[SC.LUG] OpenOffice in schools

[David Holden]

On Monday 10 September 2007, Roger Gibson wrote:
> David Holden said the following on 10/09/2007 13:00:
> > On Monday 10 September 2007, Kris Douglas wrote:
> >> Today I completed an assignment for IT in Linux. (We dont have any
> >> windoze machines in the house). So I saved it in a format supposedly
> >> compatible with Microsoft Office 2003, but...of course, microsoft's
> >> (lack of) support for open document format has redered the rather hefty
> >> assignment useless to the school. I think this is a pile of animal's
> >> fecal matter, the school should cater for the people that are actually
> >> using some software that is compatible with open formats available on
> >> the *nix platforms.
> >>
> >> I intend to complain at my school today to see if I can get some form of
> >> open solution for the software made available to us. But I am interested
> >> to hear your oppinions on this issue, and if its actually worth
> >> promoting.
> >>
> >> A rather peed off,
> >> Kris Douglas
> >>       Softdel Limited Hosting Services
> >>
> >>       Web: www.softdel.net
> >>       Mail: kris at softdel.net
> >
> > Are the school requiring you to submit your assignment in a microsoft
> > compatible format, if so then this seems unreasonable unless they pay for
> > you to own a copy of MS office.
> >
> > As it is I suggest you keep you your assignment as is and point you
> > school to where they can download free software to view it, e.g. open
> > office.
> >
> >  Dave.
>
> But if Open Office will not write an Office 2003 compatible version of
> this assignment, will it be able to read it on a Windoze PC?  Would a
> PDF version be acceptable?

I'm not suggesting saves as office 2003, I say save as ODF and tell them to 
download openoffice.


>
> On a more philosophical level, if Linux etc is to make inroads into the
> Windoze environment, it has to be able to read and write compatibly with
> MS Office, otherwise no-one will ever give Linux a go.

I agree to some extent however, if large organisation/governments start to 
require ISO standard documents (which some are) the tables will be turned..

 Dave.




-- 
Dr. David Holden.

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