Re: [tlug] Stand Up for OpenOffice!!

[<burlingk@example.com>]

> Message: 14
> Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:17:16 +0900
> From: "Keith Bawden" <keith@example.com>
> Subject: Re: [tlug] Stand Up for OpenOffice!!
> To: "Tokyo Linux Users Group" <tlug@example.com>
> Message-ID:
> 	<f118b8b90701291717s6e1957a7h6caa2c613d9dde11@example.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed

> I have no idea what this means... I find in Office and OO I can format
> my documents exactly how I want them. What type of formatting is it
> that Office will not let you do that OO does?
> 
> Don't get me wrong here I pretty much use OO exclusively and have for
> several years, I'm simply trying to understand your point.
> 
> > This consistently gives me headaches while
> > performing tasks that my old type writer had no problems with over a
> > decade ago.  Any time an Office Suite, especially one with 
> as much money
> > behind it as MS Office, is harder to use than a purely 
> mechanical piece
> > of equipment, there is a problem. ^^;;
> 
> This is leaving me even more confused... If you really do find using a
> mechanical typewriter easier to use then I suggest you use one :-)
> What is it that Office cannot do? I find Office and OO to be so
> similar that your points may help to shed some light on some OO
> deficiencies as well.
> 
> Regards, Keith

Mainly, I format a number of things at work on a regular basis such as bullitens and the like.  I have not dealt with OOo in this capacity yet, so yes it is quite possible that the same issues exist.

Formatting a paragraph that starts with a larger font for the first character than the rest of the line, by default results in line spacing that assumes the larger fonts size all arround.  Getting that paragraph to format propperly and look single spaced requires jumping through hoops.  (Namely telling MS Word that it is two paragraphs, then manually telling each paragraph that there is no space between the two.

Another issue is attempting to format poetry.  It is a nightmare. :P  MS Word wants to treat it as a normal paragraph, and refuses to let you tell it otherwise without messing with each line. ^^;;

I know these are not exactly standard case scenerios for a standard word processer (I am sure a propper Desktop Publishing app would do better), but it would be nice if there were an easy way to tell the program not to worry about my formatting, that I the operator know what I am doing.

^^;;