StarOffice was Sun Microsystems' proprietary office suite, it was the basis of the open source OpenOffice.org package. However, it also took contributions from OpenOffice into it's own proprietary suit. It is unclear what Oracle's plans are for Star Office now that Oracle. Much like OpenOffice.org it runs on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux and Solaris.
Notably, OpenOffice.org is Ubuntu's default office suite and is installed/available on all platforms supported by Ubuntu. A brief guide to the office software available in Ubuntu can be found on the OfficeApplications page.
The following guide gives instructions on how to install and run Star Office 8 natively on Ubuntu and Kubuntu Linux. These instructions assume you have already bought a copy of Star Office.
Ubuntu specific instructions
Hold down the keys ALT + F2, the Run Command dialog should pop-up on your screen.
Enter into the text-box:
gksudo gnome-terminal
After doing this, skip down to the generic instructions.
Kubuntu specific instructions
Hold down the keys ALT + F2, the Run Command dialog should pop-up on your screen.
Enter into the text-box:
kdesu konsole
After doing this, skip down to the generic instructions.
Generic instructions
You will be prompted for your password, enter it, shortly after a terminal prompt should pop-up.
Now make sure you have alien installed, just type
apt-get install alien
if you aren't sure. It will install if it isn't already installed or tell you it's already installed.
If you bought the Star Office CD ROM, you should insert it now and type in the following command:
cd /media/cdrom
If you bought the Star Office program on-line or downloaded the trial, you will need to know the path where you saved the set-up program, and enter it after the cd command.
For example, if you saved the download in /home/user/Downloads/, you will need to type
cd /home/user/Downloads/
Confirm that your prompt informs you that you are now in the appropriate path:
root@machinename:/media/cdrom for example.
From this prompt, type in
sh so-8-
if you hit tab, the command should auto-complete itself automatically, hit enter.
You should get a prompt that says
Select the directory in which to save the unpacked files. [/var/tmp/unpack_staroffice]
Hit enter here to use the default values.
If you get an error such as (probably because of a failed previous install):
Directory /var/tmp/unpack_staroffice already exists.
Please select a new directory name.
Just enter the following command:
rm -rf /var/tmp/unpack_staroffice
(DO NOT ENTER THIS COMMAND IF ALL IS WELL) and run the
sh so-8-<hit tab>
command again.
You should see the following information scroll on your screen: File is being checked for errors ...
Unpacking ... All files have been successfully unpacked.
Unpacking...
Checksumming...
Extracting...
Done.
Running installer
Shortly after a graphical installer should startup and it's pretty much just clicking "Next" all the way to install. Once installed, close the terminal window and Star Office should be accessible from the menus.
Un-installing Star Office in Ubuntu
Hold down the keys ALT + F2, the Run Command dialog should pop-up on your screen. Enter into the text-box:
gksudo /opt/staroffice8/setup
Wait a moment and a graphical un-installer should pop-up on the screen.
Un-installing Star Office in Kubuntu
Hold down the keys ALT + F2, the Run Command dialog should pop-up on your screen.
Enter into the text-box:
kdesu /opt/staroffice8/setup
Wait a moment and a graphical un-installer should pop-up on the screen.