ALRIGHT!!!! Open Office has released a beta for 3.0

[nadinbrzezinski]

folks it even has one of my major complaints for years... WOKING NOTES.

Happy, happy, joy, joy... this is all I needed really... this is GREAT.

Remember this IS a beta, so back up OFTEN

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Ah some issues... nothing major if you know your way round your Mac

Yes, it did come with the dictionaries, I just had to disable some of the native dictionaries for it to come back to life and go... I think I can now find your misspelled words. Took an afternoon to find the problem but now it is running nicely on my machine.

Yes, since it is a a beta it does crash a little more often than neo, but nothing too terrible, save often

The notes on the side, they are titled NOTE 2.0, are just as brilliant as oh I don't know, Word and Pages. (As well as Nisus Professional and Jer's writer) So if you would like to have notes from several reviewers, this is definitely the way to go

If you do not feel like fighting a machine... and it was my setup to be specific, I'd hang on to Neo until this is out of Beta and the extension issues are solved. Yep, I have a list of possible problems to report to the Open Office project. And I must have to say this... if you are not proficient around your machine, wait for the release version. I suspect they will fix some issues still, though it does the job wonderfully.

Of course, I am sure we will have no issues with things like oh... tracking changes.

:-)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. TANX!

all I use in my office is neooffice these days. and it has never led me astray.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Oh and by the way... it also comes with FULL SCREEN

Tapy feet... and so far it has been quite stable. Still save often

[alfredo]

4. I might have to move from NeoOffice to see how I like it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Keep neo and then move to it

I am happy for another reason. Today I placed an order for an Asus EEPC 900... (linux flavor)

Why?

I can't carry much weight any longer... (ten years of EMS)

And I have to go visit parents every so often to Mexico City... and border control has a nasty habit of taking computers when coming across the border

If they do that... I will not cry (too hard) with this toy.

And it is a full machine, not a PDA, so I can run Open Office as well.. happy, happy, joy, joy... and will in fact replace my PDA

Sharing files will be a matter of a usb... that's it.

(It has the added benefit that my niece will leave it all well alone... since it is not WINDOWS. Long story, but when the kid comes to visit my win machine has fully implemented controls now, due to the kid)

[alfredo]

6. I'm thinking of a Linux laptop. Let me know how it works out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. I will, this one comes with Linpus

I have looked at Ubuntu Remix as well. So if this one does not work... well load a new OS on it.

I suspect for trips to see parents in Mexico City and other light apps it will be fine. Oh and they have the exact same model, but loaded with XP at Best Buy... so you can ahem gander over there and try the keyboard... which is the reason I decided on this one. It has a descent keyboard, if a bit small, aka 85% of normal, I'd say. I used a Jornada years ago, so this should not be a problem at all.. after I take the time to get used to the smallish keyboard.

Specs wise it is a glorified word processor.. really... Celeron 800 + 1 Gig of RAM... and a 9 inch screen

:-)

I will be getting it tomorrow... so perhaps I will break it in at home...
and even post using it.

Home with windows, mac and now linux... networking might be a joy

Hell's bells, I think I will write a review for the site as well, both for the hardware and the software... once I take it through it's paces!

Oh and here is the actual distro it comes with

http://www.linpus.com/xampp/webmaster/Products/Linux9.4Lite.htm

Lord we are talking geekese here, you know that!

:-)

[alfredo]

8. How much did it cost?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. base price was 349

I splurged on the shipping, since I wanted it tomorrow

Otherwise, Amazon could have shipped it in five to ten days for free

Oh and here is some more info on it. I was thinking of using it also as a replacement for my PIM, handheld device, I can

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=24&share=txt/features

Comes with a PIM... and if they can export in SVG I can export\import to ICAL and the Address Book

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Oh and this review has the specs in a nicely to read format

as well as a nice review

http://www.agnivo.com/computers/ready-for-ultraportable-asus-eeepc-900-series-sub-notebook-133.html

And I hate it when I make this mistake... the OS is XANDROS

[alfredo]

11. Looks good. I see that Best Buy has them, but they only carry the

Windows OS. sucks.

My hands aren't big but they are broad thick proletarian hands. I'd have to try the keyboard before even thinking about a sub compact. I have a bit of trouble with the old iMac keyboards.

PIM software has been on Linux for as long as I remember. Never needed a PIM, so never tried their software.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. That is why I said go to Best Buys

I bought this specific machine since I was able to try the damn keyboard.

Yes, it has Win OS on it, and it runs for 100 more (to their credit, that is MSRP). So after I played with it for a good twenty minutes I went.. yep, I will be able to use this.. regardless of OS... I just need to remember how to type on a far smaller keyboard. I used to have a Jornada... my first HPC actually, and it had an integral keyboard. I loved that. Didn't even consider a lappie for years... since that was my lappie. That is until it severely died.

The only downside I could see was the mouse. A little noisy and hard. I have a wireless I use with the Mac from time to time. So that should not be too much of an issue.

I am waiting for delivery actually. After that I will power it up, set it up and let it charge... before I take it out for a spin this afternoon. I need to copy some working files to a USB to do this... and will see about installing both Office 3.0 and Writers Cafe

Apparently this version of Xandros requires command line tweaking. If it does... oh well. It is not meant for the power user actually, but students and older people in the US... not regular users and the developing world, where it is meant as a primary machine for the educational field. If I "hate" the distro... well... will have to set my Ubuntu USB Stick and just install remix on it.

:-)

And I cannot wait to go visit parents either... and have niece go... hey that's cute... what do you mean it is not windows.

She will NOT touch my Macbook.... she will NOT touch the even stranger Linux toy.

And that is GOOD.

Strange thing is... I know they don't have that much money, but they rather buy pirated software (which has I don't know what on it) than just buy the full version in six months (we got her Office 07 Student edition for school, for example) or just plain out use Open Software. That is an ideal solution when you are on a budget... but it is not cool.... (bullshit). Believe you me, I wanted to kill the little princes when she said that OOo wasn't as good as Office. For god sakes she is not even to the level of a casual user. If she were a power user, I am, then I'd get it. OOo, any flavor, does about 80-90% of what office does at any one time. And I still only own one copy... in the Win machine... which I use for layout.

There are days I want to strangle the little princes...

[alfredo]

13. Don't remember, but have you tried Scribus for layout? You know how

to summarize long articles on the Mac? It's a little known feature.

Highlight the article, and go to "Services" in the menu. Look for "Summarize" and select it. It's pretty good. You can adjust the size of the summary.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Scribus is a pain on long projects

Actually pages works pretty good as well... and it claims to be a light DTP and works well for that

As to summarize, yes I have used the feature.

Ah still waiting for UPS

[alfredo]

15. Take a shower, that will ensure UPS will come.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Or go out get lunch, or the guy got lazy and left it with the guard

will have to go out and get food for lunch soon anyhow

[alfredo]

17. And you know, the UPS office is way across town, in a location that

is so difficult to access.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Actually I know where they are... and they usually get here by two

or so... I asked the guard on the way back

So by tonight I should have taken that lappie through some of its paces

I can also take it pool side... and not worry too much

Take my mac... no way.

[alfredo]

19. I'm hoping to find a good used laptop that will handle Linux.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. Even a new base machine will do it... you can get one for 400 at times

by the way, it is charging and it seem pretty solid

Loaded writer's cafe and later on I will get Open Office Three for it.

But so far it is a nice little machine. Later on, will go over pool side, can't take the bike, and do some work away from three noisy birds

I need that break from time to time

And the PIM also works well, it is konqueror, will check to see if I can export data later on that will be usable by ICAL

As is this is my new PDA

[alfredo]

21. Great. Konqueror and Safari share code. KHTML

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Posting using it.

The keyboard seems a little hard. But hey, it is a very light machine. It also came with a case. That was a nice touch

[alfredo]

23. Is it using Firefox? What about e-mail? Is it just webmail?

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Mozilla and I've used AOL for so long that I don't know

[alfredo]

25. Mozilla/Firefox, both Gecko render engines. Try Konqueror to see how

it is for browsing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. First I need to see how to install

This is not that easy...the distro... but hey... been happily typing on OOo and the keyboard is now more responsive. The space bar was hard. Also the smaler size is forcing me to think more carefully... so I suspect this will be good as well

[alfredo]

27. Synaptic Package Manager

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_Package_Manager

Practice using it with some small app like a simple game. It's based on deb, so you probably have apt-get. I hate RPM. If they no longer send you through dependency hell, I'd give it a try. Once if found apt-get and it's cousins, I've never gone back.

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. I either replace the OS

or use it as it and keep it the way it is

http://wiki.eeeuser.com/addingxandrosrepos

OOo is version 2.0, which is very functional and does play well with 3.0 beta on the Mac. Ok... a minor, like very minor, tweak on formating... but as long as I save in native format... they play well with each other.

Otherwise... may prepare a USB with Ubuntu Remix, meant for UMPCS... and I am positive ways to update and install files that work far better.

There are many reasons I hate forks in road on LINUX... oh wait... mac very technically is a fork on the road... and believe you me... even WIN has many elements under the hood that come from the same place.

Which reminds me... all those Win Users that are allergic to things like oh... mac and linux. Yet, they are using LINUX and UNIX language in the core code.

:-)

If they only knew...

Anyhow... for what I wanted this lappie it works fine. It is a glorified word processor... and truly, they will have to update the programs sooner or later... since users are moving to Remix as is... from readying on the web

[alfredo]

29. That would be the way to go. I will keep looking for a laptop like

a used Toshiba or something like that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. You can grab a NEW one for basement prices

serious

[alfredo]

31. Well, won't be able to until after property taxes and a new water heater.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. There's that... but every september they roll new models

for school... the old ones go down in price.

Check sales... at times you can find a good machine for a little more than what I paid... oh about 400-450....

And installing insert linux distro here is easy.

[alfredo]

33. I also volunteer for the Dem party, so that puts me in touch with a

lot of computer savvy people. I know I can find a deal through them. Two I know own computer stores.

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Good for you

[alfredo]

35. They have my old G4 Dual 450.

The coordinator might cut a deal for her old laptop when she gets a MacBook, but she may not be there to make good on any deal. The state party wants her.

[alfredo]

36. NeoOffice 2.25 has been released.

http://trinity.neooffice.org/

[alfredo]

37. Some info on OpenOffice. Saving settings.

http://www.linux.com/feature/147472