Under iTunes 10.3, it looks very much the same as any other build of iTunes, but it has the one key difference in that it’s already working within the confines of the cloud. Much has been said about the cloud, but it seems more like a mysterious and ominous entity. For anyone that has any doubts about it, this slight occurrence of it in iTunes should give a hint of how great it could be.

If you click on “Purchased” under the store menu, as always, it shows all the songs you have purchased on iTunes from that computer. However, if you glance towards the lower right, underneath that listing it says, “Download Previous Purchases.” This rather inconspicuous listing does far more than it appears to.

Clicking “Download Previous Purchases” takes you to a listing of Music, Apps, and Books that have been downloaded previously. This means all materials to have ever been downloaded by your iTunes account. It doesn’t just mean the ones you have downloaded using that current computer, or the ones that are loaded on that system. It means all to have ever been downloaded by the history of that account, including ones downloaded to a different computer or unsynced iOS device.

If you click on Music, you’ll see a list of the fifty most recent purchases, as well as an alphabetical listing by artist. Next to each artist’s name is a number, and that number is how many songs have been purchased by that particular artist. If you click on “Not In My Library” on the far right, it will show you a listing of only the songs that have not been purchased or synced on that computer. You can click on the small cloud icon, and it will immediately download to the computer.

A listing of purchased apps also appears in this listing. Note, however, these are the apps for iOS devices, not applications for a computer.  Just as with the music, you can choose either all apps to have ever been purchased on your account or just apps that aren’t downloaded onto the particular computer you’re working on. Clicking on the clouds again downloads them immediately.

For something new to iTunes, iBooks purchases are listed here as well. Previously the only way to download iBooks was through the app on an iOS device, but now they are not only listed here in your purchases, but you can also shop for them directly from your computer. If you go to the iTunes store you can shop for them just as you would music and apps.

This all makes it so much easier to transfer music, as well as apps and books from computer to computer and to all your separate iOS devices. Previously it all had to be done by syncing the devices with the individual computers or devices they were purchased on. Now all your purchasing history is stored in the cloud allowing you to literally access it anywhere. This means you don’t have to carry huge libraries on all your computers and devices, allowing your to choose what type of materials you want uploaded on different devices and at different times.

Internet made the sharing business a whole lot easier. You can instantly email your overseas friends about the latest and greatest song from your favorite rock band, or tweet about it to your followers. But why stop there? Why not join GetGlue – a community where people from all over the world share and discover things that they love?

Make Everything Stick

GetGlue describes itself as “a social network for entertainment“. Its goal is to add “fun” to the process of recommending things that you like (or not recommending things that you don’t like) by integrating itself to other popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter and by rewarding the users with virtual badges and freebies.

People can use GetGlue not only to recommend things to others, but also to get recommendations on things that they like. GetGlue can also be used as a place you go to every time you want to shop for specific items.

You can register for GetGlue account by simply choosing your user name and password, and writing down your email address.

Alternatively, you can use your Facebook or Twitter login info to get started quickly with GetGlue.

To enrich your GetGlue experience, expand it beyond the web interface. GetGlue is also available as extensions for major browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Safari) and apps for iDevices (iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) and Android Phones. It means that you can access GetGlue anytime and anywhere.

To download and install the Glue extension for your favorite browser, find the item in the browser’s extensions repository. Here’s the example of Glue for Safari.

After the extension is installed, your browser will show a small recommendation bar at the bottom (or top) of your browser every time you visit sites that related to books, music, movies, or other “consumer” items.

To access GetGlue when you are away from your computer, use GetGlue app for your smart phone. Armed with the app, you can recommend the movie that you are watching at the theatre without having to wait until you get home.

The Web Interface

Now let’s explore the web interface. After logging in, you will be greeted by quick status update and recommended item(s).

There’s the “utility” bar at the right side of the page which consist of many things. For example: your personal data, link to GetGlue apps,

… To Dos, Quick Rate Button, earned stickers, etc.

Clicking the “Launch Quick Rate” button will open the quick rating window. Choose one of the items’ type to start rating things.

Your friends and relatives will appear under “My Subscriptions” and “My Subscribers” category. This is something like following and followers in Twitter. You can increase the number of your cult by inviting more people to subscribe to you.

And in the main page, there’s the update of what activities that currently happening among GetGlue users.

Bonus For Bloggers

If you happen to be a blogger, you can add GetGlue service in your blog. To do that, navigate to the bottom of the sidebar in the web interface and click on the “Install Glue on your blog or website” link.

The Glue widget window will open and you can choose your blog’s publishing platform. There are ready-to-use widgets for Blogger and Typad users, while other blogging platforms users can use the provided script instead.

Are you a GetGlue users? What do you think after using it? Would you recommend GetGlue to your friends and family? Share your thoughts in the comment below.

Image credit: GetGlue

Illustrations

To insert an image in OpenOffice Writer, simply click “Insert->Picture->From File“.  Then, select the image that you want, and click OK.

By default, the text will wrap around  your picture. If you do not want this or want a different type of wrapping, right click on the picture and choose the appropriate wrap method from the wrap menu.

The next thing to consider is anchoring. By default, your image will be anchored to the paragraph.  That means that if text is inserted or delete above or below your paragraph, that picture will stay with the paragraph as it moves, even to another page. If your image is page-specific, you should right click, move your arrow to “Anchor” and click “To Page”.  You can also do all of this from the Graphics toolbar, if you have it enabled.

One final point to note is that your printing company may have specific requirements for images. Many will require an image to be 300ppi (pixels per inch). It is beyond the scope of this article to teach you about photo management, but you can read more about this issue.

Styles and Formatting

For most books, you will want the same font and font size throughout the entire book. You will also want the same indentation, margins, and other formatting. To begin, do the following:

1. Click on the Styles and Formatting button in the toolbar.

2. Right click on “First line indent” and click “New“. (That will create a style with indentation already set).

3. Give your style a name.

4. Click the Indents & Spacing tab. You can change the amount of indentation and line spacing (most books are single-spaced).

5. Click the Alignment tab. Most books have justified alignment.

6. Click the Text Flow tab.  Because your book will be justified, you will want hyphenation at the end to make the words flow nicely. Orphan and Widow control will keep single lines from ending up by themselves.

7. Click the “Font” tab and select the font, typeface, and size that you prefer. You can also select your language here.

8. Click the “Drop Caps” tab. If you want to display drop caps at the beginning of a paragraph, you can set that here.

Once you have your style the way you want it, click OK.  You will now have a style that you can apply to any text in your document.  By default, each paragraph will start with the previous style that you were using. You can even tweak that setting in the Organizer tab.

Exporting

Most professional printers will not accept Open Document Text (.odt) format. While that might change in the future, for now you will have to rely on other formats.  While some printers allow you to export to Microsoft Word document format, you should avoid this if you can.  Chances are, your styles and formatting will be altered in the conversion. The safest bet is to export in PDF or PS format.

OpenOffice.org has built-in support for PDF exporting.  Just follow these easy steps:

1. Click “File”

2. Click “Export as PDF”

3. Keep it on “Lossless compression”. You should leave the other settings as they are unless you have been specifically told to change something.

4. Click “Export”.

5. Choose a file name and location and click OK.

If you need to export a PostScript (PS) file, use this method:

1. Click “File” and “Print”

2. Check the “Print to file” box.

3. Click “Print”

4. Choose the location and file name.

5. Click OK.

With the skills you have learned in this series, you now have a basic understanding of book layout using OpenOffice.org.  There are other typsetting features, such as frames, that you may want to consider.  There are also typesetting applications like Scribus for more layout-intensive projects (such as magazines).  Depending on what you want to accomplish, there are free software tools available for your needs.  In the end you will have quality work at an affordable cost.

Further reading:

Positioning graphics within the text

Using frames for page layout

There are a couple of things you should consider before proceeding:

1. If you are submitting your book to a publisher, they normally do not expect you to format the book or do any typesetting. That is their job. They just want the raw manuscript. In some cases, they may even insist that you use a particular generic font and not change default margins. Make sure you read their submission guidelines.

2. One of our readers mentioned that he usually formats his books after he finishes writing. This is undoubtedly the best method in most cases. What we created in Part 1 was a basic template that you can use without any further formatting needed before you start writing. Furthermore, if you are working for the publisher or are the publisher, the author might be someone else. In that case, you will take his or her text and prepare it.

Page Numbers

Basic page numbering is very easy in OpenOffice.org.  Just click Insert->Footer, and then click Insert->Fields->Page Number.  You can then left, center, or right align it. What that will give you is a page number at the bottom of every page (or at the top if you choose “Header” instead of footer).

In most non-fiction books, however, the page numbers are right aligned on the recto and left aligned on the verso. The result is that page numbers are always on the farthest ends of the pages away from the spine. The second problem to tackle is that page numbers normally start with the text, whereas the default numbering will start with your title page. This is where OpenOffice.org’s sophistication comes in handy. While it is easy to add page numbers, the available variations are extensive.

As I mentioned above, this particular part of layout is something that you must do after the book is completely finished, edited, reviewed, and ready for printing. Otherwise, you will most likely be wasting your time and will have to go back and make changes.

1. There are three page layout buttons at the bottom of your window. The first shows you one page at a time. The second shows you pages side-by-side, and the third specifically shows you mirrored pages like that of a book.  Click the third, and you should now have the title page by itself and then two pages mirrored throughout the rest of the document.

2. Count the pages preceding your first page of text. In my example, I have six.

3. Insert a header or footer. All of your page-number work will be performed there.

4. Go to your first page of text before proceeding so that you can see the results. Then,  click Insert->Fields->Other.

5. Under Type, select Page, leave it on Page numbers, and As Page Style.

6. This is the important part.  Under Offset enter the number of pages you just counted with a negative sign in front of it. In my example, I entered “-6″.

7. Click Insert. If your first page of text now has the number 1, you are good to go. If not, undo and recount until you are satisfied.

8. When you are satisfied, click Close.

9. Click on Format->Page.

10. Choose the Header or Footer tab, and un-check “Same content left/right“.

11. Click “OK” and scroll down to pages 2 and 3.

12. Highlight the number “3″ and right align it. Page 2 should still be left aligned.

Now all of your pages should alternate their page numbers properly. There is an alternative method of accomplishing this same task. You can read about both methods here.

Paragraph Styles

Another beautiful feature of OpenOffice.org is its extensive use of page and paragraph styles. You can even create styles for specific characters. Click on the “Styles and Formatting” button or simply press F11, and you will see a sidebar with all of the currently available paragraph styles. You can create a style and format it however you see fit. To begin with a style that is already created, right click on it and then click “New”. This will copy that style and allow you to build from it.

This is where you can control indentation, line spacing, alignment (which you will most like want to justify), text flow (books usually hyphenate at the end of lines), fonts, and much more. It is completely up to you or whoever is setting publication guidelines for you.

Give your style a name and select the “Next Style” drop-down menu. This allows you to identify which style the next paragraph will use. You could conceivably have two alternating styles or just the same style automatically applied whenever you start a new paragraph.

I have made a document with everything I have done available for download so that you can actually see and play with my changes. In Part 3, we will cover illustrations, more in-depth style techniques, and export formats.

There is a long list of reasons why you might need to prepare an OpenOffice.org document in book form, and once you have learned how to do it, you will have a useful skill that you or people you know may need in the future. You can use this method for both print publications and e-books.

1. Start OpenOffice.org Writer with a regular blank document template.

The first thing you will need to do is set the size of your book. In my personal experience, it helped me tremendously with writing to be able to see each page at a normal book size rather than the 8.5″x11″ college essay size.  Suddenly, writing one hundred or two hundred pages will not take so long or seem so daunting.

2. Click “Format” in the menu and then click “Page…”

3. Enter in your custom width and height.

The current format will be “Letter”.  Many non-fiction paperbacks will be 6″x9″, while fiction paperbacks are often smaller sizes, such as 5.25″x7.5″. If you are doing this purely for effect, then it is entirely up to you. If you have to meet certain printing press specifications, follow them precisely.

There are lead  pages that always proceed the actual text of a book. If you are preparing a book for printing, they will be crucial. Bookstores rely on that information for stocking, and libraries rely on it for cataloging.

4. Create a title page.

There is no particular format set in stone, but a title page should include at least the title of the book and statement of responsibility (author’s name). If available, it should also include the publisher and place of publication. This is the place to be creative. You can use whatever font style and size you want. Create a manual page break at the end of the title page.

5. Create the title page verso.

This is the page directly on the other side of the title page and usually contains more detailed publication information, including copyright, ISBN, and CIP (cataloging in publication) data.

6. Click “Format” and “Paragraph”.

Click on the “Alignment” tab, and change it to “Justified”. From this point on, you will want your text to be justified.

7. Insert another page break, and you can enter any number of optional pages such as a dedication.

This can include a half title page with just the title or title and author’s name on the second to last page before the text. The final page before the text will be blank, and the text should begin on the recto or right-hand side.

8. Insert a page break and begin your text.

Most books will begin with a chapter number, chapter name, or both.

In part 2, you will learn how to properly align page numbers and format paragraphs. You are now well on your way to preparing your book for publication. Writing a book can be a very rewarding experience, even if you have no intentions of publishing. With OpenOffice.org, free and open source software, you have all the tools you need to make it happen. Happy writing!