OpenOffice.org Newsletter - Volume 06 - Issue 19 - 01/2009

[Kay Koll]

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OPENOFFICE.ORG NEWSLETTER

Volume 06 - Issue 19 - 01/2009

Please send news clippings to:
dev@...

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Contents
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1. Announcements
================
* OpenOffice.org 3.0.1 generally available
* See you at Fossdem
* OOoCon 2009 - Call for Location

2. Success Stories
==================
* VietNamNet Bridge: Vietnam to widely use open source software

3. Featured News
================
* MyBroadband.co.za : Four alternatives to Microsoft Office
* InfoWorld: Office 2007 faces competition where it may count the most:
* TechRepublic: 10 Things
* nwprogressive.org:  Review: Free OpenOffice.org Writer surpasses Word
* PC Magazine:  The Best Free Software of 2009
* OOONinja: New Features in OpenOffice.org 3.1, an Early Look
* Redmond Mag - Readers Review: OpenOffice.org 3: Free and Easy
* John McCreesh: Computerbild Top 250 Download Award
* Heise Open Source: Healthcheck: OpenOffice


4. Tips & Tricks
================
* PC  Advisor: Get to grips with OpenOffice 3.0
* Solveig Haugland: How to insert graphics in OpenOffice Writer that...
* Solveig Haugland: Making Illustrated Callouts With Clip Art From ...


5. ODF News
===========
* ODF Alliance: Annual report 2008
* ARS TECHNICA: AbiWord project gets funding for ODF improvements
* Government Technology: Report: OpenDocument Format Gaining...


5. OpenOffice.org solution of the month
=======================================
* PhatWare's PenOffice - multilingual handwriting recognition



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Want to help OpenOffice.org? Find out hot to contribute or see our
To Do List!!

http://contributing.openoffice.org/index.html
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/To-Dos/index.html
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Announcements
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OpenOffice.org 3.0.1 generally available
========================================

The OpenOffice.org Community is pleased to announce the immediate
availability of OpenOffice.org 3.0.1. This release fixes a number of
minor issues reported with OpenOffice.org 3.0

http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=announce&msgNo=382


See you at Fossdem
==================

FOSDEM - the "the biggest, bestest (sic) Free and Open Source Software
Developers' meeting in Europe" - takes place on 7th-8th February in
Brussels, Belgium - and OpenOffice.org will be there!

http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=announce&msgNo=383


OOoCon 2009 - Call for Location
========================

The OpenOffice.org Community is now accepting proposals from Community
teams for hosting its next annual international conference, OOoCon 2009.
Hosting OOoCon is challenging, rewarding, exhilarating, exhausting ...
and can provide a huge publicity boost for OpenOffice.org in your
country. There is no fixed date for OOoCon, although past conferences
have been held in the autumn.

http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon2009/cfl/cfl.html



Success Stories
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VietNamNet Bridge: Vietnam to widely use open source software

The Ministry of Information and Communications has issued an instruction
on using open source software products at state agencies.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2009/01/822425/



Featured News
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MyBroadband.co.za : Four alternatives to Microsoft Office
=========================================

If you want to kick off 2009 with a fresh new start then take a look at
these alternative Office suites that are free.

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/Software/6436.html


InfoWorld: Office 2007 faces competition where it may count the most:
pricing
===============================================

Facing a string of low- and no-cost competitors to Office, Microsoft may
need to make a few changes to hold on to the enterprise market.

http://weblog.infoworld.com/enterprisewindows/archives/2009/01/office_2007_fac.html


TechRepublic: 10 Things
=====================================

Jack Wallen believes that the new year holds a great deal of promise for
the Linux OS and open source software — from an explosion in the mobile
arena to large-enterprise scalability to widespread adoption of
OpenOffice 3. See if you agree with his outlook.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=474


nwprogressive.org:  Review: Free OpenOffice.org Writer surpasses
Microsoft Word under the hood
========================================================

These days, whether for work, home, or school, most people in America
use a computer for word processing.
The era of the typewriter ended long ago, and typing speed is considered
by many people to be more important than good penmanship.

http://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2009/01/review-free-openofficeorg-writer.html


PC Magazine:  The Best Free Software of 2009
===========================

OpenOffice.org 3.0 was included in PC Magazine’s Best of Free Software
2008 report issued today. OpenOffice.org is included in a list of 173
pieces of free software, and is also one of 13 software applications to
be listed among this year’s Hall of Fame applications.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0%2C2817%2C2338803%2C00.asp


OOONinja: New Features in OpenOffice.org 3.1, an Early Look
===========================================================

OpenOffice.org 3.1 is 65 days away, and developers are finishing up more
than 1000 issues targeted for this Microsoft Office killer packing an
army of new features, enhancements, and bug fixes.

http://www.oooninja.com/2009/01/openofficeorg-31-new-features.html


Redmond Mag - Readers Review: OpenOffice.org 3: Free and Easy
==========================================================

Although Microsoft Office can cost as much as $680, it remains, by far,
the gold standard for productivity software.
A far cheaper alternative -- in fact about $680 less expensive -- is
gearing up to challenge the Redmond monopoly. OpenOffice.org 3 (OO.o3)
came out late last year, and many longtime fans, along with brand-new
users, downloaded the tool the moment it came out.

http://redmondmag.com/features/article.asp?editorialsid=2620


John McCreesh: Computerbild Top 250 Download Award
===================================================

The German magazine Computerbild awarded us their "Top 250 Download
Award" in January. They offer OpenOffice.org for download on their
website and it has been one of the most downloaded programs in their
repository.

http://ooomarketing.blogspot.com/2009/01/computerbild-top-250-download-award.html


Heise Open Source: Healthcheck: OpenOffice
===========================================

The purchase of StarDivision, the makers of StarOffice, a German office
"productivity suite", by Sun Microsystems in August 1999. The subsequent
release to the free software community of the StarOffice code, in the
shape of OpenOffice, came as a surprise to many.

http://www.heise-online.co.uk/open/Healthcheck-OpenOffice--/features/112512



Tips & Tricks
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PC  Advisor: Get to grips with OpenOffice 3.0
=====================================================================

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=109999


Solveig Haugland: How to insert graphics in OpenOffice Writer that are
reasonably manageable
======================================================================

I sat down a few weeks ago to figure out the best way to anchor
pictures.  Specifically, how to do it in a standard context like this.

http://openoffice.blogs.com/openoffice/2009/01/how-to-insert-graphics-in-openoffice-writer-that-are-reasonably-manageable.html


Solveig Haugland: Making Illustrated Callouts With Clip Art From the
Gallery, and the OpenOffice Callout Drawing Tools
===============================================================================

I love the callouts in OpenOffice.org. I also love that they're
available in Draw, Impress, Writer, and Calc.
To get started, just choose View > Toolbars > Drawing. If there isn't a
checkmark next to the Drawing option, select it.

http://openoffice.blogs.com/openoffice/2009/01/making-illustrated-callouts-with-clip-art-from-the-gallery-and-the-openoffice-callout-drawing-tools.html



ODF News
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ODF Alliance: Annual report 2008
================================================
http://www.odfalliance.org/resources/Annual-Report-ODF-2008.pdf


ARS TECHNICA: AbiWord project gets funding for ODF improvements
================================================
The cross-platform open source AbiWord word processing application has
received funding from NLnet to improve its support for the ODF format.

http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/01/abiword-project-gets-funding-for-odf-improvements.ars


Government Technology: Report: OpenDocument Format Gaining in Government
==============================

The ranks of governments adopting the OpenDocument Format (ODF)
continued to grow, as did the depth and range of ODF applications,
according to the annual report published by the ODF Alliance.

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/575612



OpenOffice.org solution of the month
====================================
PhatWare's PenOffice - multilingual handwriting recognition

PhatWare's PenOffice is an advanced collaboration and multilingual
handwriting recognition application for Windows. Its document markup
feature can be used to add handwritten notes and annotations to
OpenOffice.org Writer, Impress, Calc, and Draw documents using any
pen-based or mouse-compatible input device, such as Tablet PC, Graphic
Tablet, Touch-screen monitor, mouse-pen, interactive whiteboard, or even
a standard mouse. PenOffice handwriting recognition feature can also be
used to enter text while working with any OpenOffice.org document.
Price: $59.95 (for education: $39.95) 30-day free trial is available

URL: http://www.phatware.com/penoffice

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This new section introduces a single solution which provides a OO.o
integration or based on OO.o technology. The idea behind it is to
support vendors who have an OO.o integration. The full list of solutions
is available here :
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org_Solutions

Drop me an email, if you want to have your solution listed.
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