# Anyone ever use OpenOffice?



## proofer

Hi.

My Microsoft Word software trial period ended on my new computer. Someone said to use OpenOffice for a free word processing software. I've downloaded it and I'm on the main page. But how do you create a simple document? I can't find a toolbar or even the correct page to try to create a document. Can anyone help?


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## Grampa Bud

When you installed it on your computer it should have left an icon on your screen. Click on that and it will take you to the home page to do whatever you want. I just did it myself so I wouldn't tell you wrong.


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## proofer

Nope. No icon found.


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## proofer

I did go back into openoffice.org. And I'm logged in. But I don't see a link, or anything to go into to create a document. What side of the page is it on?


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## dtsman

http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_4445775_creating-new-document-open-office.html


Bo

Remember,
If the women don't find you handsome,
they should at least find you handy. 
(Red Green)


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## fabrk8r

I've been using OpenOffice for about 2 years now. It's an excellent word processing program that rivals or surpasses any "office" software I've used. It will even open and convert documents created with other software.

Proofer, from the way you describe your problem I get the feeling that you haven't actually downloaded and installed the program suite yet. It's an actual program, just like the Microsoft Word/Office suite and you once you have it installed on your computer you don't have to be online at the OpenOffice website to create documents.

If I'm wrong in my assumption (there's that word again) let me know and I will try to help.


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## Grampa Bud

fabrk8r is right. If there is no icon on your screen the download and subsequent attempts at installation were unsuccessful. You will have try again. Just put openoffice.com in your browser and hit enter. Then follow your nose and do what you are instructed, not what you want.


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## proofer

Thanks. I will follow your advice and download it again. It took about 40 minutes to download this morning. Then, after it said "download complete" (or something similiar), it didn't do anything else. So I just clicked on "close." I looked around for an icon on my desktop, but nothing showed up. I'll try it again. I'll follow up and let you know what happens. I was in AOL when I downloaded it the first time. I think I'll go through Internet Explorer this time to see if it works.


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## fabrk8r

After the program downloads the files will have to be unzipped before the installer will open. If you didn't unzip the original download, it's probably not necessary to download it again. Try doing a search for "openoffice" on your hard drive, or just look in your recent downloads folder.


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## proofer

Thanks for all your help. This morning when I downloaded open office through AOL, I chose "save." When it said that the download was complete, I clicked on "close." Nothing else happened. No icon.

This time, when downloading through Internet Explorer, I chose "run." It downloaded in half the time, but it also took me through extra steps that it didn't this morning: unpacking and Installation Wizard. It also put an icon on my desktop this time, too. I clicked on that icon and did a sample document with no trouble at all!

Was it the difference of choosing "run" instead of "save"? Was it the difference of going through Internet Explorer rather than AOL? I'm not sure. But it worked!

I sure appreciate your help. I do have another question for you. Say I create a new document---my resume. And say I go on a company's Web site and they ask that I upload my resume. Will my uploaded openoffice document retain my document's format that contains my centering, tabs, etc., on the receiving end?


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## alongston

If you have a Google account use Google Docs. These documents can be saved the same as Word and Excel and they are very user friendly. Plus, they auto-save... my favorite feature.


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## Grampa Bud

Proofer - Put simply..... Yes it will. Open Office is a mirror of Microsoft and it's operation, just without the monetary greed.


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## proofer

Thanks for your input!


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## trav2001

proofer said:


> Was it the difference of choosing "run" instead of "save"? Was it the difference of going through Internet Explorer rather than AOL? I'm not sure. But it worked!


The difference the "save" feature saves the install file (.exe) to a location on your hard drive. The "run" feature just does a temporary save to your hard drive until you install the file. Once the program is fully operational the "run" commands removed all "downloaded" files like nothing ever happened.

By the way, I've used open office for many years, maybe close to 6 - 7 years now. I am only using the MS Office 2010 professional version because there are somethings that are just easier in MS Access than in OpenOffice database.

Glad you were able to get that fixed!


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## Rhizando

Yes! Support open source. Once you learn how to use it you will see its just as good as the Office products.


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## pyper

Grampa Bud said:


> Proofer - Put simply..... Yes it will. Open Office is a mirror of Microsoft and it's operation, just without the monetary greed.



It really isn't. If I open a 71 page Word document in open office it expands to 77 pages. There are a variety of formatting differences. It doesn't do borders, it doesn't do graphics under text. It has numerous differences in tables, particularly with rotated text. The table of contents is implemented differently.

None of these things matter if you're only producing documents for yourself, but if you're collaborating or redistributing the documents, then any complicated formatting gets messed up, which makes it essentially useless. OK for finding out what something says, but not OK if you need to know what it looks like.

Also doesn't run MS macros. No big deal for an individual, but in a business environment this is a non-starter. You might argue that if everyone in the organization had it, then it would work, and that might be somewhat valid, but the problem is our clients have MS stuff, and we need to open their documents and also send them ours.

Believe me, I hate MS and their lame approach to Office, which hasn't seen any substantial improvement in over 10 years. Open Office is a great thing to have, and I have it at home primarily to open docx and xlsx files, but it has real issues in the contexts that I mentioned.


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## desiree_furman

It sounds Good to use the Open Office I want to try these software.thanks everyone for the idea. What is the difference between Open Office and the other Word Software?


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## mickey cassiba

proofer said:


> Hi.
> 
> My Microsoft Word software trial period ended on my new computer. Someone said to use OpenOffice for a free word processing software. I've downloaded it and I'm on the main page. But how do you create a simple document? I can't find a toolbar or even the correct page to try to create a document. Can anyone help?


I used OpenOffice at work for a couple of years, and had no gripes. To get the icon on your desktop go to 'all programs', right click on the particular app you want to use, select 'send to', and when the next dialog box opens click desktop. This will create a shortcut on your DT. If you are sharing a document with folks that don't use OO, you have the option of saving said document in different formats. When your document or spreadsheet, instead of simply closing the item, go to 'save as'...this will open another dialog box with several options, including MS formats. Things may have changed some, its been a couple of years since I used OO, but the procedures should be the same.
Hope you get it worked out.
Go here http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/FAQ to check it out


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## rgsgww

I've used it before, the only problem I had was formatting issues in rtf documents.
Its very nice if you don't want to shell out on word.


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## puddinpaws

I've used and don't like it. Poor formatting, weak compared to office. You get what you pay for


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## mahjohn

The development team that coded OpenOffice has now left Oracle and has since released "libreoffice". Development will continue and this will now be the standard release issued with Ubuntu Linux. OpenOffice/LibreOffice is good for individual usage. For work its MSOffice


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## user1007

Rhizando said:


> Yes! Support open source. Once you learn how to use it you will see its just as good as the Office products.


:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
I have the Microsoft Office Suite on here but seldom use much of it. Gimp and Gimpshop are giving Photoshop heart attacks. Inkscape does anything Illustrator can and Komposer rivals Dreamweaver and the list goes on. Sweet Home 3D is as good a simple floorplan program as I have found. I have donated money to the causes rather than pay exorbitant prices for other software. 

By the way, for Open Office fans (and I have been using it since first available for Windows) keep an eye on Libre Office. It seems to me to be a mirror image but with the acquistion of OO and a certain company threatening to start charging for it under some circumstances.


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## dapperdraker

I've used it before. The best thing of Open Office is ITS FREE, also support various popular document type. But many people is hard to adapt to its GUI, coz they are getting use to MS Office. But if you have a patient to learn and become familiar to Open Office, you will find that free software is tasty :thumbup:


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## poppameth

Libre Office is definitely the way to go at this point. Development has pretty well shifter to that branch of the project. OO may be dead in the water before too long. I still think MS Office is the better program but not by a great deal. The main problem I have is compatibility. There are still enough formatting issues when opening documents from one program in the other one to cause a business some issues.


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## user1007

Articles circulating this morning as a matter of fact on Libre Office. Open Office has been donated and all but abandoned at this point so most working on the open source code have shifted to the Libre Office product. Right now it seems to function identically to Open Office.

I don't seem to experience the formatting issues others do between Open Office and Microsoft Office but I can see how such could be annoying. I do know the spreadsheet in OO will not run some older Excel macros. And I honestly have not messed around with database compatibility---Access is clunky enough being compatible with itself (Visual basic underlying much of it for example) that I just leave such things alone. I was relieved when it finally started trying to let Word handle some report format generation. It is like trying to watch something roll on square wheels though. 

I do get a lot of mileage out of the draw program in OO/LO. I also like that any OO/LO components seems to write decent PDFs and since my prayers that it go away are not being answered, that saves some time. In fairness, the PDF writing add on in Microsoft Office has worked when I needed it to as well. 

And again, at the end of the day, OO/LO licenses are free within the parameters stated. MO office academic and site licenses are affordable too but heaven help the honest consumer trying to legitimately license the suite at $800 or whatever!


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## bignezzy74

*getting rid of files*

when you download a file to the document folder and your done with it how do you delete.


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## user1007

Fastest way on a Windows machine is to go to the file directory that holds the file using Windows Explorer. Highlight the file, and RIGHT mouse click. There will be an option in the menu that appears to to delete the file. LEFT click on that option.

As with any file, if you want to be sure you got rid of it you will need third party software to completely eliminate deleted files.


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## rpulley825

*OpenOffice 3.3*

Start over. Download OO3.3 again. when pop up asks "run" or save--click on "run". The program is from Oracle. Chances of viruses etc are zilch. Register w/prompted. Will place an icon on desktop, open it and you will see a screen letting you choose docement, spreed sheet and others. A very short time getting used to it and walla'. I love it


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## user1007

If you are considering reloading the software you might think about downloading and installing LibreOffice instead of Open Office if you are prone to large software company paranoia. LO is a mirrored spin-off that happened when Oracle threatened to start charging for OO. It functions identically and you will recognize the components as the same. I guess in theory it now has its own open source development folk enhancing it separately from OO.


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## 06Honda

I use Open Office on a MacPro works fine with no issues at all.


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