The following link doesn't show all of this month's stories. It only shows 4 or 5. Were are the rest? To read all of this month's stories in full:> http://ooonewsletter.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_ooonewsletter_archive.html Thanks. Mike
> Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:44:33 +0200> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: > [email protected]> Subject: [ooo-announce] OpenOffice.org Newsletter - > Volume 04 - Issue 9 - 03/2007> > > #########################################################################> > > OPENOFFICE.ORG NEWSLETTER> > Volume 04 - Issue 9 - 03/2007> > Please send > news clippings to:> [email protected]> > > #########################################################################> > For up-to-date news visit the OpenOffice.org Newsletter Blog:> > http://ooonewsletter.blogspot.com> > To read all of this month's stories in > full:> > http://ooonewsletter.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_ooonewsletter_archive.html> > > ATOM feed:> http://ooonewsletter.blogspot.com/atom.xml> > #########################################################################> > > > > Contents> > #########################################################################> > > 1. Announcements> ================> * OpenOffice.org 2.2 released> * > OpenOffice.org Annual Conference 2007 - Call for Papers> > > 2. Success > Stories> ==================> * German City of Freiburg moving to > OpenOffice.org and ODF> * OpenOffice.org on Intel Classmate PC's> * Dell will > ship Linux on desktop computers> * French parliament picks Ubuntu for Linux > switch> > > 3. Featured News> ================> * OpenOffice calls on Dell > for distribution deal> * OpenOffice.org wins Softpedia Pick Award> * > OpenOffice.org has been accepted for Google Summer of Code 2007> * eBay > conducts OpenOffice.org developer contest> * Final Announcement of OOo QA > Reloaded Project> * What about SVG?> * Aqua OpenOffice.org : new timeline> * > OpenOffice.org at the CeBIT '07 fair!> * Chart Colors: And the Winner is ...> > * "U.K. opposition leader calls for greater open-source adoption"> > > 4. > Tips & Tricks> ================> * "Publishing Writer documents on the Web"> > * "OOoBasic crash course: Adding GUI goodness"> * ODF manipulation using Java > technology> > > 5. OpenDocument News Roundup> 6. Clippings> > > > All news > for this month can be found at:> > http://ooonewsletter.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_ooonewsletter_archive.html> > > #########################################################################> > Want to help OpenOffice.org? Find out hot to contribute or see our> To Do > List!!> > http://www.openoffice.org/contributing.html> > http://development.openoffice.org/todo.html> > #########################################################################> > > > > Announcements> > #########################################################################> > > OpenOffice.org 2.2 released> ===========================> "While > OpenOffice.org 2.1 functions well on Microsoft's Windows Vista,> version 2.2 > makes use of some of the new cosmetic changes available in> Vista, the new > file dialogues being an example. Apple Mac users will> notice a smaller > download and a smaller installed size. The Apple Mac> Intel version has many > stability improvements, and bug fixes ranging> from .ppt export to improved > UNO connections. Version 2.2 now requires> Mac OS X 10.4.x running X11.> > > Turning to some of the enhancements made to the individual components> of > OpenOffice.org, the Calc spreadsheet has received additional> enhancements to > its support for Microsoft file formats, including> improved support for Pivot > Tables and some specialised trigonometric> functions. Base, the database > component, has improved SQL editing> functionality as well as a new "Queries > within Queries" feature.> Compatibility options for some database drivers, > such as Oracle ODBC,> have been improved. Impress, the presentations > component, offers> improvements in the handling of hidden slides which has > been made> more intuitive."> > > http://www.openoffice.org/press/press_release_ooo2.2.0.html> > > > OpenOffice.org Annual Conference 2007 - Call for Papers> > =======================================================> "The 2007 > OpenOffice.org International Conference will be held in> Barcelona, > Catalonia, Spain on 19th-21st September. See the Conference> website: > http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon2007> > The OpenOffice.org Community > invites potential speakers to submit> proposals for papers. Whether you are a > seasoned presenter, or have never> stood up in public before, if you have > something interesting to share> about OpenOffice.org - we want to hear from > you.> > Your proposal should be submitted before 1 June 2007 in order to > guarantee> that it will be considered for inclusion in the Conference."> > > http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=announce&msgNo=320> > > > > Success Stories> > #########################################################################> > > German City of Freiburg moving to OpenOffice.org and ODF> > ========================================================> "According to this > German article the German City of Freiburg will deploy> OpenOffice.org on > 2,000 desktops and expects to save 0.5M Euro over the> next two years > compared to a migration to Microsoft Office 2007.> The City of Freiburg also > adopts ODF in order to become vendor and> product independent."> > > http://blogs.sun.com/dancer/entry/german_city_of_freiburg_moving> > > > OpenOffice.org on Intel Classmate PC's> > ======================================> Two of the three Intel Classmate PC > configurations include OpenOffice.org:> > http://www.classmatepc.com/classmatepc-system-software.html> > > Dell will > ship Linux on desktop computers> =========================================> > "In light of overwhelming customer demand, Dell has officially confirmed> it > will soon offer Linux pre-installed on select consumer desktop and> notebook > systems."> Considering that almost all Linux distributions include > OpenOffice.org,> I'm sure that Dell's decision will boost the adoption and > market share> of OpenOffice.org and ODF as well.> > > http://blogs.sun.com/dancer/entry/dell_will_ship_linux_on> > > French > parliament picks Ubuntu for Linux switch> > ===============================================> "As well as using the Ubuntu > software, the parliament members and their> assistants will use Firefox, > OpenOffice, Mozilla's messaging client> Thunderbird, and other > applications."> > > http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/_French_parliament_picks_Ubuntu_for_Linux_switch/0,130061733,339274191,00.htm> > > > > Featured News> > #########################################################################> > > OpenOffice calls on Dell for distribution deal> > ==============================================> "The OpenOffice project has > published an open letter to Dell chief> executive Michael Dell asking him to > bundle OpenOffice with new systems.> > "Let's have a conversation about how > we could build an 'OpenOffice.org> supplied by Dell' product to give your > customers what they are asking> for," the group's marketing lead John > McCreesh wrote.> > The letter touted the high quality of OpenOffice and the > fact that it is> free. McCreesh also solicited a financial contribution from > Dell to assist> in the further development of the open source productivity > suite.> > The letter was inspired by Dell's IdeaStorm project to solicit > feedback> from customers by letting users vote on suggestions from fellow > users."> > http://www.itweek.co.uk/vnunet/news/2185387/openoffice-calls-dell> > > > OpenOffice.org wins Softpedia Pick Award> > ========================================> OpenOffice.org 2.2 has been awarded > by Softpedia with 5 stars and the> SoftPedia Pick Award!> > > http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Business/OpenOfficeorg.shtml> > > OpenOffice.org > has been accepted for Google Summer of Code 2007> > ===============================================================> "Late in the > night (US Pacific Time) the news about the organizations> accepted for Google > Summer of Code ™ 2007 has been sent out. Thanks> to Google for running the > program this year again and inviting> OpenOffice.org to participate.> ...> > Thanks go also to the (potential) mentors willing to work with a> student > over the summer. Let's see how many slots will be alloted> to OOo at April > 9."> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/openoffice_org_has_been_accepted> > > > eBay conducts OpenOffice.org developer contest> > ==============================================> "As you can read on the > German eBay website, eBay is conducting an> OpenOffice.org developer contest. > eBay is looking for new creative> solutions that integrate OpenOffice.org and > the eBay infrastructure> via the eBay API. The winner will be announced at > the first eBay> developer conference in Munich on 3/4 May 2007. Up to 5,000 > Euro> can be won, and the solutions will be published under an open > license."> > > http://blogs.sun.com/dancer/entry/ebay_conducts_openoffice_org_developer> > > > Final Announcement of OOo QA Reloaded Project> > =============================================> "I was told to make a final > announcement for the QA Reloaded project,> because it is now ready in > general, even if some parts like the docu and> the manual testing are still > in progress (but will hopefully be finished> soon, too).> ...> .. you want to > join one of the incredible OOo QA 'Super' Teams, but you> need some more > really good reasons .. this should solve your problem:> > - improve you > technical knowledge and writing talent> - today open source work is an > important job qualification> - sharing knowledge makes more fun> - fill > boring sparetime with sensful work> - you can support the community and give > back, of what you benefit from> - maybe you also get smarter, nicer and > happier :)"> > > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/final_announcement_of_ooo_qa> > > What > about SVG?> ===============> "The question regarding an SVG import can be > answered quite easily, too:> there is already an import filter solution > available, that has been> created by community member Dr. Bernhard Haumacher > and that can be found> at http://www.ipd.uni-karlsruhe.de/~hauma/svg-import. > The main reason for> not being part of OOo itself is, that its requirements > regarding the> baseline are quite on the high side, due to the fact that it > requires> the very good but huge Batik framework > (http://xmlgraphics.apache.org/batik)> as an essential part to work. > Nevertheless, many thanks and congrats to> Bernhard from my side for his > great work on this.> > Next step to overcome the lack of an integrated SVG > import filter is> the Google Summer Of Code (GSoC, > http://code.google.com/soc) application> proposal, hosted by the community > members Jan Holesovsky and Fridrich> Strba as possible mentors. Current state > of this project is, that it> has been announced as a GSoC proposal but still > needs final approval> > (http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Summer_of_Code_2007)."> > > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/what_about_svg> > > OpenOffice.org at the > CeBIT '07 fair!> =====================================> "Three years in a row > now, the German OpenOffice.org chapter again made> it to represent the > project at the CeBIT trade fair in Hannover, Germany.> This year, they are > sharing the booth with OpenOffice.org supporters and> services providers: we > from Sun present StarOffice and our slick x86> Solaris on a dual-core Opteron > (and, of course, the Sun weblog extension> for OOo), standing in line with > the heroic OOo volunteers to answer> helpdesk questions from the hundreds of > visitors."> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/openoffice_org_is_at_the> > > > Aqua OpenOffice.org : new timeline> ==================================> "A > new timeline for the Aqua port of OpenOffice.org has been discussed> during > our last weekly IRC meeting .> > After a little clean up ( thanks to Shaun > McDonald ) , this one will> soon replace the previous one> > This new > timeline has been prepared using the changelog I try to> maintain on my wiki > page> > > More than never, we need help, and donations ( see Cusoon - Paypal> > button inside - ;) )> > Thanks in advance !"> > > http://eric.bachard.free.fr/news/2007/03/aqua-openofficeorg-new-timeline.html> > > > Chart Colors: And the Winner is ...> > ===================================> "Thanks a lot to all of you who gave > their vote for better default> colors for the chart! The total number of > valid votes is 632, which is> an amazing number (This is more than the number > of votes for the> location of the OOoCon 2007).> > You can see the results > here. The following chart also shows the> distribution of the votes for the > different color sets. It was> created with the new chart using the new > colors."> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/chart_colors_and_the_winner> > > > "U.K. opposition leader calls for greater open-source adoption"> > ===============================================================> "Shadow > chancellor George Osborne has called for an overhaul of the> government's > approach to open source, arguing that greater use in the> public sector could > save £600 million ... a year."> > > http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9012578&intsrc=news_ts_head> > > > > Tips & Tricks> > #########################################################################> > > "Publishing Writer documents on the Web"> > ========================================> "Let's start with the simplest > scenario, where you need to convert a> single Writer document into an HTML > page. One way to do this is to use> a pair of scripts: odt2txt.py and > markdown.py. The first script converts> the Writer document into a plain text > file and turns the text formatting> into markdown markup (you can read more > about markdown here and here).> You can then convert the resulting text file > into HTML using the> markdown.py script. To perform this transformation, > simply download both> scripts, unpack them, and use the terminal to run them > as follows:"> > http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/02/22/1727218> > > > "OOoBasic crash course: Adding GUI goodness"> > ============================================> "Some OpenOffice.org macros > have rudimentary dialog boxes that allow> you to define a few parameters. If > you're ready to take your macro> programming skills to a new level, you can > learn how to create graphical> interfaces for your macros. Once you know how > to do that, you can build> advanced macros that are close to full-blown > applications."> > http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/03/14/1911247> > > > ODF manipulation using Java technology> > ======================================> "Lars Oppermann recently started the > odf4j (odf for java) subproject> of the OpenOffice.org ODF Toolkit project. I > had some experimental stuff> for ODF file handling in java lying around, > merged that with what lars> provided as initial java sources for odf4j added > some new stuff and> contributed the result to odf4j.> ...> Doing something > like this is very easy with the things now available> in odf4j. If you´ve got > some database query and want to create an> OpenDocument SpreadsheetDocument > from the result what you basically> do is:"> > > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/odf4j_at_work_in_eis> > > > OpenDocument > News Roundup> > #########################################################################> > > "CHOICE: THE KEY DIFFERENTIATOR OF OPEN SOURCE"> > ===============================================> "Open source allows its > users and members to make money, have great tools,> but it also gives them > choice. It is not just about writing and licensing> software, but also about > open standards, which is alien to Microsoft.> A case point here being > Microsoft's refusal to just work on ODF in> collaboration, instead of > creating a new, bloated standard (OOXML).> In response to an attendee’s > question on this issue, Hilf clarified> that the file format was a part of > the software, which is why they> could not adopt ODF as the file format for > subsequent versions of> MS Office.> > Dinesh Nair reacted to this by saying > that the whole OOXML, ECMA and> ISO standards play is not about standards nor > about Microsoft vs. IBM> but about legitimising a specific isolated > technology from a single> company as a standard. Nair said, “It was an eye > opener, and in my> opinion, quite damning to Microsoft. Are they really > trying to push> through their software, in the form of the inseparable > OOXML/MS Office> as an international standard? Is this all about ensuring > that future> generations of MS Office have a purpose on the planet in the > face of> competition from other office suites like OpenOffice.Org?”"> > > http://www.sda-india.com/sda_india/psecom,id,102,site_layout,sdaindia,news,16489,p,0.html> > > > OpenDocument Workshop at OASIS Symposium> > ========================================> "Hosted by the OASIS ODF Adoption > Committee, this special workshop will> focus on the 'implementability' of > using applications that comply with> the OpenDocument format OASIS Standard > (ISO/IEC 26300). Leaders from> Europe and the US will discuss the latest > advances in OpenDocument> adoption, accessibility, and programmability."> > > http://www.gridtoday.com/grid/1297121.html> > > Oregon might adopt ODF as > well> ==============================> "Oregon has joined Texas, California > and Minnesota as states that may> vote this year on legislation that would > mandate the use of open document> formats for public documents and records.> > ...> It requires state agencies, "when practicable," to use "open formats > for> which freeware is available."> > Additionally, all libraries would have > "to install and maintain freeware> so that members of public can view, print > and make copies of public> documents, if in doing so library does not incur > additional> administrative or operational expense.""> > > http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=open_source&articleId=9014658&taxonomyId=88&intsrc=kc_top> > > > 'Legitimate concerns' raised over Microsoft's Office formats> > ============================================================> "Microsoft > Corp's director of corporate standards has conceded that> 'legitimate > concerns' have been raised in response to its attempt to> fast-track the > approval of its Open XML format by ISO."> > > http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=CCED1215-080E-4A71-A5B7-15027927C415> > > > Zoho Sheet gets ODF support> ===========================> Zoho Sheet, a > web application comparable to Google Spreadsheets, just> announced ODF > support as a new feature.> > > http://blogs.sun.com/dancer/entry/zoho_sheet_gets_odf_support> > > Happy > Birthday ODF Alliance!> ============================> Congratulations! The > ODF Alliance just turned one. From the anniversary> press release I > especially like the following quote from Bristol> City Council:> "Bristol > values open standards and architectures because they increase> our > flexibility, enable effective collaboration and promote competition,> which > reduces our costs. As a result, we can direct more money into> improved > service to our public. The increased take up of ODF over the> past 12 months, > and the growing range of systems that use it, will> support our continued > drive to build openness into Bristol's technology> infrastructure." (Stewart > Long, Head of Information and Communication> Technologies, Bristol City > Council, United Kingdom)> > > http://blogs.sun.com/dancer/entry/happy_birthday_odf_alliance> > > > "Conclusions from Open Document Exchange Formats Workshop"> > ==========================================================> "The presentation > given by Dr Barbara Held is attached (pdf) but the> conclusions presented > were:> > There was strong consensus among Member State administrations on> > > * the necessity to use ODEF> * on "openness" being the basic criteria of > ODEF> * and resulting requirements towards industry players / consequences> > for public administrations> * There is a general dissatisfaction with the > perspective of having> competing standards;> * One format for one purpose: > Administrations should be able to> standardize (internally) on a minimal set > of formats;> * No incomplete implementations, no proprietary extensions;> * > Products should support all relevant standards and standards used> should be > supported by multiple products;> * Conformance testing and document > validation possibilities are needed> -> in order to facilitate mapping / > conversion;> * Handle the legacy / safeguard accessibility"> > > http://www.openforumeurope.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=937&Itemid=1> > > > OpenDocument (ODF) Enhances XML Accessibility> > =============================================> “We are thrilled with the > progress to date,” said Curtis Chong, president> of the National Federation > of the Blind in Computer Science. “Our views> ave changed over time. > OpenDocument is no longer a thing to be feared, as> we once thought. The > OASIS process exemplifies what should be done if> true accessibility to both > a document format and the tools to manipulate> it are to be achieved.”> > > http://www.cmswire.com/cms/document-management/opendocument-odf-enhances-xml-accessibility-001107.php> > > > > Clippings> > #########################################################################> > > * OpenOffice.org, "the price is right"> > http://www.technewsworld.com/story/56341.html> > * Medical record system with > OpenOffice.org support> http://www.tectonic.co.za/view.php?id=1419> > * > Search tool with OpenOffice.org support> > http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/511981/2585> > * You "barely notice the > difference"> > http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/technology/article2399581.ece> > * CAD > software with OpenOffice.org support> > http://www.tenlinks.com/NEWS/PR/ASCON/032807_template.htm> > * Microsoft Hit > By U.S. DOT Ban On Windows Vista, Explorer 7,> and Office 2007> > > http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=CPID0SY4ST0CIQSNDLRCKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=197700789> > > * Microsoft Suffers Latest Blow As NIST Bans Windows Vista> > http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198000229> > > * FAA May Ditch Microsoft's Windows Vista And Office For Google And> Linux > Combo> > http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197800480> > > * Tune-up testing speed with software test automation> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/tune_up_testing_speed_with> > * Why all > issues are equal but some are more equal than others> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/why_all_issues_are_equal> > * AAWAX or > How to Check Out OpenOffice.org fast> http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/?page=1> > > * Importing the beast...> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/importing_the_beast> > * > Patch-as-patch-can> http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/patch_as_patch_can1> > > * New update of the OpenOffice.org Developer's guide> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/ongoing_work_on_office_open> > * Ongoing > Work on Office Open XML FIlters> > http://blogs.sun.com/GullFOSS/entry/ongoing_work_on_office_open> > > > > Newsletter Archive> > #########################################################################> > Past issues of the OpenOffice.org Newsletter can be found in the archive> of > the announce mailing list:> > > http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/SummarizeList?listName=announce> > > > > Contact Information (regarding this newsletter)> > #########################################################################> > [email protected]> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------> To > unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> For additional commands, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> _________________________________________________________________ News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. 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