Frequently Asked Questions
Sounds good doesn't it, getting Word, Excel and PowerPoint compatibility and more for a small fraction of what Microsoft Office costs?
Most people want to know more before trying the software - this is the place to find the answers.
The OpenOffice.org Software
Is OpenOffice.org really a genuine alternative to Microsoft Office?
Can OpenOffice.org be used by businesses?
What does it look like?
It sounds complicated, I'm a novice - will I be able to install/use the program(s)?
What are the System Requirements to use OpenOffice.org?
I've never heard of it, is anyone else using OpenOffice.org?
What's PDF, why would I want to export to Portable Document Format?
What's SWF, why would I want to export to Flash?
The 8daysaweek Referral Scheme
The 8daysaweek CD
Do you sell OpenOffice.org?
Why should I buy an item or service from you?
What is "Open Source Software"? What is "Freeware"?
How good are the programs? What do they do?
How can I get a copy of the CD with OpenOffice.org and other freeware programs on it? How much is it?
Standard ISO Image CD
Why do you sell more than 1 OpenOffice.org CD? What is the difference between them?
What does ISO mean?
Other Questions
Q Is OpenOffice.org really a genuine alternative to Microsoft Office?
A Yes. OpenOffice.org (OOo) is an excellent fully-featured
office suite.
In fact there are some features in OpenOffice.org that are considerably better than
Microsoft Office. Users who are familiar with MS Office will quickly
get used to some slightly different menu layouts and features in OpenOffice.org,
but most functions in OpenOffice.org are very similar to MS Office.
OOo includes key desktop applications, such as a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation manager, database, and drawing program, with a user interface and feature set similar to other office suites. Sophisticated and flexible, OpenOffice.org also works transparently with a variety of file formats, including those of Microsoft Office, and the vendor-neutral OpenDocument standard from OASIS.
OpenOffice.org's Mission Statement:
"To create, as a community, the leading international office suite that will run on all major
platforms and provide access to all functionality and data through open-component based
APIs and an
XML-based file format."
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What's in OpenOffice.org 2.1? |
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| WRITER |
full-featured word processor, similar to MS Word. Use it for anything from writing a quick letter to producing an entire book with embedded illustrations, cross-references, tables of contents, indexes, bibliographies... Auto-complete, auto-format, and real-time spelling check make light work of the hardest task. Writer is powerful enough to tackle desktop publishing tasks such as creating multi-column newsletters, brochures etc. Also includes simple HTML creation / editing facilities! |
| CALC |
full spreadsheet functionality, similar to MS Excel. All the tools you need to calculate, analyse, summarise, and present your data in numerical reports or graphics. |
| IMPRESS |
full-featured presentation tool, similar to MS PowerPoint. The fastest, most powerful way to create effective multimedia presentations. Your presentations will truly stand out with special effects, animation and high-impact drawing tools. |
| DRAW |
produces everything from simple diagrams to dynamic 3D illustrations
and special effects. Supports vector and bitmap images. |
| BASE |
New to Version 2, BASE enables you to manipulate database data seamlessly within OpenOffice.org.
Create and modify tables, forms, queries, and reports, either using your own database or
Base’s own built-in HSQL database engine. |
|
Outstanding features... |
|
|
The creation of PDF files can
require relatively expensive third party add-on tools.
With OpenOffice.org a button on the main toolbar creates PDFs with 1 click. |
|
OpenOffice.org can export presentations and drawings to the Macromedia Flash format (.swf), so it's possible to view these in a simple web browser that has the Flash plugin installed. Recipients and users of Flash presentations don't have to install a special viewer anymore in order to view a presentation. |
|
...without needing any additional software! (Microsoft Office doesn't have these features) | |
There is a commercial version of this program available (StarOffice) and both products share the
same code base.
See a comparison here
between the StarOffice 7 and OpenOffice.org 1.1 versions. You need
Adobe Reader® or an alternative PDF viewer
to view this file. (Adobe Reader®, and an alternative PDF viewer are included
on the 8daysaweek CD for Windows®).
For the differences between StarOffice 8 and OpenOffice.org 2.0 click here.
Q Can OpenOffice.org be used by businesses?
A Yes. OpenOffice.org is stable, and it contains all the features you would expect from Office Software.
As it is compatible with Excel, Word and PowerPoint, you can reduce your business costs dramatically by using copies of OOo instead of purchasing (and keeping track of) numerous costly Office software licenses. There are no licensing restrictions with OOo, lots of companies provide professional training and support, and you can still send and receive files to and from Microsoft Office users.
Many businesses have already migrated to OpenOffice.org as they recognize the savings that can be made, and because IT Managers/Professionals have often been the first to adopt OOo and promote its use.
Q What does it look like?
A View OOo 1.1.x screenshots here, please be patient while the images load.
We plan to add OOo 2.1 screenshots in the future.
Q It sounds complicated, I'm a novice - will I be able to install/use the program(s)?
A Yes.
One of the reasons the 8daysaweek CD was created was because
OpenOffice.org 1.1.x was quite difficult to install manually. Things have improved with OOo2, but the
8daysaweek CD makes installing OOo2, and many other programs a
breeze. The CD makes it easy for anyone to install and use OpenOffice.org.
The official web site (although very good for IT professionals) is quite complicated and, while choice is a good thing, there are many (confusing for some) links to follow to find what you want.
Our aim is to remain user-focused. Not all users are computer experts—nor do we all want to be—so our hope is that everyone will find our website easy to understand and navigate.
We provide Easy Installation Instructions with our items and a Simple Installation Routine for Windows computers to help anyone install the software. Many satisfied customers already have!
Portable Applications on USB Key don't even require installation, just plug in and go!
The CDs also have 8daysaweek help pages (in HTML format) on them to help during installation, these pages also include many links to give you help and instructions once you are using the program(s).
We also have Forums and a Help Centre to provide after-sales support to our customers, and help to everyone using OpenOffice.org.
Q What are the System Requirements to use OpenOffice.org?
A Your computer should have the following specification:
|
System Requirements for OpenOffice.org 2.1.x Microsoft Windows®
Linux
Mac OS X (X11)
Solaris: SPARC platform edition
Solaris: x86 platform edition
|
|
System Requirements for OpenOffice.org 1.1.x Windows
GNU/Linux ("Linux")
Mac OS X OpenOffice.org 1.1.2 Mac OS X (X11) requires:
Solaris (SPARC)
|
Q I've never heard of it, is anyone else using OpenOffice.org?
A Yes. "Sometime in early April 2005 we passed 40 million downloads. This of course does not mean that 40 million people use OpenOffice.org; the number, we believe, is actually higher. It does mean that the application and source has been downloaded at least 40 million times, with the vast majority since the release of 1.0 in May 2002."
The number of downloads is now estimated at over 100 million - February 2008
| Check this site for templates to use with OpenOffice.org: |
|
Our 8daysaweek OOoExtras CD includes the templates from OOExtras plus thousands of other templates, ClipArt images and more.
Still not sure? Here are some more links...
-- Numerous published books refer to OpenOffice.org --
-- Massachusetts State dept. switches to OpenDocument format --
-- French police to switch to OpenOffice[.org] --
-- Google aims to "explore opportunities to promote" Sun's OpenOffice software. --
-- Review of OpenOffice.org on Linux --
-- Read migration stories --
-- Visit the Help Centre to find more reviews and resources --
Q What's PDF, why would I want to export to Portable Document Format?
A PDFs enable you to send people documents which appear exactly as you designed them.
The way a document appears when you send it to someone often depends on their computer.
For instance, if you use the font "CG Omega" in a document, then send it to someone who doesn't have that font installed on their computer, the text will look different when they receive it. If you put a link to a picture in the document, the recipient won't see it unless they have the same image on their computer, in exactly the same folder location as it is on yours (highly unlikely!).
A PDF document has embedded in it all the elements it needs to display a document in exactly the same way at the recipient's end.
Q What's SWF, why would I want to export to Flash?
A SWF stands for Shockwave Flash it is the file extension given to a file created in Flash.
SWF is the file format used by Macromedia Flash to deliver graphics, animation and sound over the Internet. Almost 95% of web users can view SWF content without having to install a new plug-in (although a plugin is freely available), and over 300 million people have downloaded the Flash player.
OpenOffice.org allows you to export a presentation into Flash, so that it can be viewed on any computer with a Web Browser, even if that computer doesn't have MS PowerPoint or OpenOffice.org installed on it.
Q Do you sell OpenOffice.org?
A Yes... and no.
A strange answer you may think. OpenOffice.org is 'Open Source Software'. This means
it is written and distributed for free. You can read about the license
here.
- From this site we sell CDs which have the downloads from the
OpenOffice.org site for all the platforms that OpenOffice.org is currently available for
(Windows, Linux, Solaris SPARC, Mac OS X, LinuxPPC, Solaris x86).
If you were to download these with a reliable 56kbps modem connection consistently connected at full speed it would take over 17 hours.
- We have permission from OpenOffice.org to use their logos and distribute OpenOffice.org on this CD as a "Community Distributor". If you visit the site, you will see that "8 days a week" is the first company listed in the UK selling CD-Roms.
- Each CD for Windows® has menus on that 8daysaweek.co.uk have written which make it simple and easy for you to be working with OpenOffice.org in a matter of minutes - even if you're a computer novice.
- The CD comes with instructions which explain how OpenOffice.org is installed and help you to get started with Quick Start Easy Installation instructions for Windows computers. There are web pages on the CD to give extra help when you are installing, and they provide links to help you when you're using the software.
- Many additional high-quality and useful Open Source programs and freeware programs are included on our CDs. There are also links to other sites that have useful or interesting software available on them.
Q Why should I buy an item or service from you?
A Here are some reasons...- Easy Installation Menus (Windows CDs) and Simple Instructions.
- We offer automatic improvements, or optional extras during installation.
e.g. In OOo 2.0.1 the officially released file omitted the Calc Help files. We noticed this and so in the 8daysaweek CD for Windows® v8.1 these files were automatically installed. We also offer the option of installing the UK (GB) English Language Pack and are considering other installation enhancements for future releases. - We regularly update and release new versions of our items.
In contrast with some other software collections, we try to ensure that the current release of any of our items has the latest version of OpenOffice.org and the latest version of all the other software titles on the CD. So, the CDs are not only useful for people without fast Internet connections (over 18 hours of downloads at full speed with a 56kbps modem), they may also introduce you to software you've never heard of before, and/or save you time checking to see if you have the latest release. - The 8daysaweek.co.uk CD
has a JRE (Java Runtime Environment) on it.
OpenOffice.org requires Java (more software) for some functions. Installation of the JRE is an option during the 'Easy Installation' process - so you don't have to install it separately to get full functionality. - Web pages on CDs that give you more help when installing and using OpenOffice.org. These pages are also a central source for all the scattered links on the net that can help you when using the program.
- We regularly search for, and test Open Source Software and Freeware programs available
on the www.
We do not restrict the programs included on our items to Open Source software
(although that is our preference).
However any program/software we do include will have these things in common:
- High Quality
- Useful
- Easy to install and use
- Aimed predominantly at end users
- Provides functions not available elsewhere, or significantly more expensive
- No cost to use, no registration required, no expiry, no adware, spyware etc.
When considering any additional programs/software for inclusion we prefer:
- Open Source
- Cross Platform
- Projects with regularly maintained websites and/or releases of new versions
- Our CDs are professionally produced using high quality CD media.
- We print the full-colour logos and text directly onto the surface of the CD. We don't use CD pens or paper labels, see a picture here.
- The proceeds from the 8daysaweek CDs help to keep this site running; providing downloads, resources, news and support to OOo users, and advocating and supporting Open Source Software projects and developers.
- We make a donation to OpenOffice.org for every 8daysaweek CD sold and regularly donate to the other projects whose software we distribute.
- We're confident you'll love the program(s) after buying an item from us, so we'll give you an incentive to recommended us to others (and they'll get a discount too!).
Q What is "Open Source Software"? What is "Freeware"? What is "Shareware"?
A There can be some confusion over what these terms mean, so here are brief definitions of some of the different types of "free" software there is...
Open Source Software
Open Source Software is always free in the sense of "Free speech".
It's also often free as in "No charge".
The first freedom, open access to the source code, is because the roots of OSS are in the academic world. Here the practice of sharing information is well established, that's how scientific progress is made.
The second freedom, cost, leads from the first. If the source code is available then the program is available. The program is the bit you would buy.
http://www.opensource.org/
http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php
Freeware
Freeware is computer software which is made available free of charge, although typically freeware is proprietary.
Unlike "free software" (as defined by Richard Stallman), it is usually distributed without source code and often carries a restrictive license. For example, a license might allow the software to be freely copied, but not sold, or might forbid commercial, government or military use.
A Note about Freeware
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware/
Shareware
Shareware is software that is distributed free on a trial basis with the understanding that the user may need or want to pay for it later. Some software developers offer a shareware version of their program with a built-in expiration date (after 30 days, the user can no longer get access to the program). Other shareware (sometimes called liteware) is offered with certain capabilities disabled as an enticement to buy the complete version of the program. ...
www.planetech.co.uk/glossary.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shareware
Many Open Source projects are run by volunteer developers, or individuals. Although the software is distributed "without charge", this doesn't mean that it is "without cost" and many projects welcome contributions of various types including monetary donations. 8daysaweek make donations to all of the projects whose software we distribute.
Q How good are the programs? What do they do?
A The Open Source and Freeware programs are those we have found most useful. We also distribute OpenOffice.org Extras (Templates, ClipArt, Tutorials etc.)
Most of the software we distribute is "Open Source Software", although we may also include some "Freeware" where licenses permit redistribution.
The actual programs on the CD may change as we find and evaluate new software. We often use the CDs ourselves when setting up new computers, doing reinstallations and installing individual programs so we are always looking for ways to improve the content and ease of use.
The Open Source and Freeware programs and other resources we distribute have included...
- Office Suite
- Word Processor
- Web Browser
- Email client
- HTML editors
- RAM Manager
- Security Tool
- Desktop alarm clock
- Taskbar Clock enhancement
- Excellent Wallpaper Changer utility
- User Guides
- Printed paperback books and PDF book distribution
- How To Guides
- Document & Label Templates
- ClipArt
- Tutorials
- Galleries
- Macros
...and many more! This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, click here to see our latest releases.
We also provide links to many more interesting and useful web sites for programs that can be downloaded for free.
Q How can I get a copy of a CD or USB key with OpenOffice.org and other Open Source and Freeware programs on it? How much are they?
A Ordering an 8daysaweek CD is easy...
- Click on the [Buy Now] button for the CD you want on this page
- Check your shopping cart (add more items if you wish, free P+P for orders of £10 or more)
- Click [Go to Payments] and you will be prompted for all necessary information
Click here for prices, and information about referal benefits.
Q How do I benefit from recommending 8daysaweek.co.uk to others?
A When you recommend 8daysaweek.co.uk to someone, and they subsequently order one or more items from us, you can claim a free CD from us.
When your item is despatched, you will receive a Customer ID number and a Personal Discount Voucher Code (PDVC).
When you give your PDVC to someone and they use it when ordering from us, they will receive a discount off their order.
The code enables us to identify you as the referrer and we will note this in our records.
You can then claim a free CD. Click here for details of how to claim.
Recently we have been including in packages Business Card size handouts, which briefly explain what is included on the 8daysaweek CD. These are ideal for giving to friends, colleagues etc.
We have a Portable Document Format (.pdf) A4 "poster" which is ideal for pinning on Notice Boards (if you have permission to do so).
We also have an A5 "flyer" for handing out to people who are interested in the program. 2 flyers are laid out on a landscape oriented A4 sheet.
You can click here to get the poster and flyer.
Simply write your "personal discount voucher code" on the handout/poster/flyer. Anyone who uses it will receive a discount and you will be able to claim 1 free CD for each referred purchase.
We have also joined a banner campaign to advertise 8daysaweek on other websites:
Currently offline
Q Is there an incentive for people to use my Personal Discount Voucher Code (PDVC)?
A Yes. If the person you refer uses your "Personal Discount Voucher Code" they will receive a discount on their purchase too.
Click here to see the current prices, discounts, referral benefits and transaction costs.
Q How many free CDs can I claim?
A You can claim 1 CD per order placed using your PDVC.
There is no limit to the number of times you can claim free CDs, providing we have previously received the equivalent number of orders from different customers using your PDVC.
The offer of free CDs (you only pay P+P) is at our discretion and is subject to change without notice.
Q Are there any conditions to claiming a free CD?
A To claim a free CD we must have received an order from someone else using your PDVC.
This means that the separate order must be from a separate email address and a separate billing address (separate delivery addresses do not qualify).
Offer only applies to CDs - other items cannot be claimed.
Only 1 free CD (you only pay P+P) can be claimed per order placed using your PDVC, notwithstanding the number of items in that order.
We must receive an order using your PDVC prior to you claiming your free CD (so please check whether the person you referred has ordered).
We cannot retrospectively supply free CDs for referred purchases, so please remind the person you refer that they need to use your PDVC in the correct box in the Shopping Cart. They benefit from this, as they will then also receive a discount off their order if they apply the Voucher.
The offer of free CDs (you only pay P+P) is at our discretion and is subject to change without notice.
Q When will I receive my free CD?
A Your free CD (you only pay P+P) is claimed through our Shopping Cart, and is processed in the normal way.
When someone else buys a CD using your "Personal Discount Voucher Code" to earn a discount, we record this information.
Once you have claimed your free CD (you only pay P+P) through our Shopping Cart, then your claim/order is processed along with all our other orders, and your CD will be despatched within the next 1-2 working days.
Q Why do you sell more than 1 OpenOffice.org CD? What are the differences between them?
A As a "Community Distributor" we subscribe to the OpenOffice.org CD-Rom project Mailing List. One of the aims of the project is to produce a 'Standard' CD.
This is the CD offered by most other Community Distributors. It doesn't always include the latest version of OpenOffice.org, sometimes a few weeks or months can pass before the CD is updated. (e.g. at the time of writing the latest verison of OOo is 2.0.2, released first week of March 2006. As of 27th April 2006 an updated version of the "Standard ISO Image" is not yet available.)
We saw a number of improvements that could be made to the CD. The "Standard ISO Image" CD doesn't have our Easy Installation Menus, installation enhancements, instructions on paper, or the other extra online help files and Open Source and Freeware programs included on the 8daysaweek.co.uk CD.
If you are confident about installing programs and you can't or don't want to do a long download, or simply want a 'backup copy' of OpenOffice.org then the "Standard ISO Image" CD will probably be adequate for you.
To see the Directory Tree for the CD click here - we don't maintain this page so cannot say whether the information is up to date. There's also more information here.
The "Standard ISO Image" is usually sent in a plastic sleeve. It is a CDR with our logo, and an OpenOffice.org logo printed directly onto high-quality media in full colour. We are not responsible for the contents of the CD and don't make any changes to it.
We also produce/sell CDs specifically for other Operating Systems, (Mac and Linux) and an 8daysaweek OOoExtras CD which includes templates, Macros and more.
Q What does ISO mean?
A ISO is the "International Organization for Standardization".
If you're thinking "Why isn't it IOS then?" look here.
This isn't especially important when talking specifically about this OpenOffice.org CD - it just means that an "image" or structure of a CD has been agreed upon which conforms to ISO standards for CDs and can be read by all computers.
Actually, our other CDs also conform to ISO standards they're just different from the 'Standard' one from the CD-Rom project.
Q I have a question about OpenOffice.org or 8daysaweek that isn't answered here, how can I ask it?
A Support requests (questions about how to use OpenOffice.org) should be posted to our forums where you can get help from us and other OOo users.
Click here to send a question (not a support request) using the Enquiry Form - This is for pre-sales enquiries or other non-support questions. You'll receive an answer by email and, if appropriate, we will add your question (and answer) to the site.
If you're already using OOo and have a question about features or using the program, then please search our forums and, if your question isn't already there, register and post your question.
NB. We at 8daysaweek.co.uk didn't write any of the OpenOffice.org software - we are OOo users.
We offer as much support as we can for OpenOffice.org but we also provide a central resource for all the other scattered sources of help on the web. We aim to make this site the best place for users to visit to find the highest quality of information about OpenOffice.org.
One of the resources we provide is the Help Centre.
We, and other OOo experts, also frequent the forums and offer help & support there.
Q How can I contact you?
A For support please contact us via the forums.
For other correspondence (not support), email us at this address:
| Email Address: |  |
All of our communications are online, we don't have telephone facilities.
Q Who are 8daysaweek?
A About Us:
www.8daysaweek.co.uk is a UK (Midlands) based web-site.
We have over 10 years experience in the I.T. industry, with expertise in User Support, Databases, Network Management and Websites.
This site was set up after we noted that open source software, and in particular OpenOffice.org had matured to the point where the average computer user could expect to be able to use it comfortably, without needing technical expertise.
Even so, most of the information available on the Internet about OpenOffice.org and other Open Source Software is still often aimed at experts, rather than those who just want to "get the job done"; we aim to provide information for users.
Much Open Source Software available now compares favourably with--or outperforms--the equivalent (expensive) programs most people have become familiar with.
We don't have an 'axe to grind' as far as Microsoft are concerned but see OpenOffice.org as high-quality software and a genuine alternative to the Microsoft Office Suite.
In our opinion it is good for everyone if information storage and exchange is based on open standards, and there are good-quality, affordable, alternatives to Microsoft products.
Q Can you send me an invoice / VAT receipt?
A We aren’t currently VAT registered.
When you place an order with us via our Shopping Cart you will receive an order acknowledgement by email which includes all of the details of your order including the prices of individual items.
You can print the email receipt, or the details of the transaction emailed to you from our payment processor (Nochex or PayPal) to use for your records.
Q What is the 8daysaweek Mission Statement?
A Mission Statement (last updated 2nd January 2006):
To complement the www.openoffice.org website by making www.8daysaweek.co.uk the first place anyone interested in using OpenOffice.org visits to:
- order a CD containing OpenOffice.org and other Open Source programs
- order Portable Applications (including OpenOffice.org) on a USB flash drive
- order a "Standard ISO Image" CD
- find all the other most useful websites about OpenOffice.org
- find or offer help installing or using OpenOffice.org
- contribute links and resources helpful to other users
This is primarily a "User-Focused" site. Although OpenOffice.org is well-known among I.T. professionals, many SOHO (Small Office / Home Office) users haven't heard about it. This site aims to make OOo easily available to everyone, and provide help to users who've never used anything other than Microsoft products before.
As part of this we also aim to promote the use of other stable, alternative, (usually) Open Source applications which provide equivalent, or better, features than the applications that come pre-installed on many computers.
If you have any suggestions please let us know.
Q What is your Privacy Policy?
A Privacy Policy (last updated 17th June 2004):
Principles
There are eight principles put in place by the Data Protection Act 1998 to make sure that your information is handled properly.
They say that data must be:
- fairly and lawfully processed;
- processed for limited purposes;
- adequate, relevant and not excessive;
- accurate;
- not kept for longer than is necessary;
- processed in line with your rights;
- secure; and,
- not transferred to countries without adequate protection.
By law data controllers have to keep to these principles.
The Information Commissioner (www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk) maintains a public register of data controllers. According to this page www.8daysaweek.co.uk are not required to register for the purposes we use individual's personal data for.
However, for your peace of mind we have voluntarily notified the Information Commissioner and are now registered - Registration Number: Z8605709. You can search the Data Protection Register here.
The small print...
- We have permission from OpenOffice.org to distribute the software as a Community Distributor.
- The downloaded files have been checked Using MD5 Checksums.
- The installation files/menus have been tested on Windows XP Pro and Windows 98SE computers.
- We don't have the time to offer in depth support for this software to individuals, but support is offered through our forums and we have provided plenty of links and instructions on the CD.
- The CDs and other media we despatch are scanned for viruses. We recommend that you still scan any media you receive from us (or anywhere else) with your own up to date virus checker.
- We offer all items in good faith and the instructions we provide are as comprehensive as possible. We have used all the software we promote without problems, however if you decide to install any of this software you do so at your own risk.
- Due to the nature and low value of the items, refunds incur a 50% handling charge, so please check the System Requirements and be sure to understand what you are buying - feel free to get in contact if you have any questions.
- We use OpenOffice.org and have found it to be very stable.
The following disclaimer is copied from the OpenOffice.org web site. It is
here to fulfil the requirements for distributing the software:
You must place a disclaimer, clearly visible to all interested in downloading the application, that reads: These binaries (installable software) are in development. They may not be fully stable and should be used with caution. We make no claims about them.
