Looking for options?

Looking for options......if you are looking for word processing options for your MAC or an alternative to Microsoft Office, you should check out: www.neooffice.org

NeoOffice is a fully-featured set of office applications (including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing programs) for Mac OS X.

Based on the OpenOffice.org office suite, NeoOffice incorporates dozens of native Mac features and can import, edit, and exchange files with other popular office programs such as Microsoft Office.

Unlike the Mac OS X release of OpenOffice.org, NeoOffice does not require the X11 windowing system.

Released as free, open-source software under the GNU General Public License (GPL), NeoOffice is fully functional and stable enough for everyday use. The software is actively developed, and updates and improvements are available on a regular basis.

Here are some key features of "NeoOffice J":

• Uses the Native Mac OS X Spellchecker
• Unlike OpenOffice.org, NeoOffice has an enhanced spellchecker that uses the Mac OS X spellchecking dictionary. With this enhanced spellchecker, users no longer need to download and install spellchecking dictionaries if Mac OS X already has a dictionary for their language.
• Uses the Native Mac OS X Address Book
• NeoOffice has included the ability to use the Mac OS X address book as a data source. This feature, which was developed by OpenOffice.org, is expected to be in their OpenOffice.org 2.3 release.
• Handles Most Microsoft Office 2007 Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Files
• NeoOffice includes the ODF Add-in for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The ODF Add-in is an open source project that makes it possible for NeoOffice to open, edit, and save most files in the Office 2007 Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats. This feature is not available in current Mac versions of Microsoft Office and will not be available until Office 2008 for the Mac is released.
• Handles Macros in Excel Files
• NeoOffice includes the Excel macro support developed by Novell's ooo-build project. The ooo-build project is an open source project that continually develops feature enhancements to OpenOffice.org.
• Aqua Unlike OpenOffice.org, NeoOffice has native Aqua menus, file open and save dialogs, print dialogs, buttons, scrollbars, and many other native Aqua user interface elements.
• No X11 software required NeoOffice uses the Java technology that is built into Mac OS X. By using Java, there is no need to download and install the X11 software that OpenOffice.org requires.
• Uses Mac OS X fonts
• Unlike OpenOffice.org, NeoOffice uses the same fonts that all of your other Mac OS X applications use. This means that NeoOffice will handle reading and writing of Western European characters (e.g. characters with accents, umlauts, circumflexes, cedillas, etc.) and some fonts will even handle Japanese, Chinese, and Korean ideographs. Also, NeoOffice is able to use any fonts that you install using the /Applications/Font Book application.
• Handles international keyboards
• Unlike OpenOffice.org, NeoOffice will use any keyboard layout that you use. Also, if you switch your keyboard layout while NeoOffice is running, NeoOffice will automatically switch as well.
• Native printing support
• NeoOffice supports printing using Mac OS X's native printing functionality. Like other Mac OS X applications, you can use NeoOffice to print, preview, or save a document to a PDF file.
• Native copy and paste support
• NeoOffice supports copying and pasting using Mac OS X's native clipboard so you can copy and paste text and images between NeoOffice and other Mac OS X applications.
• Native drag-and-drop support
• NeoOffice supports native drag-and-drop so you can drag and drop text and images between NeoOffice and other Mac OS X applications.

Requirements:

• 512 MB of memory
• 400 MB of free disk space.

Website Address: http://www.neooffice.org
image source: NeoOffice website

Braden Kuznia
Assistant Director of Event Services at Comstock Memorial Union
on the campus of Minnesota State University Moorhead
www.bradenkuznia.com
 

It’s not easy being green

This is an issue that I’ve been dealing with lately – how to be more environmentally friendly with the printing choices that we make in our marketing department. This is an important issue not only because it makes an impact on our environment, but it can also be a positive marketing point to your constituents. The flip side is that it can sometimes be more costly and harder to find “green” paper products as well as wading through all of the certifications and terminology that exists about different types of papers.

Your print rep is probably your best friend in this journey to find the right paper choice since they should be knowledgeable about terminology, trends and cost, as well as availability from their paper supplier.

Here are some answers to some of the bigger questions:
Source: www.greenerprinter.com

What is recycled paper?

The term “recycled paper” can have several meanings, but the most consistent definition is derived from federal guidelines. Almost all state and local government and business procurement specifications now reference the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) guidelines on recycled paper. The EPA guidelines require a minimum of 30% post-consumer content for uncoated printing and writing paper, and a minimum of 10% post-consumer content for coated papers. Other forms of paper, such as newsprint, corrugated packaging, tissue, and others, also require post-consumer content. The EPA doesn’t consider mill broke, the unprinted trimming and converting scrap from paper mills themselves, recycled content.

What is pre-consumer waste?

Pre-consumer materials are those that have not met their intended end-use by a consumer and include allowable waste left over from manufacturing, converting, and printing processes.

What is post-consumer waste?

This is paper that has already been used and returned through a recycling program, thereby diverting it from a landfill or incinerator. It is usually deinked and then processed to make new paper. Office paper waste makes up the majority of post-consumer waste content that is used to make recycled copy and printing papers.

What is the Forest Stewardship Council?

Recently, some United States commercial forests have undergone a sustainable harvest certification process overseen by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a non-profit organization set up to encourage the use of sustainable practices in forestry worldwide. Organizations that complete the FSC certification process adhere to standards and practices set forth by the organization which will ensure “stewardship” of FSC materials.

It’s impossible to explore all of the different terminology and trends in this growing paper market here. But, it’s becoming more important to understand these issues because more clients are requesting “green” paper products and printing process.

Resources:

AIGA Center for Sustainable Design – http://sustainability.aiga.org/
This is a great site that has resources, discussion forms as well as green news.

American Forest & Paper Association - www.afandpa.org
This site has some great information, including a paper recycling symbol guide.

Forest Stewardship Council - www.fsc.org
This organization has become a major accreditation source and ensures that paper suppliers and printers maintains environmentally sound practices.

Contributed by:
Mark Chamberlain Production Manager at Augsburg College Office of Marketing and Communication
www.mchamberlain.us

Are you a Colour Lover?

In my last entry, I introduced you to Kuler, a website which I have used in the selection of color palettes. While we are on the subject of color, I thought I whould share yet another site devoted to the search for the perfect hue. This site is ColourLovers.

On this site you will find a plethora of information about color; palettes, patterns, trends, articles, and today, even an interview with Pantones "color of the year" Blue Iris #18-3943.

The site isn't just print or web related, but covers a number of areas including photography, clothing, cell phone colors and even Kate Spade bags.