Re: [Fsfe-uk] UK Online [centres] feedback: Open Office 2 WAS Free Libre Open Source Software

[Paul]

Hi,

> > If there is resistance from a user base to switching over to Open
> > Office, I would suggest making it voluntary for existing employees
> > to switch over, but giving ones that do a bonus of say 50 quid; this
> > would, I'm sure, generate sufficient enthusiasm within a workforce
> > to effect a rapid changeover without negatively affecting morale.
> 
> I strongly support the appropriate use of open source software, but the
> problem for me (perhaps for most people) is not the the learning curve
> to use a different office suite but the flakey compatability with
> Microsoft file formats.

Far from being flakey, OpenOffice 1.1.0 enjoys virtually perfect
compatibility with MS Office formats (Access excepted as that's not
supported by the OOo product) with virtually none of the problems of MS
Office. The learning curve for those who know how to use MS Office is
minimal (there are a couple of really minor differences) and those
coming in, it's going to be the same.

> Until Open Office (or any alternative) can allow me to open or edit or
> save any Microsoft document without page formatting or some other
> feature being corrupted, it just ain't worth the fiddle - Open Office
> may be both free libre and free gratis but my patience isn't libre, nor
> my time gratis.

Try 1.1.0 - other than the usual printer page differences, I've had
absolutely no problems importing any document from MS Office 4 (for Mac)
to XP in either Word, PowerPoint of Excel formats. I import and export a
large number of files every week - usually of a very technical nature.

TTFN

Paul

> Joe Fortey
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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