UNO.CLS: An (Open) Object Rexx Module for Universal Network Objects

The free and Open Source office product named Open Office is built with a CORBA like distributed component model, named Universal Network Objects (UNO). In the past year quite some work was carried out in creating an (Open) Object Rexx interface module, allowing UNO classes to be addressed as if they were Object Rexx classes. This interface works with all UNO classes, be they implemented in C++ or Java or even in another language.
This talk will introduce the architecture and explain core functionality of the module UNO.CLS, followed by ooRexx nutshell scripts driving the Open Office word processor, spreadsheet and presentation modules. All scripts and macros work unchanged under Linux and Windows, enabling companies and organizations to switch off the proprietary, operating system pinning office products like Microsoft Office. Or with other words: the full functionality of Open Office becomes available to Rexx programmers, matching and even surpassing what is possible with other products. This technology helps to open up the opportunity to companies and organizations to strategically move away over time from products that lock them in into a specific operating system and/or office product involuntarily.