Welcome Donn. Please check out our building guide page here http://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/Building_Guide and here http://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/DevGuide
Alan. 2013/1/24 Donn Gilray <donn.gil...@gmail.com> > Hello, > > > > I would like to help with the Apache project - if possible. > > > > My name is Donn Gilray. I am retired from the United States Navy as a > nuclear power operator on submarines. I spent 20 years in the Navy, 12 on > operational submarines, and have collectively spent 7 years under water. > > > > When I retired, I completed my degree in Accounting, a lifelong goal. I > started working for a property management company the day of my last class > as an undergrad. I went back to school and obtained a Masters in Accounting > as I fulfilled the requirements for taking the CPA exam in Texas. > > > > I still work for the same employer - and am still an accountant. I started > messing with Excel more and more and soon was given projects by the > company's president. She knew what she wanted, but wasn't sure how to get > there. I created several tools that reduced weekly and monthly tasks to > easy > to do jobs. One tool reduced a 4 day billing process for our clients down > to > less than 30 minutes start to finish - and more accurate. > > > > I have developed my skills in Excel and Word over the last 6 years and am > the go to guy for our company for most software solutions - using what we > have to solve day to day process challenges. I have recently started > reading > about cognitive science research and personal productivity. I use VBA > extensively in my applications. I have limited the number of places we have > to enter new clients by using a VBA updating tool that refreshes our > various > spreadsheets from a master file. It's not ERP, but it does reduce a lot of > keystrokes. > > > > The reason I would like to join the Apache Project is that I feel I have > something unique to offer. I have seven children with various levels of > secondary education, but none of them are proficient at Office suite > products. I think a lot of that is because of the cost associated with > owning the software. I have been fortunate enough to obtain military > appreciation versions of the software, but it is not for commercial use. > > > > Here are some goals I have concerning office suite type programs: > > 1. To have a training program - online or in person to guide new users how > to get the most of the open office products at a young age. The more > experience they gain with these tools, the more they will be able to offer > their employer. It is one thing to know the field in which they obtained a > degree, but it is another to do the day to day task of documenting > financial > or research related projects. Having a background in office suite products > allows them to spend more time in their specialty rather than having to > create spreadsheet or word-processor solutions to organize their data. > > > > 2. Provide easy to digest documentation for the various products. Coming > from in the nuclear-powered navy, I understand the need for step by step > directions for segments of projects to move the project to completions. > Being able to follow and understand the basics lays a great foundation for > the user to create their own applications and usable spreadsheets, word > documents, and databases. > > > > 3. Basically contribute in any way I can - perhaps building my own skills > in > the process. > > > > Please let me help where you may need me. > > > > Donn Gilray > > Rowlett, TX > >
