Sams Teach Yourself StarOffice 5 for Linux in 24 Hours

StarOffice is available for a number of platforms and, although the title of this book refers to the Linux version, I took the chance on buying a copy to help me with StarOffice for Windows. I needn't have worried because, having worked through the book, it appears that the program is, in fact, nearly identical on all platforms. StarOffice is a powerful program, though the built-in Help system is highly idiosyncratic - that is, it covers some topics in reasonable detail but others do not get a mention. The lack of an index doesn't help. This "24 Hour Guide" is therefore an essential aid to anyone who is trying to get to grips with StarOffice. The lessons cover a wide range of issues from installing and configuring the program right through to getting the most out of the various components - word processor, spreadsheet, draw, presentations, internet browsing, e-mail etc..... The lessons are well structured, with frequent tips as well as exercises to encourage a hands-on approach. Almost every page features a screen shot which should give the reader greater confidence. All of this makes learning a very pleasant experience. The book does not include anything on StarBase - the database component which seems to have been added to StarOffice 5 at the last minute - nor StarBasic, the programming language. This is fair enough since it is intended as a "getting started" guide. CONCLUSION: I can highly recommend this book to anyone starting to use StarOffice 5 - regardless of the platform.