The OpenOffice.org Community is pleased to announce the release of
OpenOffice.org 2.4, the latest version of the leading open source office
productivity suite. OpenOffice.org 2.4 includes new features, enhancements, and bug fixes to all its core components. OpenOffice.org
2.4 is available for immediate download from
http://download.openoffice.org.
New features:
Users will appreciate changes such as usability improvements in
printing, and further enhancements to PDF handling (OpenOffice.org
creates PDF files 'out of the box' to ISO standard). The default font is
now DejaVu, which supports more languages/localisations than the
previous BitStream Vera -part of a raft of localisation improvements
covering languages from Hiligaynon to Quechua. Mac OS X users will
appreciate the use of the native Quicktime player and spell-checker.
Writer, OpenOffice.org's word processor, now has easier selection of the
language for spellchecking; users can set options for printing hidden
and place holder text and for following hyperlinks; text selection and
'find and replace' have been improved; and 'power users' will
appreciate new extra keyboard shortcuts for paragraph styles.
Regular users of Calc, OpenOffice.org's spreadsheet, will appreciate the
streamlining of data and formulae entry. Other new features include a
'smart move and copy' for blocks of cells; the ability to transform
data into columns; and improvements to printing, data filtering, and
the Data Pilot.
Usability improvements have been made to Draw, the drawing and
diagramming module, and Impress, OpenOffice.org's application for
creating presentations. Both applications have enhanced PDF export
capabilities. In addition, Impress now has a new range of thrilling 3D
transition effects supported through an extension.
The Chart module, used throughout OpenOffice.org, continues to evolve
rapidly. Novice users benefit from more intelligent default choices from
the graphics engine; advanced users have more options allowing them to
fine tune a chart exactly the way they want it.
OpenOffice.org's database application, Base, now supports MS-Access 2007
(accdb files on MS-Windows), and has enhanced capabilities for MySQL,
Oracle/jdbc, and native (HSQL) databases. The Query Designer is also
improved.
OpenOffice.org 2.4 is the eleventh release in the 2.x series (launched
in October 2005) and demonstrates the Community's commitment to
continuous and regular improvement of its software. The next major
release - 3.0 - is planned for the autumn/fall this year. If you would
like to help us, please visit
http://contributing.openoffice.org.
The OpenOffice.org Community
