Ubuntu: Up and Running

Chapter 12. Using OpenOffice.org

One of the great things about Ubuntu is that it comes with a wide range of ready-to-use software. And one of the best of these is the OpenOffice.org productivity suite, which comprises all the major applications you find in other office suites, such as Microsoft Office.

Not only do you get a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation maker, OpenOffice.org also includes a drawing application, a database program, and a utility for creating mathematical formulas.

What’s more, OpenOffice.org can read and write files in many formats, including Microsoft’s familiar .xls, .doc, and .ppt, and it can even export PDF files. This means you can share and collaborate on documents with users of other operating systems and office suites. And like Ubuntu, OpenOffice.org is a free program with no purchase, upgrade, or license fees to pay, eliminating both up-front and ongoing costs.

Preparing the Example Files

You will recall from earlier chapters that your home folder contains an Examples folder with several example documents. Actually, Examples is a shortcut that points to the folder /usr/share/example-content, and all the files in it were created by the user root. This means that they can be read but not edited or saved. You’ll be able to tell this when you open a file because the title bar at the top will say “(read-only)” next to the name of the document, and you won’t be able to add or change anything.

So if you want to try out the various OpenOffice.org programs ...