Do you use OpenOffice Writer?

[NickW]

I've switched from MS Word to OpenOffice Writer, and have a basic question:

OOWriter appears to have only two views: Print Layout, and Web Layout.

Print Layout view scrolls in very annoying and distracting herky-jerky way; and since I don't write web docs, I don't need Web Layout view.

Is there a view available that corresponds to MS Word's "Normal" view?

I've checked OO Help [for this and other questions] and find it worthless.

If a Normal view isn't included in OOWriter, is there an add-on or macro or something that provides this very elementary view?

It seems strange for a supposedly heavy-duty Word-Processing program to omit a view that's been standard in WP pgms for 15-20 years.

Thanks for tips!

[Criseyde]

I use it and I really have no idea what's going on for you. The default screen when it opens looks like a normal view to me. It's not as nice as MS Word 2010, but what can you say, it's free. Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling yours?

[VinceG]

I switched from OO.org to Lyx. Lyx is amazing.

[James Fletcher]

I used to use OpenOffice at one of my jobs. Did not care for it. There is a certain flimsiness about it. Plus I think the default font is pretty gaudy.

In addition to OO I've used quite a few word processors in my lifetime.
- MS Works - the original MS-DOS based version and the more recent.
- WordPerfect.
- MS Word - from version 5 onward.
- Lotus.
- Google Docs.

For me, MS Word is the winner every time. Microsoft always work hard to iron out any annoying bugs and glitches, making it worth the steep price tag.

[NickW]

I searched and found that this Normal View problem is an old issue that's been annoying OOWriter users and potential users for years.

Below quotes are from:
Bug 4914 – "normal" view option needed

"I'd really like to be able to use writer, but it's become a huge, unnecessary
headache for me every time I try to. I'm a novelist, and it's massively frustrating
to be forced to compose sentences and paragraphs continually broken up by large
margins and footers/headers. It makes me lose the flow of the work."

"I can't understand why this issue hasn't been fixed yet, given that it appears
it's been brought to their attention since 2002. How hard can this possibly be?
Every other word processor I've ever seen (and I'm talking about twenty YEARS
of word processors) has managed some sort of draft/normal view functionality. It
seems just about as basic to me as word wrap. What gives?"

And:
"I tried to introduce OOo in two different organisations. When I had to admit
OOo doesn't have a Normal View, the ball game was over. One boss was very clear.
"I'm not going to drive a car with three wheels even if it's free. I'm not going to use a
word processor without Normal View either even if it's free."

I'm amazed--I mistakenly thought that OpenOffice was supposed to be a legit competitor to the MSOffice suite.

I'd never force colleagues or employees to use this product. I'm disappointed, because as a Linux user, I'm a major supporter of open source sw.

James, I also find a flimsiness about this product, like it's just not ready yet. And the Help is utterly worthless--a minor issue since so much help is available online. They should completely remove Help.