[WS:] I already tried that. OPenOffice Impress has an insert chart function that comes with its own data table. The problem is, however, that there does not seem to be any way of linking that data table to an external data sheet (e.g. one that that has been created in Calc). Not even by copying and pasting. The only way of entering the data into that data table is typing it manually, which is a joke. I do not remember when it was the last time I did manual data entry of any kind. It may be good for grade school kids learning their ABC of office applications, but this is definitely not a professional way of handling data.
It is my understanding that OpenOffice (and StarOffice) does not support creating charts as a separate spreadsheet as Excel does http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/BASIC_Guide/Charts_in_Spreadsheets.
And there does not seem to be an easy way of printing and presenting charts embedded as objects either.
This is a real disappointment. It seems that MS Office is the only game of professional quality in town. However, I really hate the direction where Micro$oft is taking that game. Their new brain fart, Office 2007, is a Hummer of Office software - a monstrosity overloaded with useless gadgets that use resources without adding much to the utility and functionality. Needless to say, that this new brain fart totally changed the menu layout, so those who gained some proficiency in using older versions of Excel, need to start from square one.
Given Micro$oft's proclivity for planned obsolescence, I do not think it is a good use of my time to learn the ins and outs of their newly redesigned product. I think I will be better off switching to open source software, which is not subject to capricious changes. It seems, however, that OpenOffice simply does not have the capacity that MS Office does. Google's idea of on-line computing is DOA, in my opinion, because I like to keep my files on my machine rather than in the netherworld of internet - and I am pretty sure most people and companies share this sentiment.
For the time being, it looks like I am stuck with MS Office 2003. This is a real disappointment. I wonder why nobody (EU, Japan, India) come with working alternatives to the brain farts produced by the monopoly capitalist in Redmond, WA.
Wojtek
--- On Thu, 3/26/09, Dwayne Monroe <dwayne.monroe at gmail.com> wrote:
> From: Dwayne Monroe <dwayne.monroe at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] software question
> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
> Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 9:00 PM
> Wojtek asks:
>
> Does anyone on this list know how to create _presentable_
> charts in
> OpenOffice or StarOffice?
>
> .....
>
>
>
> I suggest installing OpenOffice Impress:
>
>
> <http://www.openoffice.org/product/impress.html>
>
>
>
>
> .d.
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>