Office XP on Linux? Yes, you can!

Maybe you need to run Word or Excel or PowerPoint on Linux.

I will not call into question this need.
Especially in a working environment, this can be necessary.

Maybe you don't know that this is possible!

The procedure to install it is a bit complicated, but after the programs run well and easily.
So let's see the steps you must follow.

1) Install wine package from your Linux distribution, at least 1.1 version (I used 1.1.42 backport for Debian Squeeze)

2) Now you need also another version of wine, with this patch
This patched version must be used JUST TO INSTALL OFFICE XP!

You can have it in two ways:
- download the wine source, apply the patch and compile wine, but don't install it!!!
- download the version I've built on my Debian Squeeze here in tar.gz format (22MB)

Now use this patched version to launch the Office XP setup program (Setup.exe).

3) Choose a custom install and install just Word, Excel and PowerPoint (Outlook and Access will not work)

4) At the end you can use Word, Excel and PowerPoint with the standard version of wine.

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NOTES:
I tested deeply just Word and it seems that everything works fine.
Excel and Powerpoint run and open xls and ppt files with no problem.
I don't know if the procedure above will work also with more modern versions of Office.

17 girls

Yesterday I saw the french film "17 filles", that is really very interesting and moving.
As all the things that can talk to people at a deep level, it's far from being perfect.
Perfection is against emotions, perfection is not thought-provoking.
One of the most interesting aspect of this film is that it shows that in our postmodern world everything can mean everything. Especially the cultural roles and patterns can take sometimes unexpected meanings
This gives me a refreshing sense of freedom, like a breathe of air in a spring night...

H.L.G.B.

Hackasaurus

Last friday I've been the chance to be part of a session of the Hackasaurus project, another great idea coming from Mozilla community.
It has been really a wonderful experience and I hope that students have enjoyed it too!
I really appreciate the philosophy of Hackasaurus project, because it's focused to build an active attitude that can be very useful not just with web/computer stuff, but also towards all aspects of life.
I hope that soon, with some friends, we can organize a new session here in Rome with many schools, involving both boys and girls (come on girls, don't leave the Web to males!!!).

How long...

Long time indeed I didn't write here... how wonderful if there was a program able to transfer my thoughts directly from the head to the Web!!!

A.M.O. and me

Some months ago I wrote some criticisms about Addons.Mozilla.org, especially about their slowness in reviewing new versions.

Now the situation has become much better and the A.M.O. guys are able to review new versions in few days!
I'm really happy for this, because this allows me to correct any bug fastly.
So here is my sincere THANK YOU for all the A.M.O. team.

Reviewing an extension is not an easy task, I know, especially when the code is a bit messy, like it happens in some of my extensions.
Unluckly the code of some of them has developed in a disordinate way and now I've not the time to make it cleaner. I hope to have it in future.
Time is always a big problem for me... I don't know why, but often it's not enough for things I like and love...