Office 2007 documents in OpenOffice.org (Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron)
Once Hardy Heron is set up, I need to start working. One of the most important thing is the ability to open and save Microsoft Office 2007 documents. I had no problems with that when I was in openSUSE 10.3 especially after updating to the latest OpenOffice OpenXML translator provided by Novell. In fact, that’s why I chose openSUSE at first. I really liked openSUSE but getting the wireless to work is a pain especially since openSUSE won’t suspend my notebook properly and thus the workround doesn’t work.
According to Novell, the OpenXML translator can only work with the Novell edition of OpenOffice. The Ubuntu edition of OpenOffice is based on the Novell edition and thus contains the codes that will work with the OpenXML translator. But you can’t just install the RPM because first, it’s RPM and that isn’t the Ubuntu way. Secondly, if you did what I did at first by trying to install the RPM, you’d see that it complains that OpenOffice is not installed. So, we need to do this manually. I referred mainly to a maketecheasier.com article and after adding a few steps, managed to make it work. Woot! Read on for the steps
Hardy Heron, The Cool
I downloaded Hardy Heron release while it’s hot. Waited all night (I slept, though). Move my data elsewhere this morning - but lost some due to my mistake and prepare for take-off. By 12.00 pm, Hardy Heron booted Live and I played around a bit. Still, no wireless, bluetooth, or sound although they are detected. Hrmm, the ACPI switches bug has not been solved. No matter. So, I try the suspend trick. Didn’t work. Try again. The notebook hangs. Well… it’s Live.
Maybe it will work if installed, I thought. I boot again and this time select to install. Wiped-out my Mint 4.0 for it. Had to reserve XP for video editing with Vegas (and maybe some games, once in a while.. hehe). I’d probably remove XP altogether if there are Linux video editors as good as Vegas. Even if it’s commercial. As for games… I haven’t played much on PC since I got my PSP - no configuration needed, no worries about dependencies or system requirements, and no frustration for not getting the best graphics through tweaks (you get what you get.. period).
So how is Hardy Heron? One word: FANTASTIC. Do I need to say more? Well… the suspend trick is still needed to get wireless, sound, and bluetooth working but I guess that’s OK for now until I figure out a more automatic workaround. After all, I only need to do that once every boot up. Not too much of a hassle.
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Everything that happens, happens for at least one reason that every so often alludes us. When someone does an unreasonable thing, oftentimes it is because the person is unreasonable. This could be due to upbringing, society, education, or just unreasonable genetic codes. Pondering the reason will get us almost somewhere - specifically: nowhere.
