I had this problem with OpenOffice and Mandrake 8.2.
The version of OpenOffice supplied on the Mandrake 8.2 CD has
performance issues.

To fix it, I removed the OpenOffice RPM. Then I downloaded and installed
the OpenOffice1.0.1 tarball from www.openoffice.org. After this version
of OpenOffice was installed my startup time was reduced to 9 seconds.
 
Also, OpenOffice1.0.1 works great with TrueType Fonts.

Contact me off-list if you want assistance in updating OpenOffice or
installing TrueType fonts.
 
W. E. Brooks
  
> Message: 4
> Subject: Open Office
> From: Kimi Adams <kimi@unitywave.com>
> To: "plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us" <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
> Date: 29 Oct 2002 13:31:29 -0700
> Reply-To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> 
> As many of you know, about a month ago I installed Mandrake 8.2 on my
> desktop, mostly out of frustration and need.  My administrator did the
> work. I have struggled with learning things over, after 20 successful
> years of MS'ing.
> 
> The problem is that when I launch Open Office, from the favorites menu,
> it takes a minute or two or more to get past the opening logo screen.
> THEN as if it's not bad enough, it either just stops opening after the
> logo screen goes away or when it actually opens the program, the cursor
> stops blinking and it suddenly closes within the first few seconds of
> being open.
> 
> I have not researched this issue, but I have talked to two other people
> that say it seems like a bad install or that maybe resources are messing
> with it.
> 
> Any suggestion that will actually fix the problem?
> 
> Kimi