Reply to: OpenOffice.org preferred over Word

[NickFitz]

...after all it's the MS dream, to establish a standard that is closed and secret.

Apart from how they are trying (did they succeed yet?) to get the new .docx format approved as an open standard. Still, what are facts when there's a bandwagon around?

MS moved to have their new formats standardised by ECMA because they were under increasing commercial pressure from governments, including some US state administrations (particularly Massachusetts), which were beginning to mandate the use of open file formats for the sake of interoperability, avoiding vendor lock-in, and ensuring ongoing access to information without the need to rely on proprietary technologies. From a contemporary news piece in PC World (the magazine, not the shop):

Microsoft has been facing increasing pressure from governments and agencies that have insisted on standards compliance for their software. Microsoft executives confirmed that the move would help the company win contracts from public authorities that want software based on open standards.

"We have a few barriers [with government contracts]," says Alan Yates, general manager for Microsoft Office. "It will give governments more long-term confidence."

The Office XML formats received standards status from ECMA International as ECMA-376 in December 2006; this enabled them to be fast-tracked through ISO/IEC, where an amended version finally received International Standard status as ISO/IEC 29500:2008 in November 2008, and was then formally adopted as ECMA-376 Second Edition in December 2008.

[d000hg]

I had the same problem because pimps know only Word, insofar as they know anything. Unknown to me, parts of my CV were unreadable in certain versions of Word, even after I had saved it in Word format. Open Office can't guarantee to save properly in Word format, since MS won't let anyone know what that is: after all it's the MS dream, to establish a standard that is closed and secret. Pimps had said nothing of course, just binned my CV.

Apart from how they are trying (did they succeed yet?) to get the new .docx format approved as an open standard. Still, what are facts when there's a bandwagon around?

[pmeswani]

The Open University want Word 97. I have a Windows virtual machine with Word, just for the finishing off stage.

I've been giving them Word 2003 format for as long as I can remember.

[Sysman]

As an advocate of Open Source software, I have to say that I find it utterly disgusting that you are willing to criticise this product that has been made available to you for free, yet are totally unwilling to devote a mere five years of eighty hour weeks to comprehending the codebase to a sufficient degree that you could devote the next two years of your life to implementing the changes you wish for and then getting them approved by the rather strange pack of trolls and hermits that control the project

But that last couple of lines is the real reason I am hesitant to contribute. I've seen others (who I trust as folks who get stuff right) try to get their mods adopted only to be told to take a hike.

Hmm yes, there is some good stuff out there, but you need to pick your audience carefully.

[NickFitz]

And before anyone tells me that it's open source and I can fix it myself, have you seen the size of the thing?

Sorry, that wasn't meant to come out negative.

As an advocate of Open Source software, I have to say that I find it utterly disgusting that you are willing to criticise this product that has been made available to you for free, yet are totally unwilling to devote a mere five years of eighty hour weeks to comprehending the codebase to a sufficient degree that you could devote the next two years of your life to implementing the changes you wish for and then getting them approved by the rather strange pack of trolls and hermits that control the project

[Sysman]

. . . and the default open in OpenOffice too. In addition v3 now opens/saves ".docx" format.

I've had considerably more success in reading a client's documents in OpenOffice since that client upgraded to a current version of Office and made .docx a standard.

Great software, they do however, need to put some hours in on the database component if it's ever to be a credible rival to Access.

I've tried with several releases and couldn't get the database component working satisfactorily.

OOo has other niggles such as if you save a spreadsheet in CSV format, it insists on closing your spreadsheet and opening the CSV file instead, with a lock, so that you can't read it from another program until you close that too. It doesn't half mess up your workflow when you are trying to export stuff.

Every other spreadsheet I have used did that better.

And before anyone tells me that it's open source and I can fix it myself, have you seen the size of the thing?

Sorry, that wasn't meant to come out negative.

[Sysman]

The Open University want Word 97. I have a Windows virtual machine with Word, just for the finishing off stage.

Goodness gracious me. I bought that once.

In, er 1997.

[Doggy Styles]

90% of my clients use/used Word. None of them use/used OpenOffice.

So whatever the pros and cons, it's Word for me.

[wobbegong]

Why not set the options on OO to default save as a Word Doc?

. . . and the default open in OpenOffice too. In addition v3 now opens/saves ".docx" format.

Great software, they do however, need to put some hours in on the database component if it's ever to be a credible rival to Access.

[Solent]

I have had several people submit information to me from OpenOffice and I found the easiest way was to download the odt filter / converter for Word. Therefore they can continue to edit in OpenOffice and I can save etc as Word Format

[RichardCranium]

We have enough trouble getting the omega symbol to come out correctly on handouts

Is it resisting your attempts? Are you using current versions?

[threaded]

The Open University want Word 97. I have a Windows virtual machine with Word, just for the finishing off stage.

[Paddy]

[QUOTE=Tarquin Farquhar;1036390] Unknown to me, parts of my CV were unreadable in certain versions of Word, even after I had saved it in Word format. Open Office can't guarantee to save properly in Word format, QUOTE]

I think it works out different when you save as a Word Doc than creating the original document with Word as the default.

I have tried both ways and if the document starts out as an OO then it is saved as; some formatting is lost. I had no problems when it was a Word DOC in OO start to finish.

[Tarquin Farquhar]

I had the same problem because pimps know only Word, insofar as they know anything. Unknown to me, parts of my CV were unreadable in certain versions of Word, even after I had saved it in Word format. Open Office can't guarantee to save properly in Word format, since MS won't let anyone know what that is: after all it's the MS dream, to establish a standard that is closed and secret. Pimps had said nothing of course, just binned my CV.

Pity, I like some things about OOO, e.g. the way you can format a cell in a table to have the text a given distance from all the borders. In Word you have to format Left indent, Right indent, Space Before first para, space before last para ..... and if you add a new first or last para, it keeps that spacing in what is now not the first or last para. What do you think of it so far? Rubbish!

[Paddy]

The Missus is working on one of her college essays. She has been doing it in OpenOffice.org quite happily.

Having realised they are supposed to be handed in in Word format, she copy 'n' pasted the text into Word and has spent an hour working on it in Word. The document is now shagged and the Missus a seriously unhappy bunny. The footnotes and formatting has been screwed and muggins here will have to fix it.

(She has been told that in future to do a Save As and choose Word 95 format to get from OO.o to .DOC so that is OK.)

What amused me is that she is not getting along with Word at all. She does not like the interface, the menus, the way formatting works, that things suddenly change font size or bold for no apparent reason, etc. Basically, she has forgotten the 743 little niggles we all memorise over time to get Word to work properly.

Well done, OpenOffice.org - my Missus is now a 200% convert: 100% for switching to OO.o and another 100% for not going back!

Why not set the options on OO to default save as a Word Doc?