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Open Office - [discuss] excel->oocalc incompatibility leads to grading "gotchas"

Open Office - [discuss] excel->oocalc incompatibility leads to grading "gotchas"

[discuss] excel->oocalc incompatibility leads to grading "gotchas"

Posted: 19 May 2006 03:24 PM PDT

Hi Brian

I'm sorry about the problems you've had, and I'm glad (for you and the =

students) that you discovered the lower marks before it was too late.

You seem to be making three main points, that I'd like to comment on.


1. SOME CALC FUNCTIONS DIFFER FROM EXCEL FUNCTIONS
 

While many of the fuctions work the same way in both programs, there are=
=

functions and notation that do differ.

While I wouldn't like OpenOffice.org to be limited to copying Microsoft'=
s =

functions, I think you are making a good point. If you have an Excel =

spreadsheet that works fine in Excel, and you import it into Calc, you =

would normally assume that the formulas would give the same answers. =

Either the import process should convert the formulas to the equivalent =
=

Calc formulas, or a warning should be given that some formulas in the =

spreadsheet may give different answers to Excel.

Sometimes there is only a slight difference between the formulas, and th=
e =

answers would usually (but not always) be the same. It may be difficult =
to =

determine just how to convert each formula into Calc. In this case, =

changing MIN to MINA would have been appropriate, but would it always be=
=

appropriate in every spreadsheet? That is hard to know.

I'm sure this has been discussed before. Does anyone have some further =

insight?


2. THIS INCOMPATIBILITY WILL DISCOURAGE MIGRATION
 

I disagree with this point - as long as the people considering migration=
=

understand the issues. There is always a cost in migration, and usually =
a =

big part of that cost is learning to do things a new way.

I don't know how many different spreadsheet programs I've used since the=
=

DOS days. It's probably somewhere between 10 and 20. All of them deal wi=
th =

many functions in different ways.

Same goes for word processing. I used to know every function key =

combination for WordPerfect 5.1, and it hasn't helped me one bit in any =
=

word processing program. They all have different features, key =

combinations and menu structures.

But that's the great thing about OpenOffice.org. It's cross platform. Ge=
t =

to know it in Windows, and you can use it in Linux. Possibly that's a =

starting point when talking to your friends - get them to consider =

changing to OpenOffice.org and Firefox, and talk about Linux when they'v=
e =

made that change.

In fact, if you'd created your spreadsheet in OpenOffice.org for Windows=
, =

you wouldn't have had a problem using it in Linux.

In case I wasn't clear, my point is that once people migrate to =

OpenOffice.org, they will be making Calc spreadsheets with Calc formulas=
, =

not Excel spreadsheets with Excel formulas. This situation won't happen =
=

(except for possibly temporarily during the migration).


3. EXCEL'S USE OF THE MIN FUNCTION IS SUPERIOR
 

I appreciate the IMHO, and understand everyone's preferences are differe=
nt.

I don't have a strong preference here, as long as I know how the functio=
n =

will work.

But I did do a quick search in Google, and found quite a few faq's and =

tutorials explaining how to get around the way Excel does MIN. It seems =
=

that a lot of people get a minimum value of 0 when they weren't expectin=
g =

it. A blank cell somewhere was mucking up their expectation of the resul=
ts.

But everyone's different.


Thanks for your honest email, Brian. I think you're main point was numbe=
r =

1, and I think it's fairly valid.

Does anyone have suggestions of a helpful way forward?

Adrian




-- =

Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

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[discuss] Feature Idea!

Posted: 18 May 2006 01:43 AM PDT

On Thu May 18 2006 01:54, + Rosana Mayer-Conroy wrote: 

What happens if you want to insert a "/" character in your text ?
Anyway it is already there by using Ctrl + F.

Also you can configure all of your keys to functions in "Tools" -> "Configure
-> Keyboard.

Please reply to org only.

Normally org is the best list to ask questions about using
OpenOffice.org

--
CPH : OpenOffice.org contributor

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[discuss] Surprised this hasn't been on here already but....

Posted: 17 May 2006 11:38 AM PDT

Chad Smith wrote: 
 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware - that is, until a release date
is announced.
and the specific license is important, even if it is an Open Source
license, it is not necessarily compatible with the license used by OOo.
 

I had read the article at least one day before you posted the link

--
nicu
my OpenOffice.org pages: http://ooo.nicubunu.ro
Open Clip Art Library: http://www.openclipart.org
my cool Fedora wallpapers: http://fedora.nicubunu.ro/wallpapers/

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[discuss] Surprised this hasn't been on here already but.... SUN HAS OPEN SOURCED JAVA

Posted: 17 May 2006 09:38 AM PDT

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On 5/18/06, Nicu Buculei <ro> wrote: 

Here's the direct quote from the article that I linked to in my original
email:

Sun Microsystems Inc. will make its Java software available on an 

When a company announces that they will make something open source - they
have, in effect, made it open source. So both terms are correct.

More quotes:

"We want to grow our revenue as much as possible, and that starts with 
t 
ill 
So, if you had simply read the article, (which is why I bothered to link to
it), you would have been able to save your time and mine waiting for an
answer.

--=20
- Chad Smith
http://www.gimpshop.net/
http://www.whatisopenoffice.org/
http://www.chadwsmith.com/
Got an Intel Mac Mini? Want one?
http://minimacs.freepay.com/?r=3D29227644

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[discuss] Improving Impress

Posted: 16 May 2006 01:08 PM PDT

Here is a question related to this: there are many sites online that offer
templates and clipart for OpenOffice.org. Rather than including clipart and
template and such that bloat the installer file size, why not create a place
at the www.openoffice.org website that contains these, that users can upload
content to?

I hate to use Microcrap as an example again, but they have a similar service
at http://dgl.microsoft.com that contains clipart, templates, borders, sound
clips, pictures, etc. Could such a service be created at www.openoffice.org
for the OpenOffice.org suite, but also include the ability to have users
upload content? Maybe allow downloads to anyone, but uploaders must create
an account to upload, for tracking info and such?

This would provide a central location for such material, instead of having
to search it out from the myriad of sites that offer portions of such a
service.

Thoughts, comments and ideas?


Sincerely,
Andrew Robertson
derma e(r) Natural Bodycare
Export Manager
Ph. 805-582-2710 xt. 244
Fx. 805-582-2730
net
www.dermae.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Alexandro [mailto:com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 3:52 PM
To: org
Subject: Re: [discuss] Improving Impress

Yes this has been brought before, a big difference is that StarOffice is
distribute on a CD so the inclusion of ClipArt don't really hit the file
size or bandwith.

On 5/16/06, Paul William Brown <com> wrote: 


--
Alexandro Colorado


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[discuss] RFE

Posted: 16 May 2006 01:17 AM PDT

On Mon May 15 2006 17:25, + Mats Broberg wrote: 

Hi Mats,
Yes we would. You probably also want to subscribe to this mailing list to see
replies. You can subscribe to this list by sending an email to
org and reply to the confirmation request email.

Please reply to org only.

Normally org is the best list to ask questions about using
OpenOffice.org

--
CPH : OpenOffice.org contributor

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[discuss] Installing British Language Module

Posted: 16 May 2006 01:14 AM PDT

On Tue May 16 2006 03:39, + Chris Hill wrote: 

It is available thru "File" -> "Wizard" -> "Install Dictionary".

Please reply to org only.

Normally org is the best list to ask questions about using
OpenOffice.org

--
CPH : OpenOffice.org contributor

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[discuss] Word Templates in OO

Posted: 14 May 2006 09:28 AM PDT

Alexandro wrote:
 

Fortunately you are wrong. :-)
The wizard has a checkbox on its second page where you can select if you
want to convert documents, templates or both.

Best regards,
Mathias

--
Mathias Bauer - OpenOffice.org Application Framework Project Lead
Please reply to the list only, de is a spam sink.

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[discuss] File association

Posted: 13 May 2006 07:59 PM PDT

Am Sonntag, 14. Mai 2006 15:00 schrieb DPH: 

On the www.openoffice.org site > support, then the third link on the left.

Guido
 

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[discuss] Question on the Futur of "portable openOffice"

Posted: 13 May 2006 07:59 PM PDT

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Best way is to ask the developer of portable openoffice.org --- John Haller=
,
also remember that 2.0 version is bigger than the original P-OOo
http://portableapps.com/apps/office/suites/portable_openoffice

you can contribute to the project so you can get ur language developed.

On 5/14/06, KAMI <com> wrote: 
n 
le 
t! 


--=20
Alexandro Colorado

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[discuss] OpenOffice Writer: Latin text rendered in Asian font

Posted: 12 May 2006 03:26 PM PDT

Thanks. But what you typed as "?? " should actually be two spaces
in a row.

CPHennessy 提到:
 

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[discuss] Memory usage and characters

Posted: 11 May 2006 10:55 AM PDT

On Thu May 11 2006 11:17, + Henk Ursinus wrote: 

As you are not subscribed you may not have seen that:
On Sun May 14 2006 20:15, Mathias Bauer wrote: 

Please reply to org only.

Normally org is the best list to ask questions about using
OpenOffice.org

--
CPH : OpenOffice.org contributor

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[discuss] Annoying bug: suggestion

Posted: 11 May 2006 10:55 AM PDT

On Thu May 11 2006 14:37, + Nicolas Therrien wrote: 

Hi Nicolas
As you are not subscribed you may not have seen that:
On Fri May 12 2006 01:47, Richard wrote: 

Please reply to org only.

Normally org is the best list to ask questions about using
OpenOffice.org

--
CPH : OpenOffice.org contributor

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[discuss] Possible OO component to do Publisher functions

Posted: 10 May 2006 10:34 AM PDT

On Wed, 2006-05-10 at 07:58 -0500, Donald E Cochron wrote: 

Not as far as I know.

However, the "Draw" component of OOo (OpenOffice.org) can be used for
simple desktop publishing. If you need something more advanced than
publisher, then install "Scribus" from http://www.scribus.net

If you only use Outlook for email & calendar, then Mozilla Thunderbird
and Calendar http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird might meet your needs.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Please reply to org only.


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[discuss] MacIntel User

Posted: 05 May 2006 01:38 AM PDT

On Fri May 5 2006 01:29, + William Charlton wrote: 

Read the doc at :
http://eric.bachard.free.fr/mac/HowTo2.0/Howto_OOo_2.0_MacOSX_english.pdf

And download OpenOffice.org from :
ftp://ooopackages.good-day.net/pub/OpenOffice.org/MacOSX/2.0.2rc4

Please reply to org only.

Normally org is the best list to ask questions about using
OpenOffice.org

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CPH : OpenOffice.org contributor

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[discuss] Visual Basic in OpenOffice.Calc

Posted: 04 May 2006 10:41 AM PDT

Thanks!


----- Original Message -----
From: "CPHennessy" <org>
To: <org>; "Vitaliy V. Dubil'"
<com.ua>
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 8:31 PM
Subject: Re: [discuss] Visual Basic in OpenOffice.Calc

 
in 
are 
are 
using 

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