Written by jman6495 the 20 Oct 09 at 09:31.

Not everyone wants open source software looking like the windows alternative, but i think it's important for OpenOffice!
Look at how many downloads the Internet Explorer 6 themes for Firefox there are, or how many downloads the XP theme for Ubuntu have!

So in this case... I think that we must change OpenOffice to evolve.

Not everyone wants open source software looking like the windows alternative, but i think it's important for OpenOffice! Look at how many downloads the Internet Explorer 6 themes for Firefox there are, or how many downloads the XP theme for Ubuntu have! So in this case... I think that we must change OpenOffice to evolve.

Written by bt90 the 20 Oct 09 at 20:35.

Keep it simple but independent!

Keep it simple but independent!

Written by chuse the 27 Oct 09 at 17:10.

Solution #2 is ok, but doesn't solve the "simplifying problem", if it exists. Is possible to adopt iPod phylosophy, just 3 clicks to get everywhere in the program, so if there's some option beyond the third click, we take it back to

Solution #2 is ok, but doesn't solve the "simplifying problem", if it exists. Is possible to adopt iPod phylosophy, just 3 clicks to get everywhere in the program, so if there's some option beyond the third click, we take it back to <=3.

Written by robertjlee the 30 Oct 09 at 22:03.

Go-oo is a fork of OpenOffice.org which is more receptive of patches.

From the description (http://www.go-oo.org/), “Go-oo's user interface is more familiar, with lots of small pieces of polish”

Go-oo is a fork of OpenOffice.org which is more receptive of patches. From the description (http://www.go-oo.org/), “Go-oo's user interface is more familiar, with lots of small pieces of polish”

Written by Jon Monreal the 31 Oct 09 at 14:04.

OpenOffice.org can stand on its own. However, there is definitely merit in making it easier for users to transition to their new Office Suite, whether they are coming from Windows with a package like MS Office or are coming from the Mac with iWork.

For this reason, perhaps a "beginner mode" with a different template could be added. This template SHOULD NOT be designed to look like Microsoft Word but instead should bring the common functions to the forefront and help new users learn where those functions are normally located, so that they can easily transition to the original interface when they are ready.

Said interface should also include common Office Suite formats outside of the normal drop-box in the save dialog, so that those coming from other suites can save in said other formats for compatibility reasons, although open document should remain the default.

The programs could be (keep in mind, this is just a preliminary idea) launched from a separate subfolder, that could easily be hidden by experienced users.

While this plan might add a little bit of overhead to a default installation, it could also serve to attract many users to Linux that get "too confused" by OpenOffice.org and give up before they have even really tried.

As a Ubuntu advocate, I have seen this before, and I personally believe that making whatever Office Suite Ubuntu should include at any given time more friendly to beginners is one of the most important things we can do, considering the fact that word processing is one of the most common activites that people do on a computer.

OpenOffice.org can stand on its own. However, there is definitely merit in making it easier for users to transition to their new Office Suite, whether they are coming from Windows with a package like MS Office or are coming from the Mac with iWork. For this reason, perhaps a "beginner mode" with a different template could be added. This template SHOULD NOT be designed to look like Microsoft Word but instead should bring the common functions to the forefront and help new users learn where those functions are normally located, so that they can easily transition to the original interface when they are ready. Said interface should also include common Office Suite formats outside of the normal drop-box in the save dialog, so that those coming from other suites can save in said other formats for compatibility reasons, although open document should remain the default. The programs could be (keep in mind, this is just a preliminary idea) launched from a separate subfolder, that could easily be hidden by experienced users. While this plan might add a little bit of overhead to a default installation, it could also serve to attract many users to Linux that get "too confused" by OpenOffice.org and give up before they have even really tried. As a Ubuntu advocate, I have seen this before, and I personally believe that making whatever Office Suite Ubuntu should include at any given time more friendly to beginners is one of the most important things we can do, considering the fact that word processing is one of the most common activites that people do on a computer. If this gets enough attentaion, I shall work on a mockup.

Written by argh0 the 5 Nov 09 at 16:52.

Why not create a new suite, trying to be innovative, implementing concepts and ideas different to the Microsoft ones, and having always in mind ergonomy and simplicity ?

For example, I'd like to see a further implementation of the "what you see is what you mean" concept of LyX. Don't care about layout in a first time, just write down, structure and work. I don't even want to see different pages on my screen. But I don't want either to see ugly tags or wiki code that makes reading a pain. And then do a beautiful layout. That's the concept of LyX for text editing, but can it be generalised, for example, for presentations ?

Like, you write down text elements that will be on your slides, choose medias, images, design relationships between elements, and then perhaps let the program generate (or assist you generating) real and beautiful slides for you... Or like, you draw with your mouse the frames and arrows where those elements will take place, and a form recognition script transforms them in real frames and arrows... Ok, it's blurry.

Other ideas : when draft formulations/sentences are erased, keep them besides the document, invisible but at hand, as it used to be when you "crossed" something in your handwritten draft. Sometimes I write whole paragraphs and then I decide that they don't deserve to be in the final version, but it can be useful to recycle a sentence, or something like that... Well, be closer to the natural creative process, with errors, drafts, combinations, reformulations, go and returns, etc... Also make a non stop saving, as "drafts" in Gmail, and no need to create a document for it starting to be saved.

Why not create a new suite, trying to be innovative, implementing concepts and ideas different to the Microsoft ones, and having always in mind ergonomy and simplicity ? For example, I'd like to see a further implementation of the "what you see is what you mean" concept of LyX. Don't care about layout in a first time, just write down, structure and work. I don't even want to see different pages on my screen. But I don't want either to see ugly tags or wiki code that makes reading a pain. And then do a beautiful layout. That's the concept of LyX for text editing, but can it be generalised, for example, for presentations ? Like, you write down text elements that will be on your slides, choose medias, images, design relationships between elements, and then perhaps let the program generate (or assist you generating) real and beautiful slides for you... Or like, you draw with your mouse the frames and arrows where those elements will take place, and a form recognition script transforms them in real frames and arrows... Ok, it's blurry. Other ideas : when draft formulations/sentences are erased, keep them besides the document, invisible but at hand, as it used to be when you "crossed" something in your handwritten draft. Sometimes I write whole paragraphs and then I decide that they don't deserve to be in the final version, but it can be useful to recycle a sentence, or something like that... Well, be closer to the natural creative process, with errors, drafts, combinations, reformulations, go and returns, etc... Also make a non stop saving, as "drafts" in Gmail, and no need to create a document for it starting to be saved. Because cloning MS Office innovations and ergonomy is not a good idea. It is too much "copying" : in this case I prefer the original to the copy. And in this case Ooo will always be "late". But I'm not sure either trying to make Ooo better would work. Let's face it : OpenOffice is bad. It is terribly unintuitive, it is slow, it is heavy, sometimes it freezes or bugs. It is ugly and makes ugly things (drawings for example). I loose time using OpenOffice. And I hate loosing time trying to make something with a software that "should be easy". Once I tried MS Office, last version. And I had to admit it is terribly better, even used to Ooo I did easily what I wanted. I'm not a developper, but I'm not sure trying to make Ooo code evolve is the good way. [edited 6 november 09 : put ideas before critics of Ooo)

Written by xeniac the 6 Nov 09 at 10:52.

Changing the overall beahaviour of OpenOffice is something Sun and Novell can do. Canonical and Ubunutu have limited resources and the "non-openess" of Suns OpenOffice development makes ist really hard to change non-trivial parts, like the interface.

But Ubuntu-Go-Oo comes with no Templates, and you can spend hours to create a professional looking Page Layout. We could create a small bundle of good and professional Fonts, Templates and Cliparts preinstalled per default to make these things easier.

Changing the overall beahaviour of OpenOffice is something Sun and Novell can do. Canonical and Ubunutu have limited resources and the "non-openess" of Suns OpenOffice development makes ist really hard to change non-trivial parts, like the interface. But Ubuntu-Go-Oo comes with no Templates, and you can spend hours to create a professional looking Page Layout. We could create a small bundle of good and professional Fonts, Templates and Cliparts preinstalled per default to make these things easier.

Written by ementos the 6 Nov 09 at 15:26.

When I see OpenOffice on ubuntu I think the icons are so big!
On OpenOffice on windows or on KDE icons are smaller and i think that why they are nicer! Gnome OOO should be nice too ;)

When I see OpenOffice on ubuntu I think the icons are so big! On OpenOffice on windows or on KDE icons are smaller and i think that why they are nicer! Gnome OOO should be nice too ;)

Written by Mirek2 the 7 Nov 09 at 19:38.

If you have ideas or comments on improving OOo, go ahead and add your voice to the project: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Main_Page .
The team is working on a new UI, complete with a new look: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Renaissance
There's been a lot of thinking and prototyping and arguing about the direction it will go -- and I think, in its current copycat state, it will definitely remain very controversial -- but the UI direction isn't sealed and you definitely have a voice in which way it will go.
And if your ideas remain ignored, then go ahead and try your luck here.

If you have ideas or comments on improving OOo, go ahead and add your voice to the project: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Main_Page . The team is working on a new UI, complete with a new look: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Renaissance There's been a lot of thinking and prototyping and arguing about the direction it will go -- and I think, in its current copycat state, it will definitely remain very controversial -- but the UI direction isn't sealed and you definitely have a voice in which way it will go. And if your ideas remain ignored, then go ahead and try your luck here.

Written by alkx4444 the 11 Nov 09 at 00:05.

I love open office but I keep seeing a whole load of stuff that we don't need and a other things that need a tiny bit of improvement., so what needs to happen is it needs to be more strip down, this i would expect would improve the efficiency of program and would also create less pressure on the computer system., just because technology gets better doesn't mean we have to develop programs that demand more resources.

I love open office but I keep seeing a whole load of stuff that we don't need and a other things that need a tiny bit of improvement., so what needs to happen is it needs to be more strip down, this i would expect would improve the efficiency of program and would also create less pressure on the computer system., just because technology gets better doesn't mean we have to develop programs that demand more resources.

Written by iswan the 7 Feb 10 at 05:57.

Sometimes I only want to write something without configuring them, so I think it is a good idea to have simple mode view that if you click it will hide toolbar (or even menubar) and make Open Office as simple as possible. People will just need to click the icon (should appear somewhere) to put the view back to the normal state when people need the full functionality.

Sometimes I only want to write something without configuring them, so I think it is a good idea to have simple mode view that if you click it will hide toolbar (or even menubar) and make Open Office as simple as possible. People will just need to click the icon (should appear somewhere) to put the view back to the normal state when people need the full functionality.

Written by wit3k the 13 Oct 08 at 11:17.

Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #14349 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!

<i>Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #14349 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.</i><br /> Thanks!

Written by slsolaris the 8 Mar 09 at 18:10.

we should be able to convert .pdf to .odt or .doc type file, using openoffice.
this is a way to convert a PDF file to a format that OOo can edit

we should be able to convert .pdf to .odt or .doc type file, using openoffice. this is a way to convert a PDF file to a format that OOo can edit

Written by cheesehead the 9 Mar 09 at 01:04.

A library to import PDFs for editing would add value to many apps (OpenOffice, AbiWord, Inkscape, Gimp, Scribus, etc.) instead of just one.

A library to import PDFs for editing would add value to many apps (OpenOffice, AbiWord, Inkscape, Gimp, Scribus, etc.) instead of just one.

Written by Xero Xenith the 11 Mar 09 at 19:14.

Right clicking it should also have a "Convert to..." menu, so you can convert between formats very easily.

This would apply to everything - e.g. right-clicking a .bmp, would reveal JPEG, GIF, PNG etc as options under "Convert to...".

See this idea:
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17201/

Right clicking it should also have a "Convert to..." menu, so you can convert between formats very easily. This would apply to everything - e.g. right-clicking a .bmp, would reveal JPEG, GIF, PNG etc as options under "Convert to...". See this idea: http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17201/

Written by marvo the 10 Dec 08 at 16:11.

Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #16403 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!

<i>Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #16403 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.</i><br /> Thanks!

Written by biohazd the 20 Jan 09 at 16:37.

To get it to work in Intrepid :

simply install the "o3read" package from Hardy and then get Tracker to re-index.
http://packages.ubuntu.com/uk/hardy/o3read

you can now index .odp files

To get it to work in Intrepid : simply install the "o3read" package from Hardy and then get Tracker to re-index. http://packages.ubuntu.com/uk/hardy/o3read you can now index .odp files

Written by marvo the 29 Jan 09 at 09:11.

As o3read seems to be deprecated "upstream" in Debian, Ubuntu should use the latest Tracker version 0.6.6-2 which supports ODF without the need of o3read:

http://packages.debian.org/de/sid/i386/tracker/download
http://packages.debian.org/de/sid/i386/tracker-search-tool/download
http://packages.debian.org/sid/i386/libgnome-desktop-2/download

As o3read seems to be deprecated "upstream" in Debian, Ubuntu should use the latest Tracker version 0.6.6-2 which supports ODF without the need of o3read: http://packages.debian.org/de/sid/i386/tracker/download http://packages.debian.org/de/sid/i386/tracker-search-tool/download http://packages.debian.org/sid/i386/libgnome-desktop-2/download

Written by wleoncio the 3 Jul 09 at 16:13.

When opening the same file on MS Word, the user gets a window with a preview of what the file will look like after the conversion [2]. OOo should have something like this.

When opening the same file on MS Word, the user gets a window with a preview of what the file will look like after the conversion [2]. OOo should have something like this. <img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/348t752.jpg">

Written by hunt.topher the 29 Jun 08 at 16:42.

Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #10469 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!

<i>Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #10469 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.</i><br /> Thanks!

Written by Tejas Modi the 18 Apr 09 at 09:09.

Please add support for non-standard paper/media size for printing.

Please add support for non-standard paper/media size for printing.

Written by amiga_os the 23 Dec 08 at 14:45.

Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #16771 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!

<i>Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #16771 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.</i><br /> Thanks!

Written by michaelwheatland the 14 Jan 09 at 23:32.

The commercial adobe acrobat reader is not a very useful application, and the full version costs too much to buy.

A PDF editor, with like PDFedit, but with a user friendly interface similar to that of, or integrated with, OpenOffice.org

The editor should have the ability to drag and drop to rearrange pages within the active document and from one document to another.

A 'form filling' mode should be active by default which will allow the user to only edit form fields prior to emailing, saving or printing the document.

The commercial adobe acrobat reader is not a very useful application, and the full version costs too much to buy. A PDF editor, with like PDFedit, but with a user friendly interface similar to that of, or integrated with, OpenOffice.org The editor should have the ability to drag and drop to rearrange pages within the active document and from one document to another. A 'form filling' mode should be active by default which will allow the user to only edit form fields prior to emailing, saving or printing the document.

Written by andrew the 15 Jan 09 at 01:38.

Sun has available a plugin for OpenOffice 3 which allows the import of PDF documents into OpenOffice Draw. Include this plugin in the repository along with OpenOffice 3.

Sun has available a plugin for OpenOffice 3 which allows the import of PDF documents into OpenOffice Draw. Include this plugin in the repository along with OpenOffice 3.

Written by cheesehead the 15 Jan 09 at 02:40.

A library to import PDFs for editing would add value to many apps (AbiWord, Inkscape, Gimp, Scribus, etc.) instead of just one.
Apps just offer the option if the library is installed. Users need not add any new apps at all.

A library to import PDFs for editing would add value to many apps (AbiWord, Inkscape, Gimp, Scribus, etc.) instead of just one. Apps just offer the option if the library is installed. Users need not add any new apps at all.

Written by px33 the 20 Jan 09 at 13:13.

Adobe's product is still the best PDF editor and it would be quite hard to create a better application. And if they've ported Acrobar Reader, they can also port the full version

Adobe's product is still the best PDF editor and it would be quite hard to create a better application. And if they've ported Acrobar Reader, they can also port the full version

Written by DrKay the 7 Oct 11 at 05:37.

Work with the Evince team to add needed PDF editing features, such as highlighting, rearranging pages, etc. Evince already has a user-friendly interface which integrates well with Unity and Gnome, but it needs more features.

Work with the Evince team to add needed PDF editing features, such as highlighting, rearranging pages, etc. Evince already has a user-friendly interface which integrates well with Unity and Gnome, but it needs more features.

Written by fdegrave the 5 Nov 09 at 16:04.

The Ubuntu printing dialog improves at each version and is really simple to use. Please try to integrate it into OpenOffice.

The Ubuntu printing dialog improves at each version and is really simple to use. Please try to integrate it into OpenOffice.