OpenOffice.org
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Type of application / System Requirements
The desktop application OpenOffice is an office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. It is the open-source alternative to the commercial Microsoft Office suite and originally based on SUN's StarOffice. OpenOffice runs on all major computing platforms like Microsoft Windows, Linux, Sun Solaris and Apple MacOSX. It
Purpose
OpenOffice is a software suite offering tools for word processing ("Writer"), calculation ("Calc"), presentation ("Impress"), drawing ("Draw") and database ("Base"). All those tools are integrated in one piece of software. It is available in many languages and may store data in the international open standard format or other common standards.
What it does
OpenOffice offers several tools for the different office activities:
- Writer: a word processor for text and book creation, offering features like AutoCorrect, AutoComplete, AutoFormat, styles and formatting, text frames and linking, tables of contents, indexing, bibliographical references, illustrations, tables, and other objects.
- Calc: a spreadsheet tool with features like natural language formulas, an intelligent sum button, a comprehensive range of advanced spreadsheet functions, styles and formatting.
- Impress for creating multimedia presentations incl. 2D and 3D clip art, fontworks, special effects, animation, and high-impact drawing tools. Presetntations can be exported as well as pdf, html and flash file.
- Draw to create and edit graphics and diagrams, to manipulate objects. Connectors make short work of flowcharts, organisation charts, network diagrams a.s.o.
- Base for creating and modifying tables, forms, queries and reports. It can be used with your own database or with OO's HSQL database engine.
How can it be used for creation of OERs
OER can be created with OpenOffcie by editing text documents. These documents can be stored and published as pdf files, transformed to html files or exported to ILIAS e-learning modules using the OpenOffice extension eLAIX.
How can it be used for consumption of OERs
OpenOffice is not the appropriate tool for the consumption of OER.
How can it be used for reuse of OERs
As long as OER are based on a standard office format, it is possible to reuse these OER in OpenOffice and create new or extended OER.
License support
Besides the option to store licence information as metadata of a file there is no build-in licence support in OpenOffice.
Standards / Compatibility
OpenOffice allows to store text files in the open document text format as well as in standard HTML or flash. But e-learning standards like SCORM are not supported.
HOW TO USE IT
OpenOffice is used like any other office software suite. Toolbars and icons are similar to popular commerical tools, as well as workflows for editing and storing documents. A context-sensitive help is available as well.
Links / examples / Who is using it
More information about OpenOffice is available at the OpenOffice website:
Sandbox
If you want to download and try out OpenOffice, please visit the website:
Comments / Discussion
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