Comment 11 for bug 176487

I expected this bug to be solved very quickly but weeks have passed. As many people seems to use the "downgrade" workaround, here's a link to the Ubuntu mirrors where you can download the right gutsy package:

http://packages.ubuntu.com/cgi-bin/download.pl?arch=all&file=pool%2Fmain%2Fh%2Fhsqldb%2Flibhsqldb-java_1.8.0.8-1ubuntu1_all.deb&md5sum=330ac9d68c736b7b2cbd357672a5bff2&arch=all&type=main

For people that wants a complete step by step procedure, here it is. It first download the package, then delete any trace of the hardy package, and finally install the downloaded gutsy package. In a terminal window, type the following:

wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/main/h/hsqldb/libhsqldb-java_1.8.0.8-1ubuntu1_all.deb
sudo dpkg --purge libhsqldb-java
sudo dpkg -i libhsqldb-java_1.8.0.8-1ubuntu1_all.deb
rm libhsqldb-java_1.8.0.8-1ubuntu1_all.deb

Then reinstall OpenOffice :)

sudo apt-get install openoffice.org

Have fun.