Author: Jacqui Caren Date: To: Hampshire LUG Discussion List Subject: Re: [Hampshire] A good article about open source in education
Paul Tansom wrote: > ** Jacqui Caren <Jacqui.caren@???> [2008-06-20 12:51]:
>>the balance against the open source software..."
>
> ** end quote [Jacqui Caren]
>
> Hmm, that contradicts my sample of one that was unanimously in favour of
> Linux.
Bit of background
I use various commercial and FLOSS tools such as MSOffice, Framemaker
and openoffice - I prefer using OpenOffice
I find Openoffice by far the simplest to use. Frame is more reliable
(less prone to crash) but I use OpenOffice to defang docs before letting
them touch MS products - quite often a corrupted Word doc from a mac
based client is unreadable in any version of MWWord but a single pass
through Write and it becomes visible once more.
The book building feature of OpenOffice is similar but simpler than
that of Frame - for mid-size documents (such as requirements and
Specifications docs) being able to pull in standrd.
I have never treid to create a 3000 page report as sometimes done
with Frame but I would hope OpenOffice would cope.
MSWord |= MWWordPro |= MEWord(StudentEdition)
Also, OpenOffice is similar to Office *Pro* - the home edition does not
have the same interface and loses functionality such as styles.
IMHO there is no such thing as 'MSOffice' they are a family of
products each having different levels of functionality.
Someone (such as I) used to the Pro version would despair when faced
with the Home edition(s).
Of course, this is intentional - parents buy a machine with 'Office'
as part of the packagem but find that they need to fork out for
the student edition so that poor jenny can complete her homework...
500UKP for a machine them ~150UKP for Office Student edition.
My gut feel is that this Manager has never used Word Pro and OpenOffice
being similar to Wordpro is a new experince to him. I expect if he
ever used his secretary's machine he would find it just as unfamiliar
as OOo.
