Apache OO vs Libre Office

Hi, i am looking for an alternative mainly to MS Word and Power Point and i was wondering, which between Libre Office and Apache Open Office offer better compatiblity in exporting-importing files to-from MS Office.

 

I've used both & I prefer Apache OO as it is generally more stable. I have been using OO for a number of years & don't have any real formatting problems. I tend to save most Writer files in Word format (.doc) anyway. I really only use Writer & Impress (Impress is a Powerpoint equivalent). After some bugs with LibO, especially with Impress, I went back to OpenOffice after a seven or eight month hiatus. OO is reliable & isn't upgraded too often, which I tend to prefer. I appear to be in the minority in preferring OO to LibO. I just like stable apps.

 

Thanks Daveski17! I prefer too if an Office application isn't too often updated. Usually very frequent updates, mean many bugs and i prefer stability too. I also checked the Apache OO is almost half the size (installer).

I just installed it and seems fine, except for a minor glitch with a docx. A special character isn't visualized correctly, however FreeOffice visualizes it correctly and can save it to .doc. Once saved in doc Open Office can visualize it correctly too.

So i think i will install OO as main application, with FreeOffice as auxiliary for such cases. I 've no intention to pay MS for Office, as i usually don't deal with overcomplicated things.

Thanks a lot.

 

You're welcome Fuzzfas. Also, have a look at the AbiWord stand-alone word processor. I find this tremendously useful as well.

 

Using Apache also.

 

http://people.gnome.org/~michael/blog/2012-04-26-ooo-comparison.html

 

Hmmm, thanks a lot for that chart Wild Hunter. Seems LibreOffice has more features and can write in docx, which is the most striking at first glance. On the other hand i saw they have an almost monthly release circle? Somehow i fear i may end up with a "Linux toy" and "break and fix it". I really don't know what to do. I like more the fact that Apache has visible borders all around the page, seems more "tidy", but LibreOffice seems to have a more brushed up interface...

I think i will have to flip a coin if i can't make up my mind...


Daveski17, thanks for the idea of Abiword. I can install that as auxiliary instead of FreeOffice.

 

While that coin is flipping ... IMHO, LibO, although much vaunted has more bugs than a rainforest. I need a reliable & usable word processor for my job. I also need a reliable Powerpoint equivalent. OpenOffice has never let me down in over four years. I can't say the same for LibO. It's very unlikely I'll ever use LibO again. It seems to be a 'work in progress'.

This has a relatively slow upgrade cycle as well. These days it is almost as if something doesn't upgrade every 42 days it is not worth using!

Again, I've used AbiWord for over four years, it has never let me down.

 

"As the date of the Apache OpenOffice release approaches, ... "


Apache OpenOffice 3.4.1 has been out since August 24, 2012. You appear to be a little out of date (not unlike your Paint.NET portable link in a different thread).

You do realise that it's nearly Xmas 2012 right?

 

Very little changed for Apache OpenOffice in the months following the linked comparison. Only one new minor release, look at the little changes introduced by it:

- http://www.openoffice.org/development/releases/3.4.1.html

While in these very same months, the LibreOffice 3.6.x branch reached final version and continued to be improved at a much faster rate. The LibreOffice 3.5.x branch (very stable, "recommended for conservatives") also saw many improvements. See:

- http://www.libreoffice.org/download/release-notes/
- http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/3.6
- http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/3.5

 

Thanks Wild Hunter. In deed, seems Libre Office is winning the battle of open Offices. I also read some articles, where due to license differences, Libre Office can use any code of Apache, while Apache can't use any new code from Libre. That's a clear advantage for Libre. Already the fact that Libre has better support for newer MS formats, is indicative of the quicker development.

I don't really like the idea of monthly updating Office suite, but, i guess if i find a stable version, i can stick with it for a while.

I think i will install the current stable (3.6.3).

I also found a free registration link for Ashampoo Office 2010, which i read is also good for compatibility with MS and could be good for fall-back suite.

I wish Apache and Libre joined forces, having 2 suites is i think counterproductive and increases frustration moving from one to another.


Thanks you all very much, very helpful posts.

 

Since I first installed LibO it was nothing but trouble. I was glad to see the back of it.

I need a reliable office suite for work. LibO is not reliable. If I travel by air I'd rather go by an Airbus or Boeing 747 than some experimental aircraft that very probably may crash & burn.

LibO may be stable one day. Unfortunately, I can't wait that long.

 

LibO is essentially a fork of OO due to politics when OO was distributed by Oracle.

Now Apache distribute OO. IMHO The Document Foundation (who distribute LibO) seem to have a need to 'prove' themselves & are desperately trying to develop LibO too quickly. I admire their attempt, but I had nothing but trouble for months. Finally I couldn't even run a Powerpoint presentation on LibO & ended up having to run it on an outdated OO portable!

I uninstalled LibO 5 mins later.

I then installed OO. It works perfectly well on 3 different computers & 2 different operating systems.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

 

On second thought and after Daveski17's post, i took a look at "most annoying bugs" and "known issues" for both and i think i will pick Apache Open Office for now and see how it works out.

Honestly, for something which is "final" release, that's a pretty scary "annoying bug":

In some cases, LibreOffice will refuse to start completely. On Windows, it will display an error box about an “InvalidRegistryException”, on Linux and Mac OS X it will print a message about an unhandled exception to stderr (visible when starting LibreOffice's soffice from a terminal window).

No spell-checking (the “ABC” check is missing in front of items in the lists at “Options - Language Settings - Languages - Default languages for documents” even for languages for which bundled dictionary extensions are installed under “Tools - Extension Manager...”).


So i will give OO a drive and maybe i will install Libre Office when 3.6 arrives at its last release. All this "monthly cycle", smells like trouble. Sounds like DVDFab, where you get updates every 2 days because each update breaks
something...


Thanks to both of you anyway. I use simple things myself, nothing too fancy in text and power point and mainly need them to be able to read faithfully MS Office power points and documents. So, i ll starti with Open Office, if it fails, i will move to Libre. Besides i prefer the 100MB installation file of Apache.

 

When was the last time you used LibreOffice? What version was used? Can you reproduce the issues on latest versions of LibreOffice?

 

You may also want to give latest LibreOffice 3.5.x a try. The 3.5.x branch is the most stable branch, and it isn't updated as frequently as the 3.6.x branch. Important to note that both branches are fully supported and regularly patched when security vulnerabilities are discovered.

 

The more stable 3.5.x branch of LibreOffice (which is fully supported and regularly patched when security vulnerabilities are discovered, just like the 3.6.x branch) has a smaller list of "most annoying bugs": http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/3.5#Most_annoying_bugs

 

At one time it was possible to have both versions installed on the same computer. This is not possible now apparently as they share file paths. I think that you have made the wisest decision in going for Apache first. OO has never failed me on three different computers. I can't say the same for LibO. Maybe in a few years it will be fine. I just can't wait that long.

 

I can't remember when I last tried to use LibO, early this year I think. To be totally honest I wouldn't infect any computer I own with LibreOffice again. I'm not a test pilot & have no wish to be one. I just need a solid reliable office suite. OpenOffice is all these things & more.

 

No need for nasty language, LibreOffice isn't a virus. Your issues might be specific to some kind of setup, and/or not reproducible by others, and/or already fixed in more recent versions. No need to spread fear also.

 

Thanks, in deed the bug list is more let's say "acceptable". Nothing catastrophic in there. If Apache fails me, i will switch to the Libre 3.5.x branch.

Well, i 've read other comments in the internet about instabilities in Libre Office and as i said, something which is aggressively developed, is more natural to produce bugs often. So, maybe i am getting old and tired of bleeding edge software, but i am going to take things from the start. So, i will install Apache for now and see if it goes on smoothly. The documents i write have nothing too fancy in their formatting and same goes for presentations. If it can also read correctly MS sources, then it's enough for me. If not, i will get Libre. Fact is, i also like the fact that Apache shows the document borders all around, it's very tidy on my eyes.

Libre has more features and i am sure that if nothing changes on the side of Apache, Libre will make Apache obsolete in time. But for now, i will start with Apache and keep an eye on how Libre develops and make the switch if i see a universaly accepted "rock stable" release.

Features are good, but stability is #1 and as long as i don't urgently need the new features, i can wait a bit for Libre to "mature". This "monthly" cycle, is like AMD/ATI forced "monthly cycle" for video drivers, that has made users crazy. Ever since they switched to the "we 'll update the drivers when we 're ready, without time restraints", the drivers got much much better. But i know, whatever finishes in the Linux world (and Libre as i read is now the official suite for most distros), gets tweaked to death, at the cost of breaking it in order to fix it.


Anyway, thanks to both, i learnt much more about Apache and Libre from this thread than from googling.

 

Oh, just FYI. I managed to install Apache and Libre on the same PC at the same time (but will keep only Apache for now).

Also, in case you 're interested, you can get a free Ashampoo Office 2010 from here:

http://www.softwaretrickz.com/2012/07/download-ashampoo-office-2010-full.html

Tried and works. It should be good as backup plan if Apache or Libre chokes on some MS file.

 

You're welcome Fuzzfas. I think you have summed it all up well. I honestly had high hopes for LibO & I do hope they stabilise it in the future. It's always good to have choices. I believe many people initially changed to LibO because OO was released by Oracle & all the attendant politics. Now Apache release it. I personally just need something that will work well & doesn't need upgrading every few weeks. I'm fine with that.

 

OK, thanks for the info. I've been told that many have managed to have both OO & LibO on the same machine. I'd rather have one or the other just to make sure there will be no conflicts.

Good luck.