The news on the ODF front continues to flow, as the air wars continue between ODF and OOXML.  This morning's email includes a message from OpenOffice.org's Louis Suarez-Potts to those interested in the progress of OOo's ODF compliant, open source software suite.  That message announces the third OOo release of 2006, versioned as OpenOffice.org 2.1.  The following is taken from Louis's email:

There are a number of important new features for users in this release. The presentations application, Impress, now supports multiple monitors, with the presenter choosing where to display the presentation. The Calc spreadsheet has an improved HTML export  capability, using styles to better recreate in a browser the  appearance of the original spreadsheet. The database application, Base, has a number of enhancements, including improved support for  Microsoft's Access product. The popular Quickstarter is now available  for GNU/Linux users as a GTK application. OpenOffice.org's impressive  language support is enhanced with five more localisations.

Version 2.1 also provides new support for developers, extending version control to extensions, simplifying the management of packages for those developing extensions.  And, for those wanting to take advantage of new features as they become available between releases, 2.1 includes "an improved on-line notifier, which checks regularly and informs users if a new version is available (users may choose to disable this option at any time)."

As usual, the new version is available without charge, as follows:

* http://download.openoffice.org/2.1/  If the download servers are busy, there is an alternative legal peer-to-peer (P2P) system.

 * http://distribution.openoffice.org/p2/  Alternatively, OpenOffice.org Community Distributors supply the software on CD-ROM in many countries. 

 * OpenOffice.org’s Native Language project can advise on the availability of translations. 

*  http://projects.openoffice.org/native-lang.html

You might also want to check out the winners of the recent OOo “Template and Clipart Competition,” which you can find here.  For an extensive interview of Louis and Marketing Co-Lead John McCreesh on OOo, see The Evolving ODF Environment Part II:  Spotlight on OpenOffice.

Later the same day, OOo. issued a press release, which can be found here.