[lug] Re: PowerPoint

[Thomas R. Detman]

I've been using StarOffice since last November. Before that I was using
mostly Applix.  Both are good, but there are big differences.
1. StarOffice is free, Applix is not. (This could be a problem for Applix.)
2. Older versions of Applix (like mine) will not import new versions of
Microsoft documents, but of course that is the Microsoft marketing strategy.
(I think older versions of MS Office won't import them either.)
(Pardon me while I rant. MS Office document formats would probably be a
standard if they were not already an anti-standard.)
3. StarOffice 5.2, the latest at this time, will import the current versions
of MS Office document formats, or export back to MS format, but not always
correctly, drawings and equations tend not to work as mentioned by others.
4. StarOffice is a browser that runs the "Office applications" for you; you
can't run the spread sheet, drawing, word processor, etc as a standalone.
(That capability may come in a future release, I think.)  Applix on the
other hand runs its "Office applications" in separate windows.

I just did a 32 slide "power point style" presentation with StarOffice.
It included drawings, graphics, equations and imported MS Power Point slides.
The drawings and equations did not export back into MS Power Point correctly.
Oh the other hand StarOffice was able to export the whole thing to html.

I would like to get that presentation into pdf format. Does anyone know how
to go from StarOffice *.sdd to *.pdf formats, even if some money is needed?

- Tom Detman