I propose to reorganise some of this book and perhaps drop some of the chapters.

Below are the changes I envision. Comments are welcome, especially on those chapters with questions in the description of proposed changes. -- Jean

GETTING STARTED WITH OPENOFFICE.ORG 3.0
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Chapter 1: What is OpenOffice.org? (13 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter, but updated for OOo 3.0.

Chapter 2: Starting OpenOffice.org (8 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter, but updated for OOo 3.0. Could be retitled and have some basic bits from current Chapters 3 and 4 included.

Chapter 3: File Management in OpenOffice.org (20 pages)
Needs rework, a new title, and possibly being split into two chapters/appendixes; many topics in the current chapter are there only because I couldn't think of a better place to put them, but to me they are not a good mix.

Chapter 4: Menus and Toolbars (8 pages)
Needs rework, a new title, and some info put elsewhere. For example, info on customizing menu content and customizing a toolbar should go into a more general "Customizing OOo" appendix. Info on Navigator needs to be expanded. Other info could go into a retitled Ch2; or combine parts of Chs 3&4 into a new chapter with a different title.

Chapter 5: Setting up OpenOffice.org (24 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter, but updated for OOo 3.0.

Chapter 6: Getting Started with Writer (30 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter, but updated for OOo 3.0.

Chapter 7: Getting Started with Calc (22 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter, but updated for OOo 3.0. Probably needs rework. Some of it is very simplistic, more so than in much of the rest of the book.

Chapter 8: Getting Started with Draw (22 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter, but updated for OOo 3.0.

Chapter 9: Getting Started with Impress (20 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter, but updated for OOo 3.0.

Chapter 10: Getting Started with Base (58 pages)
I would like this chapter to be quite a bit shorter, but it's very good as written and, until the Database Guide is available, it's all we've got on Base, so my verdict is: Keep much as is, updated as needed for OOo 3.0.

Chapter 11: Getting Started with Math (12 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter.

Chapter 12: Working with Templates (10 pages)
I propose to combine the chapters on templates and styles, and remove some of the detail in some of the instructions in this chapter, which are very repetitious and simplistic. Also I think that since templates and styles are so fundamental to the way OOo works -- people are often using them even when they are not aware of that fact -- it would be good to put the combined chapter earlier in the book, perhaps right after "Setting up OOo" and before "GS with Writer", or perhaps before "Setting up OOo".

Chapter 13: Working with Styles (12 pages)
Combine with chapter on templates.

Chapter 14: Working with Graphics and the Gallery (8 pages)
Remove from this book? These topics are covered in the guides for the various components; is a summary needed here?

Chapter 15: Using Fontwork (10 pages)
Remove from this book? Fontwork is covered in both the Impress and Draw Guides and could be added to the Writer Guide, perhaps in the chapter on graphics. Is this chapter needed here?

Chapter 16: Creating Web Pages (12 pages)
Remove from this book and put the relevant bits into the guides for the various components? (The info on saving presentations as Web pages is already in the Impress Guide.) The section on inserting hyperlinks could go somewhere else in the GS book, as it isn't specific to creating Web pages... though I don't know where best to put it (which is why it's here).

Chapter 17: Getting Started with Macros (20 pages)
Keep this much as in the current chapter.

Appendix A: Keyboard Shortcuts (6 pages)
Move info on assigning shortcut keys etc to new Appendix B.

Appendix B: Customizing OOo (8 pages)
Proposed new appendix. Include info on customizing menus, toolbars, and shortcut keys; installing extensions, perhaps with pointers to some specific ones.