DB Help

I'm rather annoyed by Microsoft's plans as regards Office (or, more specifically, Access), so I've downloaded OpenOffice, in hopes of building my library and finances databases on that platform. However, I'm finding the documentation difficult to work with. Just setting up the first form is giving me fits; for my Finances database, I start with a dashboard form, not tied to any table or query, which provides me with some immediately-needed data and allows me to shift to other, table-tied forms. OO Base seems reluctant to let me do that. (There are hints that I need to create that form with the OO word processor, which, whatthehell?

Does anyone a) know how to get decent docs for OO, or b) know of a decent, user-friendly, not-too-complicated DB environment, preferable as easy to work with as Access?