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Idea #3395: Optimize OpenOffice.org Default Settings

bug This idea was marked as being not considered for implementation the 2 June 08.
Written by balleyne the 5 Mar 08 at 19:38. Category: Office. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: Won't implement
Rationale
OpenOffice.org is quite sluggish with its default settings. Every time I install Ubuntu, one of the first things I do is change the OpenOffice.org settings.

I usually change the settings as follows:
MEMORY - 30 steps, 128MB, 20 objects, 20MB per object
JAVA - Do not use Java
VIEW - Open GL, optimized output, dithering, refresh during interaction and hardware acceleration all ticked.


Without the View settings changed, running old powerpoint presentations in slideshow mode literally brings a dual core processor to a halt.


I'm not sure that the default settings should be exactly as described above because I'm not sure what ramifications that might have for other computers, but it seems to be that there is a lot of room for improvement in performance.
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Developer comments
Changing the memory settings would increase the minimum memory needed to
run OpenOffice.org by quite a bit, which would not be good for lower end
machines. OpenOffice.org uses Java for most functionality not deemed
'core functionality' so by disabling Java many parts of OpenOffice.org
would not work. Also, changing the view settings leads to problems with
older systems and video cards that have buggy drivers.

The fact that some PowerPoint presentations take large amounts of cpu
power without the view settings changed is probably a bug. Also, the
poster on Ubuntu Forums that had mentioned using those settings
corrected his problems later mentioned that the changes didn't actually
help on all documents. So there are probably some bugs that still need
to be corrected in OpenOffice.org regarding these issues. If you see
issues like that it would be very useful to report them on Launchpad and
include a sample document exhibiting the problem.

1038
votes
closed
Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #3395
Written by balleyne the 5 Mar 08 at 19:38.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #3395 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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Attachments
forum Ubuntuforums.org thread #210289


Duplicates


Comments
tomaszx wrote on the 5 Mar 08 at 19:46
i agree +1

spyyder wrote on the 5 Mar 08 at 19:48
Agreed, OOo is really sluggish

madjr wrote on the 5 Mar 08 at 22:24
Open office can be really fast if you activate "systray quickstarter"

go to options -> memory

its so fast it starts up faster than gedit or other small text editors.

try it for yourself, you don't even have to deactivate JAVA.

i agree "systray quickstarter" should be on by default. If you don't need it then you just deactivate it.


here is a pic:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l59/adam_foerster/memria.png

more info
http://sushubh.net/archives/2007/05/24/enable-systray-quickstarter-in-openoffic e/

rouge568 wrote on the 5 Mar 08 at 23:12
I had no knowledge of these options - OOo went from about a 5 second to about a .2 second startup time. Amazingly easy tweak: some of these options at least should be enabled by default.
+1

_sebastian_ wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 01:52
I thought Java is inly needed for help files, why should it interfere with normal startuptimes?

iv2101 wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 02:02
Very useful advice: thanks!

jannone wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 02:03
_sebastian_, the Java components are related with document's macro implementations, in the same way that Visual Basic is the macro interpreter in MS Office.

ka2 wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 06:55
madjr: but then it is always running and slowing everything else down.

jiu wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 08:00
could java be loaded at a later stage after the document is shown on screen, if and when a macro is detected?

s3t_sk8 wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 15:13
@ jiu "could java be loaded at a later stage after the document is shown on screen, if and when a macro is detected?"

This is the way it works!
I deactivate Java, and when OpenOffice needs it, it asks me to activate!

madjr wrote on the 6 Mar 08 at 17:13
@ka2

not true, i have it by default in computers with low memory (less than 256mb ram) and there is no slow down (it takes very little memory and the gain in speed is great, really worth it).

it should be ON by default, but as i stated above, you can disable it if you don't use office apps much. Disabling it is even EASIER than enabling it.

you only hear people complain about the slowness, this such an easy fix, for a popular problem.

i even distribute to friends a "remastered" ubuntu CD. It has OOo quickstarter enabled by default and they have NEVER complain of it being slow :)

gedeon wrote on the 19 Mar 08 at 16:11
Isn't there some way to have a quickstarter without the systray? Might not be a good idea to include it by default, but it would be nice to at least have the options for those like me who hate systray-space waste.

hgibson wrote on the 21 Mar 08 at 11:52
WOW !
+1
Please Ubuntu, please Ubuntu.. please.. by default.
If the PC is less than 128MB, then use memory sparingly, but otherwise pump it up.

eapache wrote on the 8 Apr 08 at 22:46
I agree. However, don't enable OpenGL by default. On old graphics cards, this causes it to crash. If possible, link this to the desktop effects preference instead.

superkoop wrote on the 9 Apr 08 at 22:21
Oh my goodness! I wish I had known this before, this speeds it up SO much! WOW!
Yes, Ubuntu, make this a default.

qwerty800 wrote on the 26 Apr 08 at 23:45
It's strange: There is no "Entable the quickstarter" button on my OOo Version(2.4.0)

amdlintuxos wrote on the 18 May 08 at 18:49
ouuu yes
+1

mati wrote on the 2 Aug 08 at 14:55
To the developer:
> Changing the memory settings would increase the minimum memory needed to run OpenOffice.org by quite a bit, which would not be good for lower end machines.

Couldn't this be done if system detects enough memory then?


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