For the last month or so I have using OpenOffice. It is part of my long term plan
to try moving my personal Laptop (email/ web browsing machine mainly) to Linux. The idea
is to find open source software that exists in both Windows and Linux. I am checking
out the tools on Windows, before making the switch to Linux.
Well OpenOffice looked good while I was used it for making minor changes to Word
documents, and editing my Excel based project-plans. Yesterday and today I have
been brushing up my resume which uses a large number of tables. Several times
open office moved chunks of text around! I do not mind missing a few features,
but this bug is too serious.
What I did not know is that Sun still holds tight control of OpenOffice’s reigns.
This is why we have not seen the likes of IBM or Google really pitch into its
development. I heard on a podcast today that Sun is being urged to give up control of
OpenOffice. Maybe if they do then version 3.0 will swing the balance to using Linux
on the Desktop?
So will I be giving on .Net anytime soon? Are you crazy! I foresee .Net as the major
business development platform for the foreseeable future – I will be amazed if anyone
can challenge Microsoft in the new ten years. Other than Open Source .Net that is: It
has been two years since I used Mono (successfully) in the workplace, and Scott tells
us mono is far more mature today. I know I am always recommending podcasts, but if
know little about Mono you should really checkout Hanselminutes show 5, <The
State of the Mono Project./>:
or this link will go directly to episode here when Scott gets off his lazy ass and
updates his website (only kidding Scott, you rule!):
