FN-GM Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Hi, I am after some free office software that will save in MS Office format by defualt. another option could be if someone has a script or patch so you can change the deault save options in OpenOffice. It needs to be soemthing automated, can't trust the kids to do it manually Thanks Z
penfold Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Can you change the OO settings in the user profile? I'm sure I did some config settings for OO in the mandatory profile so it didn't go through all the configuring settings on startup. It was a while ago now so I cant remember what I did exactly.
tmcd35 Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 There is a setting in OpenOffice that will set it's default load/save file format. I install here with Office XP file format as the standard.
penfold Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Yes, sorry you can defalt the saving of OO to MS Office by default, but I was under the impression you have already deployed it and wanted to make changes to the OO settings?
mac_shinobi Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 OpenOffice.org Forum :: Setting default save format for all users Configure, Change or Set OpenOffice.org to Default Save Files in Microsoft Office Formats My Digital Life 1
FN-GM Posted February 20, 2009 Author Posted February 20, 2009 What i am doing is giving it for the kids to install on hoem computers so the profile wont be an option. I can't trust them to do it manually though, they are lazy
mac_shinobi Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 What i am doing is giving it for the kids to install on hoem computers so the profile wont be an option. I can't trust them to do it manually though, they are lazy DIY - advise them to bring there memory sticks in and copy the ones you did onto a memory stick and do a quick read me file to show them where to paste the files to ?
FN-GM Posted February 20, 2009 Author Posted February 20, 2009 DIY - advise them to bring there memory sticks in and copy the ones you did onto a memory stick and do a quick read me file to show them where to paste the files to ? Even better would be to make a batch file to run the installer then make the changes
tmcd35 Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 ThinDownload - OpenOffice.org Not the latest version, but maybe you could do something with this. They can run OpenOffice from their penstick - no need to install - on their home computers. 1
kmount Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Cake and eat it comes to mind mate. - Save yourself the hassle and write a nice little simple tutorial for them to do this. I find that hand holding too much will only lead to poorer initiative later in life; well that's my excuse
penfold Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Why does it need to save to MS format? If your doing it so that kids can work at home and then carry on in school, why dont you just install OO so they can carry on working in school? If they need to save it in another format they can then do it themselves.
FN-GM Posted February 20, 2009 Author Posted February 20, 2009 Cake and eat it comes to mind mate. - Save yourself the hassle and write a nice little simple tutorial for them to do this. I find that hand holding too much will only lead to poorer initiative later in life; well that's my excuse We would end up having to convert them to MS Office Why does it need to save to MS format? If your doing it so that kids can work at home and then carry on in school, why dont you just install OO so they can carry on working in school? If they need to save it in another format they can then do it themselves. The NM doesn't want OpenOffice on the clients
kmount Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 You don't /know/ you won't succeed unless you try. My view is that you'll end up with more of a support role in repackaging OO yourself with the change you wish to implement as you're supplying the media/etc than a little leaflet showing them how to do it for themselves. - If the NM doesn't want OO on the network, will he be prepared to support it if someone can't do x or y when they got the CD from you? I obviously don't know your particular circumstances but I wouldn't be doing it your way at my site for the above reasoning. Good luck.
FN-GM Posted February 20, 2009 Author Posted February 20, 2009 You don't /know/ you won't succeed unless you try. My view is that you'll end up with more of a support role in repackaging OO yourself with the change you wish to implement as you're supplying the media/etc than a little leaflet showing them how to do it for themselves. - If the NM doesn't want OO on the network, will he be prepared to support it if someone can't do x or y when they got the CD from you? I obviously don't know your particular circumstances but I wouldn't be doing it your way at my site for the above reasoning. Good luck. It will be a download from the schools VLE and will not be supported by us. We have tried the tutorial with works, sent it to every child by e-mail and letter home still they don't do it. I am going to modify it to save problems down the line.
kmount Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Ah you didn't say that else I wouldn't have pushed.
mac_shinobi Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 http://portableapps.com/news/2009-02-18_-_openoffice.org_portable_3.0.1 they have a memory stick version of open office
mac_shinobi Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Cake and eat it comes to mind mate. - Save yourself the hassle and write a nice little simple tutorial for them to do this. I find that hand holding too much will only lead to poorer initiative later in life; well that's my excuse Thats what I originally said lol - maybe im a simplistic way but I still did and on that note LOL
Ric_ Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 The NM doesn't want OpenOffice on the clients Seems like installing OOo would be the easiest option... any reason why your boss objects to installing OOo? You could also install the ODF plugin for Office so OOo would work in Office.
FN-GM Posted February 21, 2009 Author Posted February 21, 2009 Seems like installing OOo would be the easiest option... any reason why your boss objects to installing OOo? You could also install the ODF plugin for Office so OOo would work in Office. I have no idea but its a no go.
kmount Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 I'd be approaching him to investigate why, especially if you're then going to lay on a version for them to download, consistency++.
penfold Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 If your NM doesn't want to install OO then I would suggest that he deals with the problems that not having on the Network creates. Seriously, if your going to suggest to pupils that they should download OO from your VLE but not having the software installed in your school seems a little short sighted to me. If he doesn't want to support the software, or a full installation then why not just install it on 1 or 2 machines. If pupils forget to save their work in MS format they still have machines available to do it themselves. I agree with the people who are saying its an education thing, teach them how to change the format they save in and they can always do it. Otherwise your always going to get pupils who have it in OO format and need you to convert it for them. Seems to me like your creating an awfull lot of work for a solution that could be easy. Edit: I realise that's not very helpfull to you, but I think asking you to solve a problem created by the NM is a bit unfair.
SimpleSi Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 The NM just wants one prog/doc format on the network for WP type work- nothing wrong in that They'd like pupils to be able to WP at home and using OO seems like a good idea. MS Office doesn't read OO format so they'd like to be able to distribute OO with MS Office as default file save Its a reasonable request The NM is not destroying education/open source movement I'll bet that many here have comparable restrictive practices implemented for good reasons regards Simon
Ric_ Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 I've actually gone to the effort of finding the link... Sun ODF Plugin for Microsoft Office
CyberNerd Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 The NM just wants one prog/doc format on the network for WP type work- nothing wrong in that It does rather limit choice, teachers and students find that they may prefer to use certain tools for certain jobs. OOo is quite simple to install and update with group policies, and it adds extra functionality that MSOffice does not provide. Adding OOo increases flexibility and compatibility. They'd like pupils to be able to WP at home and using OO seems like a good idea. Agreed, but in that case it makes sense to provide the OOo on the school computers. It's always difficult to swap between using different packages when working on the same file, even if there is a good level of interoperability. - even Becta have recommended that service providers should install at least one opensource office suite on school systems to cover this eventuality. MS Office doesn't read OO format so they'd like to be able to distribute OO with MS Office as default file save It does, version SP2 of 2007 or ric's Sun patch both allow MSOffice to save in OpenDocument Format. OOo can even open the newer Docx files giving a good level of interoperability with schools that have migrated to v2007. It took me a while to convince my NM that OOo was a good idea. At first he was completely hostile, but now he's seen sense - we have had OOo installed alongside MSOffice for years now and staff/students can use either. not sure if we'll ever upgrade MSOffice now though.
SimpleSi Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 OOo is quite simple to install and update with group policies, I might not be uptodate but isn't OO a pain to use with user profiles - doesn't it need configuring for each user/machine combination? I use OO in all my schools (bar one) so I'm a happy customer .(I only use one logon/machine so I don't have an issues with it) But I'm sure I've seen many posts saying its not easy to setup/lockdown on a big boys and girls network But my point is that an NM not wanting to install a secondary program because their happy with the one they've got is not a crime It could be considered as good management in fact Should I be pushing Scratch onto you all - its free and your pupils/teachers should be given the widest choice in what software they should be using in teaching/learning ICT (Rhetorical question for those missing my point ) regards Simon
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