All About OpenOffice 3.0 - Extensions
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Other functions that OpenOffice 3.0 supports come as extensions. For example, the Presenter Console is a new extension that you'll only find in OpenOffice 3. The Presenter Console enables you to show upcoming slides on your laptop's screen, while showing your presentation on an external monitor at the same time. This will save you time from having to rely on paper notes as you're giving your presentation. As you can imagine, the Presenter Console does require a dual-monitor display. You can use Xinerama to set up this function.
If you need to create Wiki articles, you can use the Sun Wiki Publisher extension. You use Sun Wiki Publisher on MediaWiki servers. One great thing about this extension is that you do not need to know the syntax of the MediaWiki markup language. This extension comes with the traditional text attributes, including lists, headings, links, and simple tables. It's even compatible with image formats. However, you will need to make sure that the images are already uploaded to the wiki site. Unfortunately, it does not automatically upload images at this time.
Another extension you will find valuable is the OpenOffice Switchboard. This extension produces a Switchboard/Main interface so that it can communicate with both Base forms and reports. You have the option of organizing the Switchboard into categories. This allows you to create menu entries, including Switchboards, Switchboard Links, forms, and reports. In addition, you can tailor the form's size and screen location to your liking.
As far as performance goes, OpenOffice 3 has improved in its startup time, compared to previous versions. However, it still lags because the application suite is loading Java, in addition to itself. Even so, the latest version of OpenOffice offers a 20 percent improvement in its startup time.
Next: How Does OpenOffice Compare to Microsoft Office 2007? >>
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