OpenOffice.org: Free and Open Source Office Suite Michelle Murrain, Nonprofit Open Source Initiative February 26 th 2008

OpenOffice.org: Free and Open Source Office Suite

Michelle Murrain, Nonprofit Open Source Initiative

February 26 th 2008

What we’ll cover today What is OpenOffice.org Brief history of OpenOffice.org OpenOffice.org components Writer Calc Impress Base Other components Strengths and Weaknesses Examples of use (and demos) How to get help Do you migrate?

What is OpenOffice.org

Brief history of OpenOffice.org

OpenOffice.org components

Writer

Calc

Impress

Base

Other components

Strengths and Weaknesses

Examples of use (and demos)

How to get help

Do you migrate?

OpenOffice.org... is a cross-platform, mutli-function office suite is software that supports open standards reads and writes MS Office formats (except .docx) has matured considerably is free (as in beer) as well as free software/open source is not Open Office! (Trademark issues)

is a cross-platform, mutli-function office suite

is software that supports open standards

reads and writes MS Office formats (except .docx)

has matured considerably

is free (as in beer) as well as free software/open source

is not Open Office! (Trademark issues)

Cross Platform Available as a free download from openoffice.org for windows Is bundled with most Linux distributions Two versions are available for Macintosh Official OpenOffice.org works only with X-Windows NeoOffice is an Aqua port of OpenOffice.org Official Aqua port is in alpha

Available as a free download from openoffice.org for windows

Is bundled with most Linux distributions

Two versions are available for Macintosh

Official OpenOffice.org works only with X-Windows

NeoOffice is an Aqua port of OpenOffice.org

Official Aqua port is in alpha

Brief History of OpenOffice.org Originally a proprietary office suite Bought by Sun Microsystems in 1999 Most of the code was released as open source as OpenOffice.org in 2000 OpenOffice.org 1.0 released in 2002 StarOffice still exists, and has some proprietary components (like the database, and clip art, etc.) OpenOffice.org is now on version 2.3.1

Originally a proprietary office suite

Bought by Sun Microsystems in 1999

Most of the code was released as open source as OpenOffice.org in 2000

OpenOffice.org 1.0 released in 2002

StarOffice still exists, and has some proprietary components (like the database, and clip art, etc.)

OpenOffice.org is now on version 2.3.1

OpenOffice.org Components Writer – word processor Calc – spreadsheet Impress – presentation program Base – desktop database Drawing – drawing program HTML editor Formula Editor

Writer – word processor

Calc – spreadsheet

Impress – presentation program

Base – desktop database

Drawing – drawing program

HTML editor

Formula Editor

OpenOffice.org Components are the basics of any office suite, and more work together have similar interfaces (easy to get familiar with) are full-functioning are pretty much bug-free

are the basics of any office suite, and more

work together

have similar interfaces (easy to get familiar with)

are full-functioning

are pretty much bug-free

Writer Word Processor lots of input and output filters exports directly to PDF columns, tables, etc.

Word Processor

lots of input and output filters

exports directly to PDF

columns, tables, etc.

Calc Spreadsheet Graphs Functions lots of input/output fiters

Spreadsheet

Graphs

Functions

lots of input/output fiters

Impress reads and writes .ppt files templates, master pages, etc. animation this presentation was written using Impress

reads and writes .ppt files

templates, master pages, etc.

animation

this presentation was written using Impress

Base Designed as an Access clone Uses HSQLDB (foss Java database) for back-end or can use other databases via ODBC can read Access files (table structure and data only) Not equivalent to Access (think Access97)

Designed as an Access clone

Uses HSQLDB (foss Java database) for back-end or can use other databases via ODBC

can read Access files (table structure and data only)

Not equivalent to Access (think Access97)

Drawing Basic draw program useful for diagrams and flowcharts

Basic draw program

useful for diagrams and flowcharts

Math nice equation editor, if you need one

nice equation editor, if you need one

HTML Editor

Strengths of OOo Open Source Free (as in beer) depends on open standards reads and writes MS Office formats (except ooxml at this point) Google docs reads OOo files 90% of the functionality of Word, Excel and Powerpoint

Open Source

Free (as in beer)

depends on open standards

reads and writes MS Office formats (except ooxml at this point)

Google docs reads OOo files

90% of the functionality of Word, Excel and Powerpoint

Strengths, cont. Components are integrated Lots of developers backed by Sun, IBM and Novell, among others lots of third party extensions

Components are integrated

Lots of developers

backed by Sun, IBM and Novell, among others

lots of third party extensions

Weaknesses of OOo still a few kinks to work out Base isn’t up to snuff can’t read ooxml yet OOo<->MS Office rendering has issues at times Menus and features are different than MS Office true collaborative editing between OOo and MS Office doesn’t work well (but that’s less of an issue now than it used to be.) Not as slick Can be slower/take more resources than MS Office

still a few kinks to work out

Base isn’t up to snuff

can’t read ooxml yet

OOo<->MS Office rendering has issues at times

Menus and features are different than MS Office

true collaborative editing between OOo and MS Office doesn’t work well (but that’s less of an issue now than it used to be.)

Not as slick

Can be slower/take more resources than MS Office

Open Standards What are they? Why are they important? Faithful reading and rendering of files forever Faithful reading and rendering of files no matter what the software used Open Document Format vs. Office Open XML ODF is a bonified open standard (since 2006) OOXML has not been approved as a standard yet (a big meeting about it is happening this week.) Word on the street is that it might not happen.

What are they?

Why are they important?

Faithful reading and rendering of files forever

Faithful reading and rendering of files no matter what the software used

Open Document Format vs. Office Open XML

ODF is a bonified open standard (since 2006)

OOXML has not been approved as a standard yet (a big meeting about it is happening this week.) Word on the street is that it might not happen.

Examples of use Letters Writing articles/whitepapers, etc. Newsletters Contact lists Charts and graphs Presentations Simple databases

Letters

Writing articles/whitepapers, etc.

Newsletters

Contact lists

Charts and graphs

Presentations

Simple databases

How to get help OpenOffice.org Forums Active and helpful OpenOffice.org IRC channel #OpenOffice.org on irc.freenode.net I hang out there it is possible to get immediate help with problems OpenOffice.org Links

OpenOffice.org Forums

Active and helpful

OpenOffice.org IRC channel

#OpenOffice.org on irc.freenode.net

I hang out there

it is possible to get immediate help with problems

OpenOffice.org Links

Should you migrate? First, for whom? individual organization Some users All users Then, ask why? committed to open standards/open source need inexpensive software run out of donation licenses for MS Office

First, for whom?

individual

organization

Some users

All users

Then, ask why?

committed to open standards/open source

need inexpensive software

run out of donation licenses for MS Office

Should you migrate, cont. Ask about how much interoperability you need with MS Office or other office suites read/write all types of documents collaborative editing interoperability with MS Access Platform is also an issue Windows and Linux versions of OpenOffice.org are good. Macintosh versions are lagging

Ask about how much interoperability you need with MS Office or other office suites

read/write all types of documents

collaborative editing

interoperability with MS Access

Platform is also an issue

Windows and Linux versions of OpenOffice.org are good. Macintosh versions are lagging

Should you migrate, cont. tech-savvy users no need for collaborative editing of documents no integration with MS Access required few very high-level MS-specific functionality used have both Windows and Linux users less tech-savvy users lots of collaborative editing integration with MS Access required uses bleeding edge MS-only functionality want the cheesy clip-art Smooth Sailing Rough Waters

tech-savvy users

no need for collaborative editing of documents

no integration with MS Access required

few very high-level MS-specific functionality used

have both Windows and Linux users

less tech-savvy users

lots of collaborative editing

integration with MS Access required

uses bleeding edge MS-only functionality

want the cheesy clip-art

Should you migrate, cont. There are differing opinions about how much training is needed to move people to become comfortable with OOo. Certainly, the vast majority of organizational tasks that MS Office can do, can be done with OOo (with the exception of MS Access functionality.) Assessment of both functionality needed, as well as end-user issues must be balanced with impetus to migrate, if any.

There are differing opinions about how much training is needed to move people to become comfortable with OOo.

Certainly, the vast majority of organizational tasks that MS Office can do, can be done with OOo (with the exception of MS Access functionality.)

Assessment of both functionality needed, as well as end-user issues must be balanced with impetus to migrate, if any.

Process of Migration Talk to end-users. Make sure all functions that they need have an equivalent (or work-around.) Allow time for training, and users to get used to it. If some users in an organization still have MS Office, make sure that the default setting is to save in MS Office formats

Talk to end-users. Make sure all functions that they need have an equivalent (or work-around.)

Allow time for training, and users to get used to it.

If some users in an organization still have MS Office, make sure that the default setting is to save in MS Office formats

Conclusions OpenOffice.org is a full-featured, cross-platform, mature office suite that you should at least download and try out It is based on open standards It has all of the features (and more) of MS Word, Powerpoint, and Excel It is freely available, and open source It has the backing of big companies, so it is not going away It does have weaknesses, and migration to OOo is not a slam-dunk.

OpenOffice.org is a full-featured, cross-platform, mature office suite that you should at least download and try out

It is based on open standards

It has all of the features (and more) of MS Word, Powerpoint, and Excel

It is freely available, and open source

It has the backing of big companies, so it is not going away

It does have weaknesses, and migration to OOo is not a slam-dunk.