're content with the money they're making. They deserve every small part of it. They really do.

I guess it's the remaining 20% of people who are the pioneers of open-source software, and these are the guys who don't care how much money they're making, as long as they are providing something to the community. They do need money to live of course, but they don't make it their single goal in life to earn money through their talent. They use their skill to help others. This is the same thing that ordinary programmers do, and they get paid for it too, but the difference is that open-source programmers get the satisfaction that their users don't have to burn holes in their pockets to get what they want.



When people pay for software, they hardly spend time appreciating its quality. Most of them simply take it for granted that they paid good money, and so get the features they want. In case of open-source software there's a lot of experimenting involved and the users often get surprised.They may not bother much about the amount of work put in to develop that software, but they will surely appreciate the fact that they're getting what they want for free. Not everyone may be supporting or donating to the community but the situation is not all that bad - there are people who donate generously or support the project in different ways (promoting it, etc) These things are seen only in the open-source community, although the reason for this could be that commercial software doesn't need any support as the users are already paying it before they use it!!



If you're looking to developing a software company like Microsoft, then commercial software is the way to go. In the open-source community, money is hardly bothered about, and in any case, it's an open secret that open-source doesn't offer much money, and so people who are concerned about making money can back out early, leaving the people who do their best to keep their projects running. If their work shows promise, they will easily get support from bigger organizations, as is the case with Mozilla (AOL supported it in its early days).



The reason why people in Asia don't buy more legit software because the prices are still US/UK prices merely converted into the local currency. Piracy offers them cheaper alternatives. The phone support too charges them way too much, which is why they shy away from those. Most of them just ask for support in the many forums available on the net and in most cases the problem is solved.



As of now open-source software is yet to gain ground. People are still convinced that paid software is always the best because it costs something, and most people wouldn't put their trust in something that came "cheaply". So as of now there's no huge scale loss of developer jobs. The commercial software world might have been shaken a bit, but it just cuts down their profits; it doesn't eat into what they have already earned (which is quite a lot)

Posted in Computers & Tech / Operating Systems / GNU/Linux
Author: yordan Total-Replies: 23


As everybody will tell you, it depends from what you want to do.
If you are building your own compurer from scratch and if you just want a computer with en Ethernet cable in order to surf the Internet, and if you like Firefox as a browser, you could imagine wanting to save some money and use a free Linux distro as operating system, instead of buying Microsoft Windows.
However, if you bought a ready-for-use computer with Microsoft Windows already installed, there is no real need to switch to Linux.