OpenOffice has been the de facto leader in Linux-based word processing (at least, according to the most recent Linux Journal Readers’ Choice Awards). It’s installed by default on most mainstream, modern Linux distributions. So, if you are a writer working on a Linux platform, you are likely to come across it. Let’s look at some improvements in the newly-released version 3.0, as well as some of the useful extensions that you can select to enhance it for your writing. Note that the newest version 3.0 is not installed on some distributions yet, notably the recent release of Ubuntu 8.10, the Intrepid Ibex. You can always install the latest OpenOffice using the binary installer on the web site, or, if available, packages for your distribution.

Notes

The concept behind the notes feature in OpenOffice is identical to the one in Microsoft Office. The main difference is: in OpenOffice (version 2.4.2 and below), the feature is all but unusable. Adding a note from the menu item (Insert -> Note) calls up a dialog box (as shown in the image below).

This dialog box is a nuisance to begin with, not least of the reasons being: 1) the text won’t wrap, so when you enter it it continues on one long line and scrolls to the right, and 2) there is no way to close it without using the mouse (the Enter key inserts a carriage return). Additionally, the note itself appears as a small yellow highlight that you must either mouse-over or double-click to view.

In general, I’m a fan of putting notes into what I’m writing (such as questions to answer or research to perform later), but I couldn’t stand using the feature, much less looking at it when it was finished.

But this feature now mirrors the notes feature in Office 2007, in that the notes are colored and displayed to the right of the right-hand margin. In other words, the notes feature now works great (see illustration below).

Enhanced PDF

A feature that many will find useful is the enhanced PDF options available from the “File -> Export as PDF.” Some of the more useful ones for writers are:

• Hybrid PDF: OpenOffice supports the “PDF/A-1″ standard, which generates for a “modifiable” PDF. When opened by someone who has a compatible program, the document can be edited. When received by anyone else, however, they can always view it as a “normal” PDF.
• Security: The dialog contains a “Security” tab, which allows the user to restrict printing, copying text/images, and/or making changes. Useful for making e-books and other documents like reports that should be read but not disseminated.

Other enhancements

Some other miscellaneous enhancements include the following:

• Mac OS X Support: ‘Nuff said. This time with a native (Aqua) interface–no need for X11. Although I’ve been pushing Linux, we like Mac as well.
• OpenXML (a.k.a. Microsoft Office 2007 format: ‘Nuff said. Now you can work with all of those “.docx” files (not to mention “.xlsx” and “.pptx”). I’ve tested this, and can attest that it works much better (but not perfect) in OpenOffice 3.0.
• New view controls: Also like Office 2007, the new OpenOffice.org features a slide control for zoom, which I’ve become very accustomed to using. You are able to view more than one page at a time while editing.

Extensions

In addition to built-in functionality, one of the great things about OpenOffice is that you can add “extensions” for additional features. There are a number of these specifically targeted at or useful for writers, as follows:

• OpenOffice.org2GoggleDocs: This great extension does exactly what the name implies. It’s worked great for me, as I’ve drafted some of my fiction in Google Docs, and later opened (and saved) directly from OpenOffice Writer.
• txt2tags Extension: There is also an extension for using txt2tags mark-up within OOo Writer.
• Writers Tools” Extension: Dmitri Popov’s Writer’s Tools have been reviewed and profiled a number of times.

All in all, the new version 3.0 of OpenOffice closes a lot of the holes from the previous versions. It’s powerful, available on all platforms, and best of all, free. So download it and try it out–you literally have nothing to lose.

Image via Wikipedia

We writers are pretty easy to please when it comes to computing requirements. Writing can be achieved with the simplest of media: white screen, black text.

As an avid free and open source software (FOSS) advocate, I’ve spent some time over the last few years writing on the Linux platform. I’ve come to discover that it’s still an immature platform for certain folks, such as hardcore gamers or multimedia professionals. But for those who have their fun (or make their living) by putting words on (e-)paper, Linux offers a perfectly usable platform for doing everything a writer needs to do.

I’d like to introduce some of the most basic writing tools available on the Linux platform. Firstly, note that the availability of these tools may depend on your distribution, or the “kind” of Linux you run. Examples of this include Ubuntu (along with its siblings Kubuntu, Xubuntu, and others), Red Hat’s Fedora, or Novell’s OpenSuSE. The differences between these is far beyond the scope of this (or indeed, most any other single) article. For now, just know that you can pick one, and it will likely have everything you need, but maybe not everything below.

Text Editors

Most writers are accustomed to working in a word processor such as Microsoft Word. But for many types of writing, a program this large is overkill. Text editors are an excellent tool for brainstorming and getting rough drafts out of your head, for two reasons:

1. Firstly, many text editors tend to be pretty spartan interface-wise. There are few buttons, toolbars, or other flashing widgets to interrupt your writing. Plus, tell a Linux guru that you love your text editor, and they will respect you.
2. Secondly, plain text files are about as portable a format as you are likely to find. This includes both across operating systems (e.g. Windows, Mac, Linux, and others) as well as devices (such as smartphones or Internet devices). If you begin your writing process in plain text, there are very few places you won’t be able to work on it.

There are literally too many text editors to count for the Linux platform. You could spend the next few years sifting through all of the arguments for or against two perennial favorites: emacs, and vi/vim. I’m not going to say that there aren’t many powerful features for writers in either of these programs. But I will assert that these are not the Linux text editors on which you want to cut your teeth. The following are much friendlier to the new Linux user:

• Kate: An editor for the KDE desktop, installed by default on most systems. There are many useful plug-ins you can add as well.
• Gedit: Ditto the above, only for the GNOME desktop.
• nano: An editor for the command line or terminal window, with keyboard shortcuts conveniently listed at the bottom of the screen.
• cooledit: I list this not because it is an especially capable editor, but because it is included with the Midnight Commander, an excellent clone of the old DOS Norton Commander two-pane file manager. It’s very convenient to navigate through directories and quickly modify text files from within a single screen.

Again, there are probably hundreds of these types of editors, but the above are a great start if you’re new to Linux.

Word Processors

If you are a writer, you know what a word processor is, and what it can do. I won’t insult you by re-stating it. Just know that most Linux-compatible word processors will do most anything you need them to do, including working with Microsoft Office formats. Popular word processors on Linux include the following:

• OpenOffice: The Writer component of OpenOffice is every bit as capable a word processor as most people will ever need. On a side note, there is no reason that everyone who owns a PC, Mac, or Linux computer should not have this installed. Go to the web site. Download. Install. Right now. Seriously… I’ll wait.

Did you install OpenOffice yet? I wasn’t kidding about that.

• AbiWord: An excellent, lightweight word processor installed on many GNOME-based desktops. This is a great choice for older systems, as OpenOffice has a reputation as something of a memory hog.
• KWord: Likewise, KWord (part of the KOffice suite from the KDE project, and commonly installed on those desktops) runs extremely light compared to OpenOffice. It has traditionally been a bit raw compared to AbiWord or OpenOffice, but I am a big fan of the KOffice Shell, which allows you to have multiple documents of different types (e.g. spreadsheet, text document, etc…) open within one window. Think of this as an Outlook for office documents.
• Ted: If your system is very old, you still have options. The word processor Ted makes AbiWord look like a sumo wrestler. Yet it still saves files to Rich Text Format (RTF), which any self-respecting, modern word processor can also use.

Desktop Publishing

Lastly, the final step for most writing projects is layout/typesetting. This process is largely ruled by proprietary programs such as Adobe’s InDesign (for highly graphical-intensive documents, e.g. marketing materials) or FrameMaker (which excels at technical publications such as software documentation). But the FOSS world has several alternatives, as follows:

• Scribus: This program strives to be a turnkey solution to both of the aforementioned segments. I’ll be introducing Scribus in later installments.
• LyX: This application excels scientific writing with is support for highly-complex equations. LaTeX, the typesetting language around which LyX is built, was once the go-to format for nice printed materials. But other applications have since caught up with support for PDF format and the like.

Finally, to the new or potential Linux user, I should point out one thing. Any of the above applications can likely be downloaded, installed, and used free of charge. In my distribution of choice (Kubuntu), it’s as simple as opening the package manager, selecting a program, and marking it “Request for Install.” It’s called “free software” for a reason.

In the next installment, we’ll examine some tools and tricks for working with plain text in Linux.

Image by mark van de wouw via Flickr

Joining Stephanie Siavetti as my guest while I straighten out my move and get the site prepared for NaNoWriMo (I’ve got about 10 or so interviews with former NaNoWriMo participants to post already, and more coming!) is Aaron Peters. Aaron is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction and a free-software enthusiast. He has worked with Linux as a hobbyist since 1998, beginning with Slackware, Caldera, and Mandrake. He’s finally settled on Debian and Ubuntu for the last five years, all the while tinkering with programming in Python and Java. Aaron spent three years teaching English in Japan, and has held positions in international trade, consulting, localization, and web development, and currently works for an e-commerce development company in Allentown, PA.

I asked Aaron to take over the sit for a week or two because of his extensive knowledge of open source software, including incredible apps for writers like Scribus, the open source print layout app (a free software version of InDesign) and OpenOffice.org, the free office suite that has just released it’s 3.0 version. Aaron is also planning to post about using Linux, the free operating system, for writing. I’m hoping to pick up a few tips from him on setting up my own writing workstation using Linux, if I ever get all these boxes unpacked…

There is still at least one more post from Stephanie, and starting next week you’ll see some of my NaNoWriMo posts, but for the next little while, I’m giving Aaron full run of the site. Please join me in welcoming him!