New Linux Annoyance

One of my favorite Linux annoyances is Linux applications that should 
work OK, but don't, and nobody knows what the problem is.  Because it's 
open source and freeware, nobody seems to give a crap that things don't 
work right, and it can be years until something like pppd get fixed.  If 
you look at the source, some authors (like the author of pppd) say words 
like,"If this doesn't work, don't bug me.  Fix it yourself."

Today, my big Linux annoyance is OpenOffice.Org which came with my RH9 
distribution, and which works OK on SOME installations.  But on others, 
OpenOffice.Org loads with 100-point task-bar fonts, so the entire 
package is unusable.  Do you think this can be fixed?  Well, after 
re-installing, scouring the help sources, trying it on Gnome and K 
desktops, cruising for days on the OpenOffice news groups and help 
sources, etc, there's not a stick, not an iota of insight as to why 
OpenOffice.Org is such a basket case (on SOME desktops only).  Don't 
start flaming me about how excellent OpenOffice.Org is - on some 
desktops, it truly is excellent.  But it doesn't work on all desktops. 
So it qualifies as a major Linux annoyance.

My guess is that because it's free, nobody gives a crap about fixing it. 
  So we'll have to go back to Corel WordPerfect for Linux or some other 
stupid, ancient Linux word-processor.  When nobody's looking, we'll 
sneak into the warehouse and load Microsoft Word on the Windows machine 
that they keep hidden back there to do UPS shipping labels.

The Linux geeks keep saying,"But that's an application - it's not 
Linux."  Who cares.  To me, it's all part of the same Linux deal, and 
it's really annoying.

RJ Burke