After reading this xmlhack article:

   New Sun StarOffice XML File format praised
   http://www.xmlhack.com/read.php?item=838

pointing to some positive comments on StarOffice's use of XML
from DV on the xml-dev list:

   Subject: Re: Sun StarOffice XML File Format
   http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/200010/msg00471.html
   mid:[email protected]

I was just going to install it to give it a try, and noticed this
blurb on the install page:

   http://www.sun.com/products/staroffice/5.2/get.html

> Download StarOffice[tm] 5.2 (file size 79-105Mbytes)
>
> Why bother with the hassle of installing your own software? Have
> Expertcity do it for you! For USD $9.99, a qualified expert will
> install StarOffice Software in a matter of minutes. Click here to
> start.

poking around expertcity's site a bit:

http://www.expertcity.com/servlet/dispatch/whatIsEC.tmpl

| What Is Expertcity?
|
| The place to go for live computer help, training and advice.
|
| We've got hundreds of live experts working in our 24-hour, 7-day
| a week marketplace. After you register, you can ask our experts
| anything and everything about your computer and get immediate
| answers using our unique help tools.
|
| With our help tools you can...
|
| * Discuss your question with your expert via live chat or phone.
| * Show your screen to your expert to get faster, more helpful answers.  
| * Sit back, relax and learn as your expert solves a problem for you.  
| * Visualize the step-by-step directions as your expert draws and
|   highlights on your screen.  
|
| Expertcity is so...
|
| * Immediate - 36 live experts are waiting to help you, right now!
| * Alive - Get answers from real, live experts in real time.
| * Comprehensive - Ask any computing question from Games to Hardware.
| * Flexible - Select your expert based on resume, rating and member comments.
| * Convenient - Watch as your expert helps you right on your
|   computer, or follow the instructions step-by-step.  
| * Guaranteed - Pay only if you're completely satisfied with your session.
|
| What to do now:
|
| * View our Animated Demo. Watch how Albert the expert helps a
|   member solve a nagging computer problem.
|
| * Try a Free Session. See how easy it is to get immediate help
|   through screen sharing.  

Their solution (some kind of browser plugin?) doesn't seem to be
my style -- I would rather talk to an expert on an IRC channel
somewhere and maybe give them root access to my system by adding
their public ssh key (assuming you trust them, but I don't see
how they can install software on your system otherwise) -- but
it's interesting to see these kind of services popping up anyway.

Hmm... surfing around a bit more, they have an expert rating
service and bidding process a la keen.com. [1]

[1] http://impressive.net/archives/fogo/[email protected]

I'm starting to download star office now... (I'm not planning to
use expertcity.com, just thought I'd mention it)

--
Gerald Oskoboiny <[email protected]>
http://impressive.net/people/gerald/