Openoffice.org 3.2 comes with two useful features:

1. Alt keys can be used as shortcut keys.
2. Open type fonts (otf) support

Updated on Nov 24 2010 for Ubuntu 10.10 and Linux Mint

Step 1. Install iBus-m17n

Step 2: create a new input method file for Transliteration

Ubuntu 9.10 changed input method from scim to IBus. IBus is more flexible and powerful than scim.

Setp 1: Enable IBus
Form Menue, System -->Administration -->Lanuage Support

Update (March 16, 2010): Openoffice.org 3.2 supports Alt keys as shortcut keys, how to use it? Read this: http://thanhsiang.org/faqing/node/147