OpenOffice.org 2.4 is released

The Danish version will be released in just a few days.

The OpenOffice.org Community is pleased to announce the release of OpenOffice.org 2.4, the latest version of the leading open source office productivity suite. OpenOffice.org 2.4 includes new features, enhancements, and bug fixes to all its core components. OpenOffice.org 2.4 is available for immediate download from http://download.openoffice.org.

New features:

Users will appreciate changes such as usability improvements in printing, and further enhancements to PDF handling (OpenOffice.org creates PDF files 'out of the box' to ISO standard). The default font is now DejaVu, which supports more languages/localisations than the previous BitStream Vera -part of a raft of localisation improvements covering languages from Hiligaynon to Quechua. Mac OS X users will appreciate the use of the native Quicktime player and spell-checker.

Writer, OpenOffice.org's word processor, now has easier selection of the language for spellchecking; users can set options for printing hidden and place holder text and for following hyperlinks; text selection and 'find and replace' have been improved; and 'power users' will appreciate new extra keyboard shortcuts for paragraph styles.

Regular users of Calc, OpenOffice.org's spreadsheet, will appreciate the streamlining of data and formulae entry. Other new features include a 'smart move and copy' for blocks of cells; the ability to transform data into columns; and improvements to printing, data filtering, and the Data Pilot.

Usability improvements have been made to Draw, the drawing and diagramming module, and Impress, OpenOffice.org's application for creating presentations. Both applications have enhanced PDF export capabilities. In addition, Impress now has a new range of thrilling 3D transition effects supported through an extension.

The Chart module, used throughout OpenOffice.org, continues to evolve rapidly. Novice users benefit from more intelligent default choices from the graphics engine; advanced users have more options allowing them to fine tune a chart exactly the way they want it.

OpenOffice.org's database application, Base, now supports MS-Access 2007 (accdb files on MS-Windows), and has enhanced capabilities for MySQL, Oracle/jdbc, and native (HSQL) databases. The Query Designer is also improved.

OpenOffice.org 2.4 is the eleventh release in the 2.x series (launched in October 2005) and demonstrates the Community's commitment to continuous and regular improvement of its software. The next major release - 3.0 - is planned for the autumn/fall this year. If you would like to help us, please visit http://contributing.openoffice.org.

The OpenOffice.org Community

http://www.openoffice.org/news/index.html
http://www.linuxin.dk/trackback/10247

If you can't beat them, talk badly about them

You can see this in the kinder garden and in the school yard.

When small children are fighting over something, they often tend to speak in a bad language and talk about each other behind the back.

Now Microsoft is showing us a very adult and much more mature version of this behavior.

In New Zealand Matthew Holloway has been working as an adviser for the National Standard Body in the matter of voting for or against the approval of OOXML at the ISO BRM last month. As far as we know, he has done a great job.

But Microsoft apparently doesn't share this feeling and so much that they had to write an e-mails to members of another national body in another country, about how badly Matthew did his job in New Zealand.

How low can you go ?

The Standard National Body in New Zealand found this so serious that they found it necessary to send out a message trying to rescue the honor and integrity of an employee.

This is another example of how Microsoft employees are willing to use any method to reach their goal.

http://nzoss.org.nz/news/2008/old-dog-same-old-tricks

Waiting for 2.4 lets have a look at 3.0

I hope that OpenOffice.org 2.4 will be released within a few days. It was originally planned to be released about two weeks ago, but it was unfortunately delayed by a few late discovered faults.

While we are waiting, we can just as well look forward against the next major release, witch is 3.0 planned to be released in September 2008.

You can find a good and relatively detailed walk-through demonstration here: http://www.oooninja.com/2008/03/openofficeorg-30-new-features.html

You can download an early developer snapshot here: http://ftp.linux.cz/pub/localization/OpenOffice.org/devel/DEV300/

What happened to 2.4.1 in the plan ?
Usually we find a bug-fix release between the major releases and the plan is open for that, but at this moment there is no specific plans for a 2.4.1.

Summerhouse in the winther ?

This year we have spend the Easter together with some of our family in the summer house close to the west coast http://www.findvej.dk/Troldedalen%2024%2C%20Ringk%F8bing . This was the first grand opening with snow storm and traffic problems. This morning we had to turn the car back home, but just before we started of, I took this picture:


Please note that the sun is shining on the picture. On our way back to Copenhagen we had to slow down several times because of snow.

Bo Vesterdorf has been asked to help

Will Bo Vesterdorf be a part of the Danish decision or is it just a political maneuvre to get the miniter do what he is asked ?

Perhaps you don't know him. Perhaps you do. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_14/b3877041.htm

Last year he was the leading judge in the case against Microsoft in the European Court. He was one of the key figures behind the historical judgement in the case about misusing their leading marked position.

Now the opposition parties in the Danish Parliament want him to be in charge of the investigation of B103 implementation. These parties has asked the Minister to order the The Danish Competition Authority to go into the work as agreed last year. The minister rejected and now the opposition is talking about asking Bo Vesterdorf to do it instead. -Woow.

Is it real or are they just teasing the minister to make him work with The Danish Competition Authority as he should ?