LibreOffice 3.3, the open source office suite, now available

LibreOffice -- the Document Foundation's fork of OpenOffice -- has come a long way since the project was first announced in September 2010. Today, the Foundation has announced that its first stable release, LibreOffice 3.3, is ready to download.

Among the many changes you'll find in version 3.3 are the arrival of new import filters and improvements to existing ones -- key features when you're trying to persuade users to migrate from competing suites like Microsoft Office, Works, or WordPerfect. Calc (the LibreOffice spreadsheet app) now boasts better Excel interoperability, SVG images can be opened and modified in Draw, and they can also be imported into Writer.

The Suite's PowerPoint alternative -- Presenter -- now ships with a presentation mode plug-in which makes controlling slideshows from your laptop a breeze. Testers will enjoy the addition of Experimental Mode, which you can toggle if you'd like to play with new features before they've officially been added to LibreOffice. It's a bit like the about:flags page in Google Chrome. LibreOffice 3.3 also sports a long list of interface and usability tweaks -- check out this page at the official site for a complete rundown.

Download LibreOffice 3.3 for Windows, Mac, or Linux

Tags: apps, document foundation, DocumentFoundation, libreoffice, libreoffice 3.3, Libreoffice3.3, linux, mac, office, open source, openoffice, OpenSource, oss, productivity, suite, windows

via downloadsquad.switched.com

I have been waiting for a stable version, so I can try it out instead of OpenOffice.org. Thanks DownloadSquad

Will be trying out soon.

If you have worked with LibreOffice, let me know what you think about it.

Posted via email from sefcug's posterous

RedNotebook: Free Daily Journal Software

via cybernetnews.com

Looks interesting.

I am not much of a journalizer myself, but if I wanted to try it this sounds real good, and the price is right.

Anyone into journaling? If so, try it and let me know what you think.

Posted via email from sefcug's posterous

Linux - Easiest Linux Guide Ever

With the recent end of Windows 98 support, there are likely to be a lot of computers that, though old, can still be of use when converted to Linux and the many applications that come with Linux distributions.

With this in mind, I thought I would pass on some information I ran across in my lunch time internet wanderings.

Scott Morris posted “The Easiest Linux Guide You’ll Ever Read - an introduction to Linux for Windows users” - a book by Scott Morris on his SUSERANTS Blog.

This guide is geared towards Suse Linux 10.1, but is a good overall guide to installing and using Linux distributions in general. The guide is a 162 page PDF file and explains in a well thought out manner the similarities and differences between Windows and Linux. It contains information on both full Linux only installation and dual boot installation with Windows, as well as touching on the "live" CD option of trying out Linux.

I suggest that if you have not tried Linux and you have an old Windows 98 machine, you at least download this guide and read it through, before getting rid of a perfectly useful piece of equipment.

I have been experimenting with Linux for over a year now, using the dual boot option, on one of my home PCs and plan to convert an old Windows 98 machine to a Linux only machine in the near future, when I can find the time to get everything set up.

If you do end up setting up a Linux system, or even a dual boot system, please let me know what you think and if Scott's guide influenced you in anyway. I am sure that Scott would also like to know, so let him know also.

Finally, if you really get into Linux and you are in the South Florida area check out The Florida Linux User Xchange.