What's new in Symphony Beta 3

Yin Da Li, Yin Da Li, Symphony Level 3 Support Team Lead  |  Dec 18, 2007 7:47 AM
Profile image for Yin Da Li Now Symphony Beta 3 is available on the website after six weeks since Beta 2 . Many people may ask what's new in Beta 3 and what features we add in Beta 3. OK, let's take a look.

Lots of people have been asking for the multi-language version since Symphony Beta 1 was released. Now I'm happy to say that it is made available in Beta 3. The English version of Beta 3 was released yesterday and multi-language version of Beta 3 will be available very soon in just couple of weeks. Thanks for the hard work of the development team -- 24 languages ( including English ) are supported. Users will have the translated menu.

National Language support is the focus of Beta 3. But we also did much work in other areas. We took effort to improve the usability of presentation editor in Beta 3.

- Many people wanted more properties on sidebar in Beta 2. In Beta 3, We added graphic, shape and page properties which will be extensively used in presentation editor.

- We added shortcut key "F5" for starting screen show, which conforms to the habit of most users. Moreover, "Shift+F5" is added to enable user to start screen show from the current page.

Also new features and improvement are added into Symphony:

- Auto-save feature is now available in Beta 3. The interval of auto-saving can be set in "File->Preferences->File Supervision". Now we needn't to worry about that our work isn't saved when accident happens to our computer. What's more, even if exception occurs, Symphony still can recover the document to the status that was auto-saved last time.

- Symphony now can export a presentation as HTML or JPEG format. This feature is convenient to share presentation to those who have no presentation editor.

- In Beta 3, user can import an external file into his spreadsheet through "Manipulate->Import External Data->From File". The supported external file formats are formatted text file ( *.csv and *.txt ), ODF spreadsheet file ( *.ods ) and Microsoft Excel file ( *.xls ).

Performance is always one of the issues that users care most. We made performance improvement for action of splitting a big paragraph in Lotus Document. The performance of this scenario improves up to 30% in some test cases.

We made improvement to the installation process.

- Build to build upgrade is supported in Beta 3. That means if you want install Beta 3, you don't need to uninstall the old one manually.

- Accessibility support of the windows installer. Install panels high contrast display, keyboard navigation and accessibility software such as JAWS are supported.

Help is enhanced in Beta 3 too. Now we can search topics which are not listed in the table of content.

Last but not least, we have added some enhancement to the Symphony website. You can now add comments to a Team Blog or a Buzz entry. You can also invite a friend to use Symphony by sending an email from the Symphony website.

OK, these are all the new items that I can list for Beta 3. Now please upgrade your Symphony to Beta 3 and again we'd love to hear your feedback!

70 Comments

  • ChuanBao, Shi said on Dec 18, 2007 8:22 AM:

    Cool, Let me take a try.

  • Unrealmirakulix said on Dec 18, 2007 9:09 AM:

    So, let´s download the next beta.

    PS: Till now it didn´t crash at all.

  • John W. Kennedy said on Dec 18, 2007 9:30 AM:

    But when will it catch up to OOo? When will bug 4540 be fixed, which was fixed in OOo years ago? When will Print Preview have a facing-pages option?

  • Jove said on Dec 18, 2007 10:18 AM:

    When the Mac version will be available?

  • jfgarcia said on Dec 18, 2007 10:55 AM:

    Good. This seems very good o me.

    But for Symphony succeed, it need to improve some features from OOo, so it can be a real corporate application.

    Keep up the good job.

  • Juan said on Dec 18, 2007 1:02 PM:

    Really current release is multilingual

  • jib said on Dec 18, 2007 1:29 PM:

    i too await the mac version

  • daz said on Dec 18, 2007 3:09 PM:

    I'm just waiting for a version that works on 64bit Ubuntu. That's what we all use at work on our desktops.

    Here's waiting ......

  • sandrs said on Dec 18, 2007 7:59 PM:

    Yes 64bit it will be very very good, multilingual - great!!!! But probably it will be soon moreу easy for RAM ;) faster and easy ;)

  • hwtan said on Dec 18, 2007 8:14 PM:

    Is there any good reason for me to switch from OOo to Symphony?

  • Steve Frye said on Dec 18, 2007 10:44 PM:

    Is there a way to add buttons to a tool bar. I need to create exponents (superscripts) and subscripts; I'm a math teacher. I find it convenient to have a superscript icon and subscript icon on the tool bar so that positioning is a one-click deal. Admittedly, the current arrangement is a two-click deal which isn't terrible, but..... fewer clicks is better.

    I was a devotee of Smartsuite. Since it became stagnant, I've had to find a supported alternative (but not MS Office). I tried open office, but I had issues converting to MS Office when necessary and creating pdf files. I have been using Wordperfect Office and I prefer it to open office. I'm hoping Symphony can bring back the magic of SmartSuite, especially Freelance.

  • Ivanzhang said on Dec 18, 2007 11:38 PM:

    Perfect, waiting for Multi-language version.

  • Jungle said on Dec 19, 2007 4:38 AM:

    Wwwwwwhaaaa!!!!

    Seems a great improvement!

    I am trying!! I like the exporting function!! It works for member sharing!

  • Xing said on Dec 19, 2007 4:49 AM:

    Really exciting!!

    Cong! for such a improvement... wish it will be better~~~

  • Mario Costa said on Dec 19, 2007 7:51 AM:

    Hi. Great improvement! Where can I find or when it will be available to download the ptBR (Brazilian Portuguese) version?

    Also, what (and when...) should we expect for Beta 4?

  • RMD said on Dec 20, 2007 12:09 AM:

    as a Smartsuite holdout, stuck on 9.8 the other thing you need here is APPROACH. If this is to fly, you have to offer at least as many programs as smartsuite did. Not all your fans use Notes, and I have not found a database front end as easy as approach. the OOO database is (respectfully) an Acess clone, not an Approach which it should have been.

  • T34 said on Dec 20, 2007 12:45 AM:

    Mario, add parameter "-nl pt_BR" to the shortcut of Symphony then restart. I think you'll get a translated menu :-)

  • Daniel Darabos said on Dec 20, 2007 12:20 PM:

    Hi! I'm an OpenOffice.org extension developer. I'm very eager to port our extensions to Symphony, but having looked at Beta 3 I was disappointed to find that there is not even an Extension Manager dialog.

    Do you think it is possible to port OpenOffice.org extensions to Symphony? If it is, do you have some pointers to get me started? If it is not, is it to be expected any time soon? Like in 1.0?

    I know Eclipse is a very extensible framework, OpenOffice.org is becoming quite extensible too -- I expect great things from their (kind of) marriage!

  • Paulo André said on Dec 20, 2007 12:57 PM:

    Will Symphony run LotusScript macros?

  • Guest said on Dec 20, 2007 3:13 PM:

    Symphony is still far to slow in startup.

    If you just want to look into a document quick you have to

    wait to long for displaying it.

    With the SmartSuite you just wait 2or 3 seconds and you can

    view the document quick.

  • Mike D said on Dec 20, 2007 3:30 PM:

    I am awaiting the Mac version as well!

  • celeraman+ said on Dec 20, 2007 9:24 PM:

    Please, I just waiting for a brazilian portuguese version for we give a goodbye to our old Ms Office 97 version.

    Keep up the hard work and congratulations to all of you!

    Merry Christmas!

  • Armin said on Dec 21, 2007 12:48 PM:

    Please don't forget an improved LWP Filter. It's important for all SmartSuite Users.

    Have you planed an Portable Version?

    Merry Christmas

    from Germany

  • Van said on Dec 22, 2007 12:25 AM:

    Count me in on the list of "Persons waiting for the Mac version."

  • Guest said on Dec 22, 2007 2:09 AM:

    As far as I know, the development team are preparing for the Mac version with great care. The target beta is the first half of next year, if things go smoothly.

    Merry Chirstmas to all Symphony users!

  • José Vilmar Estácio de Souza said on Dec 22, 2007 2:03 PM:

    Nice to hear about accessibility and jaws, thanks.

  • Héctor said on Dec 22, 2007 6:18 PM:

    For now I prefer OOo 2.3 because it is in spanish and it have more time from StarOffice 5.2. I Knew it since that times.

    Saludos desde Mexico.

    Hector Herrera

  • Paul said on Dec 22, 2007 8:31 PM:

    I wait for a Ubuntu version too. I try beta 2 installing the binary file but it give me some problems.

  • Dave Lester said on Dec 22, 2007 11:00 PM:

    Hi, I love the interface ideas you guys bring - it looks simply awesome! But I do wonder, since OO.o has a very old and crufty codebase (which leads to slow operation), why don't you guys start with something quicker, lighter and more manageable like Koffice or GNOME Office? Those projects could use your help with interface design and you'd benefit by having a smaller and cleaner code base to work with. This would also spur competition in the free office software field. Please consider it. Have a great Christmas!

  • Giri said on Dec 24, 2007 2:54 AM:

    I get a BASIC error in script.xlc,script.xli,dialog.xlc and dialog.xli if i leave the document open for a while before saving. I do not get this error if I save the file after making changes immediately. This error also leads to a corrupt document wich I am unable to open later.

  • SA said on Dec 25, 2007 8:00 AM:

    Will there be support for the new microsoft office 2007 extensions, i.e. docx, xlsx and pptx?

  • alex said on Dec 25, 2007 9:05 AM:

    use the newest Open Office version (2.3.1) as base

  • Jim Chi said on Dec 25, 2007 7:59 PM:

    Where is the link to upgrade to Beta 3 for Beta 2 users?

  • Mangala Rodrigo said on Dec 26, 2007 2:30 AM:

    Beta3 announcement seems to be good, but I had some problems in previous version of symphony such as synonyms in word editor and some of the MS XL formulas are difficult to retrieve in Symphony. If

    IBM can resolve minor issues and provide basic features as I mentioned, it will be a positive point for Symphony.

    Because I have promoted symphony to my customers against MS office, during the promotion those are the issues I went through.

    If any one there to post me updates and get assistant when required, will easy for me to go in to MS accounts and convince the customer. My e-mail is, mangalar@millenniumit.com

    Look forward any of yours feed back on this.

  • Matt Willims said on Dec 27, 2007 7:29 PM:

    I believe there should be an option in the installer for an email client supporting not just POP3 & IMAP, but also MS Exchange and Lotus Domino.

    This is one of the big features which makes MS Office such a good proposition to business. Most business is running exchange at the server end, and many govt departments here run either GroupWise (quite popular) or less commonly Lotus Domino. Having a free email client bundled which supports at the very least exchange and domino, preferably groupwise also has the potential to get some real marketshare vs MS Office.

    Just my 2 cents worth.

  • Eric Alfaro said on Dec 28, 2007 3:13 AM:

    Is windows 2003 server supported in this version of Lotus Symphony?

  • Yin Da Li said on Dec 28, 2007 3:56 AM:

    Hello Steve,

    Symphony plans to add programmability in future release. Through the programmability API, you can develop plug-in to add your own toolbar and button to implement your one-click deal.

  • Philippe said on Dec 28, 2007 5:18 AM:

    F4 is a function that often means "repeat last action". Is it included in Beta 4? Will it be soon?

    Symphony user since 1986 ;-)

  • Alice said on Dec 28, 2007 10:01 AM:

    I have switched to Ooo for text and spreadsheet after using smartsuite for many yearsand looking around for an opensource equivalent - but as yet have not found anything better than approach which I use everyday. I do not like openoffice base and was excited when I heard about symphony but very disappointed when I realised that it had everything but approach. An easily usable database like approach would make this a must-have as there is no opensource equivalent - please add it and I will be an instant convert.

  • Alexey said on Dec 28, 2007 4:29 PM:

    Can I use IBM Lotus Symphony on Kubuntu Linux 7.10?

  • Ted Johnson said on Dec 29, 2007 11:51 PM:

    I like the interface. It is really pleasant to look at and I like blue scheme. It reminds me of AmiPro and WordPro.

  • Georges said on Dec 30, 2007 10:29 AM:

    The Welcome screen does NOT match my language settings and I cannot find a way to change the Symphony Welcome screen settings. By Welcome screen I mean the one with the three coins to start the OpenOffice 1.x applications within Symphony.

  • N.N. said on Jan 1, 2008 2:59 PM:

    Having Open Office it looks like nonsense to me to launch another Office Suite which (as I read elsewhere) is also somehow based on OO.

  • N.N. said on Jan 1, 2008 3:00 PM:

    Having Open Office it looks like nonsense to me to launch another Office Suite which (as I read elsewhere) is also somehow based on OO.

  • Bill said on Jan 1, 2008 9:54 PM:

    Is lotus symphony only a way for you to get people to buy Lotus notes. If so , are you willing to do a better job than Ms office, or just play with them, please kick "uncle Bill where it hurts, and don't forget about Apple computer, I am sure they can market your products if you really want to knock off ms office

  • Urban said on Jan 2, 2008 11:39 AM:

    Ccongratulations to all of you.

    I think(!) that Mitch Kapor is back again.

    (Y/N)?

    If I 'm right we are the champions of the world. Good bye microsoft office

    tks

  • g. said on Jan 2, 2008 6:49 PM:

    i installed the linux version. by default, italian version gives a french welcome message. changed all odf icons in my file explorer without asking, which is not nice. but uninstall works perfectly, and restores everything, which is good. user interface not nice enough to make me think i'll leave openoffice any time soon...

    but keep up the good work!

  • maxzebra said on Jan 3, 2008 12:47 AM:

    Lookin' very, very, good - but why is there not an option to to set the save default as '.doc'? My clients won't move off MS if they have to think about something like that!

  • Doug said on Jan 3, 2008 9:01 PM:

    I cant consider using Sympony until there is a reasonably robust equation editor. Will it come?

  • Dave said on Jan 4, 2008 7:32 PM:

    The interface for symphony is pleasing to the eye but it just doesn't quite measure up to OOo. Maybe IBM should work together w/OOo to get OO onto the eclipse platform and stop the parallel work!

    Anyway, for all you Apple folks, goto www.neooffice.org. That is OOo for the Mac, native for the Mac, and it works great and looks great!

  • Kaiwai said on Jan 5, 2008 7:05 PM:

    Mac OS X support please! with sugar on top!

  • Cherokeefox said on Jan 7, 2008 9:49 AM:

    Please please ... a mac version?

  • Ray Trygstad said on Jan 7, 2008 11:21 AM:

    As a dedicated Word Pro user since AmiPro 1.1, any and every WordPro compatibility you can build in will make Symphony my suite of choice; currently my complex WordPro files using the outline styles choke the Symphony import filters. I really like the sidebar in Symphony; it gives me something approaching the same level of control I have over text in WoprdPro (which is still light-years better than I can get in MS Word). Keep trucking and please, please focus on the SmartSuite compatibility issues for all of us long-term users out here.

  • Blue said on Jan 9, 2008 1:29 PM:

    Absolutely--

    Compatability (and comparable fearures) with Word Pro would be the final selling point with me. Although I use MS Word / MS Office professionally, I generally use Word Pro / SmartSuite for my personal writing and research notes. The features in the SmartSuite set were, and are, exceptionally well designed and useful--even after all of these years.

  • Paul said on Jan 10, 2008 8:19 PM:

    two annoying problems:

    1.can launch Lotus Symphony in Ubuntu 7.10, but can not open any existing Openoffice file

    2.Openoffice file icons are replaced by Symphony, make things confused, the worst part is that you can not restore it even though removing the Symphony

  • JimColeman said on Jan 10, 2008 10:21 PM:

    Yes, Approach is the best program of any type ever made. The designers were geniuses.

    A new version for Linux/Mac/Java would be almost too good to be true.

  • Jim Coleman said on Jan 10, 2008 10:29 PM:

    Yes, I would add, the SmartSuite interface for formatting is the most productive I've ever seen. It would be great to have a new product that offers this.

  • Thomas Riekel said on Jan 11, 2008 7:19 AM:

    That´s what I want too:

    Approach, the best database I ever had.

  • Sacha Sommer said on Jan 11, 2008 12:50 PM:

    Hi,

    I think you should add the project functionality from IBM Workplace Managed Client. Looks to me that Symphony and the Productivity Tools share some code anyway.

    That would make the suite interesting for private users as well as corporate users. Don't forget many business base their decision on office suites on the taste of their employees.

    Anyway I hope a version for the Macintosh will be soon ready and perhaps the systems requirements could be reduced a little.

  • norman said on Jan 14, 2008 3:02 PM:

    Please include a dbase application Approach is so easy to use dont discard it,

    I am a home user and now have a problem because the new laptop i purchased for the Kids has vista and smartsuit wont load, so symphony looked like the answer but no approach equivalent

  • Robbie said on Jan 21, 2008 1:21 AM:

    I look forward to a promising product once beta testing is complete (hopefully not toooo long..) However its impossible for me to assess in my business as there is currently no AMD64 installer (FC8 rpm would be nice..). Please I really hope you can release and AMD64 very soon - Id love to try it out.

  • OohoOH said on Jan 23, 2008 1:24 AM:

    I setup it today. Nothing new was found except some errors.Would the develop team solve the flash-to-white refresh feeling when I use the presentation fuction with colored background?

  • Marcman said on Feb 21, 2008 6:30 AM:

    OK, so, I was voted must likely to have difficulty with new programs we are considering. I can't open existing Microsoft Word (2007) documents, Microsoft Excel (2207) documents lose all of their formatting, and documents created with Symphony cannot be opened by Microsoft programs. If it's a question of knowing what secret settings to change, it likely shouldn't be and if it truly IS incompatible, why should we isolate ourselves from the majority of the world's computer users????

    As of this moment, though I like the idea of our not using Microsoft, I just don't see how I can give it a positive review???!!

  • Richard B said on Mar 25, 2008 3:21 AM:

    I endorse what everyone has said about WordPro. It is easily the best word processor out there, and it's a great shame that it should not have been developed over the years. If the Symphony word processor can evolve into an enhanced version of WordPro, that would be really great.

  • Guest said on Jul 17, 2008 6:51 AM:

    good

  • CESAR BUSTAMANTE said on Oct 9, 2008 4:23 PM:

    FROM MEXICO:

    I THINK THAT APPROACH IS THE BEST EVER DATABASE MANAGER CREATED AND YOU DONT CARE

    YOU ARE LOOSING A LOT OF MARKET WITHOUT IT!!!!

  • keith said on Feb 2, 2009 3:17 AM:

    approach is such a nice app ibm should set it up for ubuntu

    then things will fly

  • keith said on Feb 2, 2009 3:21 AM:

    i feel no one has can replace approach it is simple to use and can do things that with other app you have no choice but to be a geek.

  • Stan said on Feb 7, 2009 2:09 PM:

    Software looks great!

    Can I share the spreadsheet with other users on the network - so multiple people can work on it similtaneously?

  • Michael said on Jun 16, 2010 5:09 PM:

    Hopefully IBM will enhance Lotus Symphony 3 to mimic the features of Lotus Word Pro. There are many people still using Word Pro for its ability to create icon enabled scripts.
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