Which office?

[STEED]

I still got MS Office 2003 which is now long in the tooth and I don't want to buy their new version. I have been looking at two free ones and wondering which one is the best one to go for.

Apache OpenOffice
http://www.openoffice.org/why/index.html

Or

LibreOffice 5
http://www.libreoffice.org

[Dowly]

I've only used Apache, but it has served its purpose just fine.

[Skybird]

Depends on what you need. if you have diverse and highly professional demands, Open Office. If you can afford a bit more relaxed attitude, I would prefer Libre Office (which I only know under Linux).

Open Office sometimes had me endlessly searching for a function.

Anyhow, for ordinary text editing, both get the job done - with flying colours. Personally, I tend towards Libre Office, but I cannot give you a killer argument for that. I also prefer the bit more colpourful presentation and style (talking about the Linux version, I do not know whether the Windows version is and looks different).

Last Microsoft stuff I tried in these regards, was edition 2010. Never liked their new menu style, and until today see no reason for myself why I would need to fall back to Microsoft, regarding typical office software. I liked the older versions of Word much better.

[Rockin Robbins]

Both Open Office and Libre Office are branches off the same tree and very similar. I find that Open Office has a higher variety of import filters, which occasionally is important to me. I have them both installed for when I infrequently find a function I need in one but not the other. They both use the open document format (MUCH better than Microsoft's proprietary formats) so changing back and forth is seamless and 100% compatible--just like any two computer programs should play nice with each other.

[STEED]

I tried Apache few years ago and removed it because their was some sort of issue with it, I trust it is all sorted now. I notice on reading up up on LibreOffice 5 more work and updates have gone into this one unlike Apache and has a higher recommendation. I think the best way is too give them both a try and see which one suites me.

Just one more quick question can both of them open MS office 2003 documents? More in the case of Word 2003.

[d@rk51d3]

I went with Libre for a free suite.

Recently bought Office 13 as the missus is doing a course, and was a requirement.

[Sailor Steve]

Just one more quick question can both of them open MS office 2003 documents? More in the case of Word 2003.
As far as I know, yes. I use Apache and have no problems with it. It will also save in MS formats as well as its own.

[Rockin Robbins]

General rule: Linux and Linux derived programs understand Microsoft better than Microsoft programs. They read and write FAT, FAT32, NTFS, more reliably and with fewer restrictions than Microsoft programs. Free Linux partition software is better than paid PC partition software and does flawless surgery on any Microsoft disk. Linux programs read and write Microsoft format files better than Microsoft programs do. That means that .doc, .xls and other Office 2003 formats are flawlessly read by both office suites, plus many other Linux based office programs.

However, Microsoft operating systems and programs have no clue what to do with world standard formatted Linux software files like open document files from Libre Office or Open Office. Windows will not acknowledge a disk formatted in any Linux scheme whether ext2, ext3, ext4, xfs, Reiser v3,or vfat. It will not even issue them a drive letter. Arrogance is what that behavior is called and it should call for contempt.

Therefore, look for where the software you considering for came from. If it's a Windows port of a Linux program, like Firefox, Thunderbird, Open Office, Libre Office, Windirstat, Clementine or 7-zip file manager, be assured that it will be all about communication and interoperability. If you are using a Microsoft operating system or program it is all about proprietary exclusion and forcing you to use their format while keeping you from communicating with the world and charging you a premium price to be so restricted.

[STEED]

I start testing both out this Monday and see which one I like the most. :)

I'm going to still use MS Office 2003 because I like the look and hate the later versions of it just for my personal files.

Spring clean next week on the PC and clear off stuff I no longer use or need. :ping:

[Catfish]

Office 2003 is still perfectly ok, and imho there is no need to go to another version. Especially after Office 2007 the menues become completely unlogical and cluttered, and UGLY.

Only disadvantage would be reading documents which have been created using Office 2010 or higher with the *.docx type, since those cannot be read by the older Office version. But there are workarounds and converters.

There is also Open Office for free, by Sun. You can download it at the usual places, and it is completely legal. But it is HUGE and takes some time to dl...

[Rockin Robbins]

I use Office 2003 all the time and load .xlsx and .docx files directly with a compatibility pack published and installed through Windows Update. I'm really surprised Microsoft lets me use 2003 at all because I like it better by far than current products.

Open Office and Libre Office are smaller than Microsoft Office 2003. And they have no compatibility problems with Windows 7 like the higher priced spread does.

[aanker]

I start testing both out this Monday and see which one I like the most. :)

I'm going to still use MS Office 2003 because I like the look and hate the later versions of it just for my personal files.
.......... :ping:
I still use and like Office 2003.... compatible Word docs and Excel spreadsheets. My email is sorted online; known spam -> spam folder, email from whomever (not on my whitelist) -> 'suspect mail', all known email I download. I've never had a problem related to Outlook.

I looked at Thunderbird email, Open Office & Libre Office. Of the three (two) I liked Open Office because its Suite can open and save in Word doc format, Spreadsheets etc. and seems/feels more 'natural' to use.

I'll be interested in your thoughts after your experiment. I still prefer old Office 2003, however I know I need something else for today's docs & XL sheets.

[STEED]

OK both are now installed and both need Java runtime environment to run the databases. Is it safe to go ahead and install?

In the mean time I am taking a look at both and sizing them up.

[Onkel Neal]

Office 2003 is still perfectly ok, and imho there is no need to go to another version. Especially after Office 2007 the menues become completely unlogical and cluttered, and UGLY.

Only disadvantage would be reading documents which have been created using Office 2010 or higher with the *.docx type, since those cannot be read by the older Office version. But there are workarounds and converters.

There is also Open Office for free, by Sun. You can download it at the usual places, and it is completely legal. But it is HUGE and takes some time to dl...

Yes, I agree. I have been using Office 2007 and I still feel unfamiliar with the interface and menus. :dead:

[STEED]

Just tried out Presentation on both of them creating short slide shows with sound and effects. Both were straight forward and easy to pick up.

[STEED]

Still having upper back pain that's why I'm slow in testing the the two offices. I did check out what they offered in he way of free templates and open office looked like they had more but you can only see a small image unlike LibraOffice which had other issues. I found DL theres you had to go though a couple of more links each time and some older templates there was a warning they will not run on the new LO version.

Any luck I will be testing both WORD ones out over the weekend.

[BarracudaUAK]

Again, I am really late in posting this here, but I thought I would because the information is relevant, and may prove useful to others in the future...

OpenOffice.org is "defunct" (last version was 3.3), it is not updated anymore... the two succeeding "forks" are:

Apache Open Office (hosted at OpenOffice.org's address https://www.openoffice.org/), and LibreOffice (hosted at https://www.libreoffice.org/).

I've used all three of these (last MS office I liked was '97). In some ways Apache is "true to form" of OpenOffice.org, other ways LibreOffice is more "true to form".

Like STEED, I did have a few issues using AOO, but I was still on XP.

I tried LibreOffice, and didn't have any troubles so I've stayed with it.
I still have older versions of OpenOffice.org (ver 2.3 or 2.6) and I tried it "side by side" when I was still dual-booting my last PC, and over-all I found LibreOffice to be "closer".

AOO's design/flow was very much OO.org, but a few things were 'off' which, when I was building spread sheets (transmission/axle gear ratios/ tire size/rpm @ speed/etc for an upcoming gear swap in my car) really slowed me down. I knew what I wanted to do, but had trouble finding it, LibreOffice, those menu items were in the same locations as OpenOffice.org.

I tried locating AOO in the Fedora 24 repos so I could give it another test, but I can't find it, that may be a Fedora issue, or it maybe a KDE issue. (KDE has it own office suite, Caligra.)

If you are using Apache and like it, then I would say stick with it. If you are looking for a Free 'Office' program... try both.

Rather than link all 3 wikipedia pages, I figured I would just link to a picture which gives a good 'run-down' of the varios "Office" versions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice#/media/File:StarOffice_major_derivatives.svg

Both Apache and Libre start off from OpenOffice.org's version 3.3, but Libre is up to ver 5.2, and Apache is ver 4.1.
I'm not sure if Libre took longer to fix bugs, or they simply roll out a new version when they get a few fixed, rather than wait. I haven't followed both of them that closely.

All things considered, I would still rather have OpenOffice.org and be good to go! :up:

Barracuda

P.S. Admin, feel free to blast the usual "reviving old/dead threads" comments.:03::up:
I'm waiting for them to come out eventually, might as well get it out of the way.:O:

[Sailor Steve]

I didn't know about LibreOffice. I'll look into it.
P.S. Admin, feel free to blast the usual "reviving old/dead threads" comments.:03::up:
I'm waiting for them to come out eventually, might as well get it out of the way.:O:
Sorry, but four months is neither "old" nor "dead". The problem comes when people revive threads that several years gone and buried.

[Jimbuna]

Office 2003 is still perfectly ok, and imho there is no need to go to another version. Especially after Office 2007 the menues become completely unlogical and cluttered, and UGLY.

Only disadvantage would be reading documents which have been created using Office 2010 or higher with the *.docx type, since those cannot be read by the older Office version. But there are workarounds and converters.

There is also Open Office for free, by Sun. You can download it at the usual places, and it is completely legal. But it is HUGE and takes some time to dl...

Rgr that....Office 2007 here since its release and no complaints.