OpenOSX: Office, GIS updates for Leopard

OpenOSX has released free updates that bring Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" compatibility to "OpenOSX Office 2.0" and "OpenOSX GrassPro 6.2.1." Addressing potential issues with Apple's "X11" software, the "Grass" update brings "Leopard" compatibility for both the versions of "Grass" included with OpenOSX's "GrassPro" product and OpenOSX's freely available standalone, "Grass" Geographic Information System (GIS) application. "OpenOSX Office 2.0", is a fully configured solution for utilizing the proven, open-source “GNOME Office” software suite, complete with drag and drop functionality for supported file formats with Mac OS X.

"OpenOSX Office" features ready-to-use software embedded in the "OpenOSX Office" application, including: “Gnumeric”, software that can edit and write Microsoft Excel files, complete with 100 percent of the functions of Microsoft Excel. It also includes “AbiWord”, an open-source alternative to Microsoft Word, that can read and write Microsoft Word documents. The suite also includes "Inkscape", a vector image manipulation program, that can edit SVG and Adobe Illustrator files as well as includes the flowchart software called "Diagram". Also included is "Gnucash" for personal and small business finance management (with the ability to import most Quicken files). Optionally, the "Gimp 2.2.1" delivers extensive support for raster files such as Photoshop files/layers.

"OpenOSX Grass" is based on the 25 year old open-source "GRASS" (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) Geographic Information System (GIS). In addition to "GRASS 6.2.1," the software also includes "OpenOSX MapServer" which is a complete, standalone application based on "Apache 2.0.59", "PHP 5.0.5", "PostGIS" and "MapServer 4.8.4".

According to the company, OpenOSX MapServer is often used for readily publishing dynamic, navigatable maps, complete with live layers over the Internet, directly from dozens of popular geo-spatial file formats; the "OpenOSX GMT" standalone application that features more than 60 tools for rich manipulation of geographic and Cartesian datasets, including advanced filtering, trending, gridding, projection and much more with EPS file format output; "PostGIS" enables spatial, geographic support for the included "PostgreSQL" database system, while a set of additional software and tools is included to extend the power of GRASS GIS (including documentation, tutorials, sample-data and limited installation support).

The free "Leopard" updates are online along with OpenOSX's free "Grass" standalone application. The "OpenOSX GrassPro" product is available immediately for $60 (on CD-ROM). Electronic delivery is $50. The "OpenOSX Office 2.0" product is available immediately for $40 on CD-ROM (plus shipping), with $10 discount for electronic delivery.

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Other story tags: Linux