“Robin’s book comes at the perfect time. With the extremely popular 2.0 release, more people will discover OpenOffice.org’s incredible value. A book like Robin’s is important because it helps people master the OpenOffice.org tools they need to get things done.”

—Jeffrey Bates, VP Editorial Operations, cofounder Slashdot.org

OpenOffice.org 2.0 made easy...incredibly easy!

Tired of Microsoft Office hassles, upgrades, and cost? Try OpenOffice.org 2.0!

OpenOffice.org 2.0 is all the office productivity software you’ll ever need for your Windows or Linux computer: word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, drawing, even databases... and it’s free! Not sure it’s up to the job? It is. Not sure you can switch from Microsoft Office? You can. Just let OpenOffice.org expert and Open Source Technology Group (OSTG) editor-in-chief Robin ‘Roblimo’ Miller teach you OpenOffice.org the easy way—using the skills you already have!

Robin will help you become productive in minutes—and you don’t need to be a computer expert! His easy, visual instructions walk you through every step of every task you need to know... plus, you’ll find twenty how-to videos on CD! You’ll master everything from formatting text documents to creating presentation slide shows and building “what-if” projections to designing flowcharts. There’s even bonus coverage of Firefox and Thunderbird, the fast, safe, free software for Web browsing and e-mail!

• Master OpenOffice.org Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, and Base.

• Create Microsoft Office-compatible documents anyone can read and use.

• Analyze, manage, and manipulate business information with Calc.

• Design attractive charts and other visuals.

• Use mail merge to create great form letters or e-mails.

• Create and manipulate sophisticated databases—even if you have no previous database experience.

• Start using Firefox—the safest, most secure Web browser available for Windows!

• Filter out junk mail with Thunderbird and say goodbye to Outlook Express.

• Do things you can’t do with Microsoft Office—such as creating Flash slide shows for the Web!

TWO CD-ROMS INCLUDED

The first CD-ROM features OpenOffice 2.0 for Windows and Linux, plus the Windows versions of the latest Firefox Web browser and Thunderbird e-mail software...  just install and run!

The second CD-ROM features ‘Roblimo’ showing you how to perform twenty essential OpenOffice.org tasks in easy, bite-sized video tutorials...  just watch, and do!

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 6 Ratings

Point & Click OpenOffice.org! - 2006-01-11
Reviewer Rating:
First I want to thank the author for publishing this book since written references for OOo 2.0 are few and far between. It provides a good general introduction to select capabilities of OOo.

Beyond the above, I was very disappointed that it didn't provide more "meat." In particular I wanted information on Base, i.e., how to create, maintain, and report information from a database generated exclusively from OOo. The author does give a quick look into the reporting function and some insight into other capabilities. As well, a continuous case example would have been beneficial.

Yet, there is no information as to how to create a database in Base including editing of input data for accuracy. The author starts by directing the reader to get an existing database created from MySQL! I don't use MySQL. I use OOo!

If the buyer wants a "quick start" reference, "Point & Click OpenOffice 2.0" will do the trick. Even at that the price in the $20 range is excessive for 195 pages of generalizations.

Good Introduction, But Lacks the Depth of a User's Manual - 2006-05-03
Reviewer Rating:
I should have read all the reviews before purchasing this book. I would have noticed that it provides an excellent overview of the wonderful suite of programs known collectively as OpenOffice.org. However, had I paid attention to previous reviews, I would also have realized that the book lacks in-depth coverage of the various programs.

Point & Click certainly is well-written and easy to follow. You will get started in no time with this book. However, once you start having nitty-gritty questions about how to do this or do the other, you will not find the answers here.

migrate from Microsoft Office? - 2005-12-10
Reviewer Rating:
Wow, what a pretty cover! Certainly entices you to thumb the pages. It is clearly meant to portray OpenOffice as something easy. But what about the actual contents of the book?

The chances are good that you are already acquainted with Microsoft Office, and have thus invested some time in garnering expertise with its sundry parts. If so, none of the concepts in this book should be new to you. The ideas of writing and manipulating text in OpenOffice Writer, by cutting and pasting, or changing fonts, for instance, have exact equivalents in MS Word. But more than just the ideas, the actual operations are just as straightforward. This way, if you migrate, you can carry over much of your hard earned expertise.

Some OpenOffice proponents might claim that its usage is simpler. Perhaps. Keep in mind that the slender length of this book is because the authors deliberately eshewed a comprehensive explanation of OpenOffice. Instead, they cover the most common aspects that you are likely to need.

The book also stresses that OpenOffice can read and write documents written in Microsoft's doc format. This compatibility means you can try out OpenOffice with actual data files with no risk.

Good introduction but much more powerful than presented here - 2006-09-06
Reviewer Rating:
With the price of office software suites continuing to go up one of the more common questions these days is whether there are alternatives that provide a strong word processor and spreadsheet application. OpenOffice is one of the most popular of the alternatives and has the additional advantages of including a slide show presentation program and a database application program with the suite. In addition it is able to open Word and Excel documents as well as save documents and spreadsheets in those formats.

The book includes coverage of all the basics of installing and working with OpenOffice and all of the products included in the suite. There is no real heavy stuff here but instead covers all the most common tasks and how to accomplish them. The software is a lot more feature laden and powerful than what is covered in this book but Point and Click OpenOffice.org is the perfect place to start if you want to know how to get everyday tasks done right away. Point and Click OpenOffice.org is recommended to anyone new to OpenOffice and includes a CD with version 2.0 for Windows and Linux and 20 instructional videos.

Explores the features of this powerful program and shows how to use existing skills to make the most of it - 2006-04-04
Reviewer Rating:
OpenOffice.org 2.0 may be free, but it's anything but substandard: Robin Roblimo Miller's Point & Click Openoffice.org! explores the features of this powerful program and shows how to use existing skills to make the most of it. From creating Flash slide shows for the web to using sophisticated database structures and using Firefox, the instructions also come with OpenOffice 2.0 for Windows and Linux systems alike plus the latest Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email software for easy installation and tasks.

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