Special Edition Using Staroffice 6.0

A first-class user guide on OpenOffice.org/StarOffice has been written, and that book is Michael Koch's Special Edition Using StarOffice 6.0. This book, actually a second edition, covers the new version and gives fuller treatment to StarOffice writer and the HTML editor. Despite the use of "StarOffice" in the title, this book actually covers both StarOffice and OpenOffice.org in depth.An an aside, let me compliment Que editions for the legibility and usability of layout. (Que also produced the excellent Ed Bott's Special Edition Using Microsoft Office XP). Nice readable texts, lots of boxes, tips and cautions. Every chapter finishes with a helpful troubleshooting section.Two immediate reactions: 1) Gosh, I didn't know OpenOffice/StarOffice could do all that! I was pleasantly surprised, for example, to learn the number of graphic capabilities the program has. 2) This book covers functionality in considerable depth, with enough content to satisfy the newbie as well as the advanced user. In addition to documenting the office software, the book also includes reference sections on StarOffice Basic, using data sources, building forms and macros. It also includes a chapter on Adabas, the database that comes as part of the StarOffice package (but not with OpenOffice.org).Koch benefits from the fact that users already start with a good conceptual framework of what MS Office products are supposed to do. The biggest conceptual challenge in moving from MS Office to Star/OpenOffice is getting used to the idea of applying styles to text instead of just clicking on an icon for formatting. MS Office actually has terrific styling capabilities (and a usable interface for managing styles),but Microsoft's friendly GUI discourages users from thinking about document structure. Contrast that to OpenOffice.org, which nudges the user more firmly towards styles. Managing the different layers of styles in OpenOffice.org can be tricky and confusing, so Koch spends a considerable amount of time and space on that. Another chapter on sharing and exchanging information with MS Office users goes into exquisite detail about compatibility and formatting losses when converting documents, as well as the StarOffice XML file format. Generally, the book had the most reliable and in-depth information. That was especially helpful when trying to perform a complex action (like creating a table of contents). But the majority of my inquiries had to do with using the interface, not functionality. Often the sheer size of the book made daunting the simple task of finding a function on a dialog or a keyboard shortcut. This book was perfectly clear most of the time and provided generous explanations (unlike the online help, which generally was inadequate). Still, the kaaredyret and oodocs websites have been growing more helpful. The book is a little behind on what's new in openoffice. Also, it's a bit heavy and sometimes it's hard to find things in the index. For the overwhelming number of users,

We are using StarOffice since a lot of years. This new edition for StarOffice 6.0 is full of tips and tricks, of which even experienced users will learn a lot of things. Not speaking about the people making the transistion form the Microsoft products. The main differences about the philosophy of the two products (Microsoft versus Sun) are explained at a glance, with at lot of tips making the cohexistence and the conversions of the documents easier.For the user interested in writing macros, this book is a must. It offers a good start in the StarOne API, the open StarOffice API, with examples written in StarBasic. In short, this book was written by experts having a big experience in StarOffice.

I picked up a couple of copies of Special Edition Using StarOffice shortly after it was published, and since I've had it, it has been very useful to me and my associates. The book is well-structured and provides a comprehensive approach to and overview of the latest version of SO. Unlike some other readers here who voiced their opinions, I find the Index (51 pages!) well-organized, and topics easy to find. The book takes a conceptual approach to solving problems and working with an office suite. To avoid unnecessary repetition--and to provide readers with a solid introduction to the software--the first part of the book focuses on the features, functions, and tools that are common to all StarOffice 6.0 applications. The following parts focus on the features and tools of the individual applications (Writer, Calc, Draw, and Impress). The book also covers how to use SO as a database client to interface with a variety of data sources, as well as a brief but solid introduction on macro programming in StarOffice (which is no small feat and does require a geeky mindset and some experience to yield satisfactory results -- perhaps the author could expand on this topic in a separate book.) The reader can easily find and access the information they need either by looking at the very detailed table of contents in the front of the book, or the contents overview at the beginning of each chapter. I've been using StarOffice for several years now, and I find that this book provides a detailed, comprehensive, and well-designed approach to the software -- and so far, I have not found any unnecessary repetitive information or overlap between the book and the online help system, which has been dramatically improved. This book does help you make using StarOffice easier, because it not only wants you to show how to quickly perform certain steps, but also wants you to understand the logic behind the program--so you can start thinking the SO way--which is a bit different from MS Office--and thus become more proficient in StarOffice. What I like most, though, is that the author is not a "rah-rah" cheerleader of the program -- apart from the program's strengths, he also points out its weaknesses and provides workarounds if available. Last but not least, I appreciate the fact that this book has been tech-edited by a member of the StarOffice team as indicated on its back cover, which gives me confidence that the information provided is reliable and accurate.

This is an excellent resource for learning the various functions and features of the StarOffice suite. This book goes beyond the basic "how-to" information and provides in-depth information on the operation of the StarOffice applications. The book provides many helpful tips and much insight on issues you would usually have to figure out on your own. Overall, the educational aspect of the book builds your sense of confidence in the expertise of the author and his genuine desire to help you expand your own knowledge.

This book impressed me when I first opened it. The Contents at a Glance right on the first page shows just how much StarOffice is covered, and it's pretty amazing. Michael Koch describes not only all the programs that make up the suite (Writer, Calc, Draw, and Impress), like the other books I saw out there, but he also gets into working with databases, which I especially appreciate. I'm also eager to read about StarOffice Basic so I can create and run macros.I never knew StarOffice could do so much! I've used Microsoft Office for years and have grown accustomed to it but Chapter 1 detailed all I needed to know to switch to StarOffice, including such details as file format differences. I'm also used to customizing MS Office to suit my tastes, and Chapter 5 did a great job of explaining how to customize StarOffice in similar fashion.Throughout, Koch's writing is really informative and friendly. It seems like there's a tip on every page, as well as helpful cross-references to other pages that cover related material. I often find computer books of this size way too intimidating, but this one is actually a pleasure to read. I think I'll be referring to "Special Edition Using StarOffice 6.0" for some time to come.