By JAMES DERK, Scripps Howard News Service

I think more attention needs to be paid to Open Office, the free clone of Microsoft Office.I know, I should not call it that because it really is not a clone of Microsoft's highly successful product that has been around for so many years.

Some tidbits for computer users fill the space this week as some interesting news has been released on the tech front:

Microsoft has shipped the "RTM" build of Service Pack 1 of Windows Vista, meaning that those of us running this operating system soon will have some relief. The "release to manufacturing" version means that Microsoft is satisfied that this is the correct version that everyone should use, that PC makers should ship in new PCs and consumers should download.

Letters, we get letters, stacks and stacks of letters.Q: I read your review of the MacBook Air and it's pretty clear you just don't get it. You've always been a Windows and Microsoft fanboy and some things just never change. The Air wasn't made for you and you are just not the target market. So why can't you say something positive about an Apple?

The afternoon the MacBook Air was announced I was thinking of raiding the computer piggybank and dropping $1,800 on one of these babies.

For those following the battle between the two competing DVD formats for the hearts, minds and wallets of computer- and television users, something really interesting happened last week.Warner Bros. announced it was picking Blu-Ray, dealing perhaps a mortal blow to the competing format called HD-DVD.

The not-so-nice reader mail has stuffed the box. Time for you to vent and me to try to explain why you're wrong and I'm right. (Just kidding.)

It had to happen some day I suppose. I finally had to look my 11-year-old daughter in the eye and have the talk. You know, the one every father dreads having. Yes, that one.

Holiday mail has clogged the box this week; let's get right to it.

It is about time for me to offer everyone with electronics under the tree this year my tips to keep them alive.