This is topic Anyone use open office? in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.


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Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
 
I am told that my files are coming through garbled, which has me extremely worried since needless to say I do send files to editors. <see me panicking>

Does anyone use open office that I could send some files to so that I can test what is happening?

Does anyone know enough about open office to tell me why it would garble .rtf files or why someone who has open office wouldn't get the native file type properly?

Thanks.<runs around in panic mode some more>

Jeanne
 


Posted by JeffBarton (Member # 5693) on :
 
No open office, but I'll check your files with Microsoft office if that will help.

 
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
 
Thanks, I'll send an .rtf file. I'm pretty sure the MS Office still doesn't open the OO native files.

Edit: Jeff, I emailed you an .rtf file. It's the same one that someone else receives garbled. So hopefully if you could test it, we may be able to figure out where the problem is.

Thanks much.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited July 08, 2007).]
 


Posted by WouldBe (Member # 5682) on :
 
At work, we exchange OOo files stored as .doc files with MS Word reliably. If you're using an ancient version, perhaps upgrading will help.

Using the built-in drawing features is iffy, but I doubt you're using that feature.
 


Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
 
I *HATE* Open Office!!!!

It re-formats my documents every time I open them. It became a daily ritual to re-tab all of my paragraphs and so forth. Complete garbage. So I decided to buy a real word processor, like word perfect, or word. Hell, even notepad is better than open office.

Afterall you get what you pay for.

[This message has been edited by Zero (edited July 08, 2007).]
 


Posted by WouldBe (Member # 5682) on :
 
To add to Zero's complaints: save often. Very, very often.
 
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
 
I have never had Open Office reformat my documents. They usually save just fine, and it has an excellent restore as well. I like it, have used it for a while, and generally prefer it to MS Office.

Edit: I may be forced to go back to the old MS Office bloat, but I'll be sad.

On the get what you pay for comment -- don't necessarily say that to a supporter of Open Source much of which is free.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited July 08, 2007).]
 


Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
 
TANSTAFL.

Somebody is paying for Open Source software. The end-user in having to put up with a buggy product or the coder(s) who work hard on producing quality products only to be marginally rewarded.
 


Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
 
OO does have its issues, but it beats MS Word for many reasons. However, if you are just sending .rtf files, you might consider getting a copy of Rough Draft (if you can still find it) which was created by a writer, for writers. rtf is its native file format. Otherwise, try ABI Word. *shrug* or just use Wordpad.
 
Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
 
To not completely chase a rabbit I recently switched to Office 2007 and word is different. Not so much better or worse but definitely different.

The biggest annoyance is always having to change to the compatible format from the native .docx format.

OneNote however has become my best friend for research and planning.
 


Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
 
I am not just sending off .rtf files. I am a writer. Some editors want to receive files in .rtf format for electronic submissions. I put files for electronic submissions in the format the editor prefers.

I also do snail mail submission. In that case Wordpad does not have the resources you need for formatting. You need the ability to put headers in your book mss, for example. You cannot do that with Wordpad. I wouldn't care to have to go through my entire 400 page novel mss and put my name and the page number on each page one by one. Like MS Word, as you know Open Office will do that for you.

I agree that Open Office has issues, however, I never ran into one that keeps it from being unusable before.

I own MS Office. I can re-install it, I just would rather not be forced to. <sighs>

Edit: And Matt, the coders (actually programmers) I know who work on Open Source do so because they believe in it -- passionately -- not because someone is forcing them to in some "coding sweatshop."

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited July 08, 2007).]
 


Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
 
Jeanne I know. That's why TANSTAFL applies.
 
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
 
Sorry but I don't see where TANSTAFL has anything to do with the fact that Open Source people believe passionately in what they are doing.

I paid a bundle for the MS Office that sits gathering dust on a shelf because it is a bloated piece of (I'm editing out a cuss word that is my exact opinion of MS Office and I've used it for years at the office). You want to tell me how that applies to your TANSTAFL philosophy? By your philosophy it should be the just the best thing around in lunches, and I assure you it ain't.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited July 08, 2007).]
 


Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
 
TANSTAFL applies because the cost of good open source is being paid by those who choose passion over pay.


Its not truly "free ware" because it takes blood, sweat and carpal tunnel afflictions to put good open source software together.


If however the software is buggy, limited products (like some though definitely not all open source products) or all round crappy (like most of MSoft's wares), then the price demanded by TANSTAFL is paid by the end user.


 


Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
 
Also your words leads me to assume that you see TANSTAFL as a free market laz-e-faire money before service philosophy.

I see as a general libertarian philosophy that makes one realize that for everything that is "free" someone or something is paying for it along the line.


 


Posted by Alye (Member # 5017) on :
 
already been said

[This message has been edited by Alye (edited July 08, 2007).]
 


Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
 
quote:
Also your words leads me to assume that you see TANSTAFL as a free market laz-e-faire money before service philosophy.

Since I didn't mention money or service, I would say you are assuming what you want to assume because of your personal dislike of me. That obviously has nothing to do with anything I have said.

I don't totally agree with the Open Source philosophy. I do, however, have a very close relationship with a few members of the Open Source community. I have great respect for them and am not fond of seeing you expressing such disrespect for them and their work.

My using Open Office has to do with my intense dislike of MS Office and having found other word processing applications such as Word Perfect less than satisfactory as well.

However, it looks like the much disliked MS Office gets reinstalled tonight until I find another alternative.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited July 08, 2007).]
 


Posted by Matt Lust (Member # 3031) on :
 
really am I personally disliking someone I've never met?


Perhaps I made an @$$ out of u and me when I assume so for that I apologize.


TANSTAFL is to me what I've explained it too be. You objected to my application of the axiom but provided no grounds for objection other than how my use didn't seem to apply.

If i made you into a straw man again I apologize.
 


Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
 
Well, I apologize for assuming that it was personally intended.

My use of Open Source (which is not always free as you probably know) has more to do with convenience or preference in software than conviction.

But I do have a great respect for the individuals I know who are involved in it. I know that they do it from conviction, which is something I tend to respect.
 


Posted by ArachneWeave (Member # 5469) on :
 
I use OpenOffice!

Dad's a Linuxite; and he might be able to help me figure out how to help you.

I do know that sometimes you need to just remove formatting stuff before sending it.

When I post to another forum, it puts a whole header of formatting stuff in there, and splices words together in odd ways. I just go back and edit it. You might have to do this long-way edit to get it in good format. I'm not sure.
 


Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
 
JeanneT

RoughDraft also has features specifically for the writer who must send a submittal via snail mail.

I am an Open Source fanatic, as well. LOL, my colleagues get pissed off at me when they are boasting about how the spent the money to buy a new version of X, and I tell them that Y is free to use and they could have spent the money on a party instead.
 




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