The Best Free Desktop Linux . . . and how to make it better

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(Part 4)

Office

SimplyMEPIS installs OpenOffice by default. OpenOffice is the Open Source project derived from StarOffice. OpenOffice is one of the most successful Open Source projects available. OpenOffice replicates most of the functionality of Microsoft Office and includes many features that are not included in Microsoft Office. One of the best features of OpenOffice is that the file format creates smaller documents than Microsoft Office. OpenOffice can save files in Microsoft Office format. I personally only use OpenOffice and have never had a serious formatting problem. Because OpenOffice is so compatible, it might be worthwhile to keep a copy of SimplyMEPIS with you at all times as a rescue disk. It is possible to boot from CDROM and edit and print files on a computer that might not be able to boot. SimplyMEPIS puts the Printer Administration link on the menu bar. You can set up OpenOffice to print directly to FAX with this tool.

A good place to start getting additional information on OpenOffice is available here. This website will lead to lots of templates and add-ons to make OpenOffice an even better tool.

While OpenOffice is an ideal "workhorse" suite, some people might not need the sophistication of a complete office suite. There are lighter weight programs you can install. For word processing, there is AbiWord. AbiWord is a Microsoft Word clone. To install, type apt-get install abiword. Some people believe that Gnumeric is a better spreadsheet than OpenOffice Calc. If you are a heavy spreadsheet user, it would be worthwhile to download Gnumeric and test it out. To download, simply type apt-get install gnumeric.

So far, we have been adding applications using apt-get. There is another way to do this. That is to use a graphic interface called Synaptic. To install Synaptic, type apt-get install synaptic. Using Synaptic, you can now install KOffice. All the applications described in this article can be installed either by typing apt-get install or using Synaptic.

The graphics below shows KWord directly loading in a PDF created with OpenOffice. The document can now be easily edited. Given that documents can then be saved as .html files, KWrite should not be dismissed.

KWord loading a PDF file
(Click to enlarge)

Speaking of PDF, OpenOffice will allow you to create PDF files and even send them as attachments in e-mail. All applications running on SimplyMEPIS allow you to print to PDF, e-mail to PDF and print to FAX. It is possible to download Adobe Reader 5.0 for Linux from Adobe's website. I personally feel that this is not necessary as the native PFD viewer works very well. Some users might feel more comfortable using Adobe's ownSpeaking of PDF, OpenOffice will allow you to create PDF files and even send them as attachments in e-mail. All applications running on SimplyMEPIS allow you to print to PDF, e-mail to PDF and print to FAX. It is possible to download Adobe Reader 5.0 for Linux from Adobe's website. I personally feel that this is not necessary as the native PFD viewer works very well. Some users might feel more comfortable using Adobe's own reader.

Integrated PDF viewer
(Click to enlarge)

One of the most important tools I have is my Palm PDA. I use my Palm PDA for everything most people would use a laptop for. My Palm is a Tungsten T3. In order to sync data with SimplyMEPIS, I use J-Pilot. J-Pilot defaults to support older RS232 based Palm PDAs. For the T3, I need to set the serial port under Preferences --> Settings -->Serial Port to /dev/ttyUSB1. If that doesn't work for you, try /dev/ttyUSB01.

SimplyMEPIS comes with with a project management package called Imendio Planner. Online documentation for this application can be found here.

My company, NorhTec uses an Open Source package to to implement all our projects called FreeMind. FreeMind is a mind-mapping software package that allows you to link applications, graphics and files together in a free form way. You can also automatically create a web page for each project automatically. A good example of this can be found here (Java required).

FreeMind is also available for Windows. In order to download and install FreeMind, go here and choose the Debian option. Download the file into a directory of your choice – remember where that is. To install, click the Home ICON at the bottom panel. Navigate to the directory where you downloaded the file. Double click on the file you downloaded. This will bring up KPackager which will install the FreeMind.

FreeMind is a OpenSource Mind-Mapping Software
(Click to enlarge)

Look for the big green N that is followed by FreeMind. Click on FreeMind and then click on Install. Follow the instructions to install FreeMind. You can start FreeMind and opening up a terminal and typing freemind.

Added to SimplyMEPIS -- KWrite, FreeMind and Gnumeric
(Click to enlarge)

SimplyMEPIS also includes Scribus. Scribus is a dedicated desktop publishing program similar to Adobe PageMaker. Scribus is professional quality and suitable for newsletters, magazines and flyers. Additionally, Scribus is a complete PDF editor. You can create PDF forms and even use digital signatures.

Probably the greatest thing about Scribus is that it is community supported and not likely to go away. I have used many professional quality desktop publishing packages – some of which I had to personally purchase. My previous employers paid thousands of dollars for me to use Interleaf. Prior to that, I used Ventura Publisher. After that, they upgraded to FileMaker. My wife used to use PageMaker and my daughter InDesign. There was a point when I used Microsoft Publisher. Commercial desktop publishing programs come and go but community supported projects just get better and better. Scribus has great online documentation.

-- Continued --

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Approaching the Linux Desktop
The purpose of this paper is to help organizations evaluate the Linux desktop against their own enterprise needs and discover what benefits the Linux desktop might bring to their organizations.

Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.

Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.

Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
Despite continuous evolution in the manageability of Linux, a 2006 survey cited manageability concerns as a top reason why organizations are hesitating to adopt Linux. Levanta believes Linux can be as manageable, if not more so, than other operating systems by following key strategies. These strategic recommendations were developed from experiences in numerous customer environments, both large and small.

Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.

Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
Considering moving your enterprise to the Linux operating system? Since there are so many similar versions, choosing the right one can be tough. This paper offers a clear process to help you make an informed decision and get the features, support, and cost that are right for your business and technical needs.

Overcoming Challenges in Managing Linux
Levanta has created a new administration model with innovative technology that breaks down the barriers to making the most of Linux systems. This paper will provide an in-depth look at the workings of Levanta’s product, the first Linux appliance of its kind.

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.

Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.

Seven Good Reasons to Exchange Exchange
This paper describes seven compelling reasons why you should switch from Exchange to Scalix.

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Resource Library

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Home \| News \| Articles \| Forum \| Polls \| About \| Contact

	Ziff Davis Enterprise Home \| Contact Us \| Advertise \| Link to Us \| Reprints \| Magazine Subscriptions \| Newsletters Tech RSS Feeds \| White Papers \| ROI Calculators \| Tech Podcasts \| Tech Video \| VARs \| Channel News
	Baseline \| Careers \| Channel Insider \| CIO Insight \| DesktopLinux \| DeviceForge \| DevSource \| eSeminars \| eWEEK \| Enterprise Network Security \| LinuxDevices \| Linux Watch \| Microsoft Watch \| Mid-market \| Networking \| PDF Zone \| Publish \| Security IT Hub \| Strategic Partner \| Web Buyer's Guide \| Windows for Devices
	Developer Shed \| Dev Shed \| ASP Free \| Dev Articles \| Dev Hardware \| SEO Chat \| Tutorialized \| Scripts \| Code Walkers \| Web Hosters \| Dev Mechanic \| Dev Archives \| igrep
Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2008 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.