Oppen Office 2.0

What’s in OpenOffice.org?
WRITER is OpenOffice.org’s word processor: use it for anything from writing a quick letter to producing an entire book with embedded illustrations, cross-references, tables of contents, indexes, bibliographies... Auto-complete, auto-format, and real-time spelling check make light work of the hardest task. Writer is powerful enough to tackle desktop publishing tasks such as creating multi-column newsletters, brochures – the only limit is your imagination.

Use CALC to bring your numbers under control. This powerful spreadsheet has all the tools you need to calculate, analyse, summarise, and present your data in numerical reports or sizzling graphics. A fully-integrated help system makes entering complex formulas a breeze. Sophisticated decision-making tools are just a few mouse clicks away. Pull in external data using the Data Pilot, and sort it, filter it, and produce subtotals and statistical analyses. Use previews to select from thirteen categories of 2-D and 3-D charts including line, area, column, pie, XY, stock and net with dozens of variants.

IMPRESS is the fastest, most powerful way to create effective multimedia presentations. Your presentations will truly stand out with special effects, animation and high-impact drawing tools.

DRAW will produce everything from simple diagrams to dynamic 3D illustrations and special effects.

New to Version 2, BASE enables you to manipulate database data seamlessly within OpenOffice.org. Create and modify tables, forms, queries, and reports, either using your own database or Base’s own built-in HSQL database engine.

Writer
For all your documents
WRITER has everything you would expect from a modern, fully equipped word processor or desktop publisher.

It's simple enough for a quick memo, powerful enough to create complete books with contents, diagrams, indexes, etc. You're free to concentrate on your message - while WRITER makes it look great.

The Wizards takes all the hassle out of producing standard documents such as letters, faxes, agendas, minutes, or carrying out more complex tasks such as mail merges. You are of course free to create your own templates.

Styles and Formatting puts the power of style sheets into the hands of every user.

Trap typing mistakes on the fly with the AutoCorrect dictionary, which can check your spelling as you type.

Reduce typing effort with AutoComplete, which suggests common words and phrases to complete what you are typing.

AutoFormat takes care of the formatting as you write, leaving you free to concentrate on your message.

Text frames and linking give you the power to tackle desktop publishing tasks for newsletters, flyers, etc. laid out exactly the way you want them to be.

Increase the usefulness of your long, complex documents by generating a table of contents or indexing terms, bibliographical references, illustrations, tables, and other objects.

Email your documents - WRITER offers direct connection to email software.

Make your documents freely available with WRITER's HTML export to the web, or publish in Portable Document Format (.pdf) to guarantee that what you write is what your reader sees.

Save your documents in OpenDocument format, the new international standard for office documents. This XML based format means you're not tied in to WRITER. You can access your documents from any OpenDocument compliant software.

WRITER can of course read all your old Microsoft Word documents, or save your work in Microsoft Word format for sending to people who are still locked into Microsoft products.

Calc
The all-purpose spreadsheet
CALC is the spreadsheet program you've always wanted. Newcomers find it intuitive and easy to learn; professional data miners and number crunchers will appreciate the comprehensive range of advanced functions.

Advanced DataPilot technology makes it easy to pull in raw data from corporate databases; cross-tabulate, summarise, and convert it into meaningful information.

Natural language formulas let you create formulas using words (e.g. "sales - costs").

The Intelligent Sum Button inserts a sum function or a subtotal automatically, depending on context.

Wizards guides you through choosing and using a comprehensive range of advanced spreadsheet functions.

Styles and Formatting makes it easy to apply flexible cell formatting options, including freely rotating contents, templates, backgrounds, borders, and many more. You can be your own spreadsheet expert thanks to templates with built-in functions, allowing you to concentrate on your real work.

Scenario Manager allows "what if ..." analysis at the touch of a button - e.g. compare profitability for high / medium / low sales forecasts.

Hide or reveal Design Themes with a single click - use CALC's defaults or add your own.

Save your spreadsheets in OpenDocument format, the new international standard for office documents. This XML based format means you're not tied in to CALC. You can access your spreadsheets from any OpenDocument compliant software.

Of course, you are free to use your old Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, or save your work in Excel format for sending to people who are still locked into Microsoft products. If all they want to see is your results, then use Portable Document Format (.pdf) - no need to buy any extra software.

Impress
More power to your presentations
IMPRESS is a truly outstanding tool for creating effective multimedia presentations. Your presentations will stand out with 2D and 3D clip art, special effects, animation, and high-impact drawing tools.

Master Pages simplify the task of preparing your materials.

A complete range of Views are supported: Drawing / Outline / Slides / Notes / Handouts to meet all the needs of presenters and audiences, plus an optional multi-pane view to put all the tools at your fingertips.

IMPRESS has a complete range of easy-to-use drawing and diagramming tools to spice up your presentation.

'Park' your most commonly used drawing tools around your screen ready for single-click access.

Slide show Animation and Effects bring your presentation to life. Fontworks provides stunning 2D and 3D images from text. Create lifelike 3D images with astounding speed and response.

Save your presentations in OpenDocument format, the new international standard for office documents. This XML based format means you're not tied in to IMPRESS. You can access your presentations from any OpenDocument compliant software.

Of course, you are free to use your old Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, or save your work in PowerPoint format for sending to people who are still locked into Microsoft products. Alternatively, use IMPRESS's built-in ability to create Flash (.swf) versions of your presentations.

Click here to see a demonstration of IMPRESS in action

Draw
The powerful graphics package
DRAW - from a quick sketch to a complex plan, DRAW gives you the tools to communicate with graphics and diagrams.

'Park' your most commonly used drawing tools around your screen ready for single-click access.

Use Styles and Formatting to put all your graphics styles at your finger tips.

Manipulate objects, rotate in two or three dimensions; the 3D controller puts spheres, rings, cubes, etc. at your disposal.

Arrange objects: group, ungroup, regroup, and edit objects while grouped. Sophisticated rendering let you create photorealistic images with your own texture, lighting effects, transparency, perspective, and so on.

Smart connectors make short work of flowcharts, organisation charts, network diagrams, etc. Define your own 'glue points' for connectors to 'stick' to.

Dimension lines automatically calculate and display linear dimensions as you draw.

Use the picture Gallery for clipart; create your own art and add it to the Gallery.

Save your graphics in OpenDocument format, the new international standard for office documents. This XML based format means you're not tied in to IMPRESS. You can access your graphics from any OpenDocument compliant software.

Import graphics from all common formats (including BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and WMF).

Use DRAW's free ability to create Flash (.swf) versions of your work.

Screenshots - Click picture for full screen

Writer

Calc



Draw

Writer

Win2Win Positive Comments:

This is one impressive bit of kit, and version 2.0 is well on a par with Microsoft Office Pro which costs around £300 ($500), the only difference is that Open Office is 100% free.

The reason why I have added it to this site is mainly for the reason that you get the free spreadsheet. This does everything Excel does, and you can load up Excel files, so the data something like Odds Extractor produces can be loaded into it. (You can not connect Betangel to it though, you do need Excel for that).

As this is open source software, any bug/patches are soon released, unlike a certain other company, and future versions will also be free.


Win2Win Negative Comments

At the moment it doesn't load Word docs directly, but MS have agreed to release the data for this, so the feature should be included in the future.


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