BKOPOFWR.RVW   20041029

"OpenOffice.org Writer", Jean Hollis Weber, 2004, 0-596-00826-0,
U$24.95/C$36.95
%A   Jean Hollis Weber www.jeanweber.com
%C   103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol, CA   95472
%D   2004
%G   0-596-00826-0
%I   O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
%O   U$24.95/C$36.95 800-998-9938 fax: 707-829-0104 nuts@ora.com
%O  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596008260/robsladesinterne
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596008260/robsladesinte-21
%O   http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596008260/robsladesin03-20
%P   213 p. + CD-ROM
%T   "OpenOffice.org Writer"

The preface states that this book is intended for intermediate to
advanced users of Writer, even if they have never used it before. 
This (apparently self-contradictory) assertion assumes (undoubtedly
correctly) that anyone who is an intermediate user of another word
processor will likely be able to get accustomed to Writer fairly
quickly.

Chapter one does not deal with the usual issues of installation, but
lists a number of settings options.  The early ones seem to be
mundane, but later items are more interesting.  Writing, editing, and
reviewing of text is touched on in chapter two.  There are a number of
cute tricks, some of them quite bizarre, while basic operations are
assumed.  Page layout and tables are covered in chapter three. 
Chapter four reviews templates and styles.  Some interesting uses of
fields are outlined in chapter five, but the concept and function is
not explained very well.  Tools for the table of contents, index, and
bibliography are described in chapter six.  Chapter seven suggests
means of handling large or complex documents, such as a book.  Adding
and managing graphics is dealt with in chapter eight.  Saving files in
other formats, hyperlinks, and other miscellaneous topics are
collected in chapter nine.  Chapter ten lists functional activities
and gives directions on how to do them in Microsoft Word on OpenOffice
Writer.

There is a great deal of useful information about how Writer operates. 
The style and structure of the book makes it suitable as a reference,
but not as a learning aid.  This is compatible with the stated purpose
of the book, but may limit the ability of readers to move from
intermediate to more advanced status.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 2004   BKOPOFWR.RVW   20041029