OOo needs a "normal view" (that's what it's called in MS Word), whereby you can
view the text without columns. Very similar to the Web view already implemented
in OOo, except that Web view still displays it in columns. 

The reason is that often you may receive a document that is formatted in columns
(better for reading on paper), but it's difficult to read a document in columns
on screen (you have to scroll back up to the top of a page after you get to the
bottom of the first column). It's especially difficult to quickly visually scan
or speed-read a document when it's in columns. 

Another option instead of a "normal view" would be an on/off option under the
View menu to "view columns and margins". When turned off, the text is shown on
screen without columns or margins, just a single column that is the width of the
window (regardless of any page settings).