Open Office good alt to MS Office?

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by JerryM, Oct 8, 2012.

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  1. JerryM

    JerryM Registered Member

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    I tried Open Office several years ago, but opted to buy MS Office. The only thing I use is Word and Power Point.

    Anyone here use Open Office, and how do you like it? I am using W7.
    Thanks,
    Jerry
     
  2. Aventador

    Aventador Registered Member

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  3. Wroll

    Wroll Registered Member

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    If you can deal with the bugs you'll meet, yes it is.
     
  4. JerryM

    JerryM Registered Member

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    Thanks, I had no idea OO had been discontinued.
    Regards,
    Jerry
     
  5. Sealord

    Sealord Registered Member

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    "8 May 2012— The Apache OpenOffice Project today announced the availability of Apache OpenOffice™ 3.4, the first release of OpenOffice under the governance of the Apache Software Foundation." Last version is 3.4.1.
    See:
    http://www.openoffice.org
    Libreoffice can be downloaded directly from
    http://www.libreoffice.org/download/
     
  6. pirej

    pirej Registered Member

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    Try SoftMaker FreeOffice
     
  7. philby

    philby Registered Member

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    FWIW, I've been using OO 3.3 for ages and not come across any bugs - though I'm only creating simple .doc / .xls / PDF with no heavy formatting...

    philby
     
  8. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    LibreOffice works, but, as someone said, "you will be happier if you use Office".

    If Office were free, I wonder if anyone would use LibreOffice.

    Libre or Open? A waste of resources, one is enough.
     
  9. JerryM

    JerryM Registered Member

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    sThanks, All,
    I think I will continue to use Office in the future.
    Jerry
     
  10. SourMilk

    SourMilk Registered Member

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    I agree with pirej. SoftMaker Office Free is great for home use; smaller package than OO or LO; works well with MS Office docs, ss, and presentations. Check it out.

    SourMilk out
     
  11. philby

    philby Registered Member

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    Softmaker Office looks very good - might defect!

    Cheers

    philby
     
  12. chinook9

    chinook9 Registered Member

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    I recommend KingSoft Office free. I have used OpenOffice and Softmaker Office and I like KingSoft Office much more. I'm retired so I don't use office software much any more but KingSoft seems to be a great knock-off of Microsoft Office, is so much lighter than the others and I have had no trouble at all with it.

    Check the reviews of KingSoft and I believe you will find they are very positive. I have Softmaker on the old XP machine I'm presently using and its a pain in the @%% because it defaults to saving documents in the Softmaker's "tmd" file format and if I don't remember to change it to .doc I may be up the creek in the future when I need to use an old .tmd document but do not have Softmaker on the machine. I have not put Softmaker on any of the five newer computers we have.

    Good luck!
     
  13. Aventador

    Aventador Registered Member

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    In actuality you don't even need an office suite. Well for some it may work. You can use Google Docs and or Microsoft Web Apps.
     
  14. philby

    philby Registered Member

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    I have Softmaker on the old XP machine I'm presently using and its a pain in the @%% because it defaults to saving documents in the Softmaker's "tmd" file format and if I don't remember to change it to .doc I may be up the creek in the future when I need to use an old .tmd document but do not have Softmaker on the machine. I have not put Softmaker on any of the five newer computers we have.

    chinook9 - Just so you know, you can change the default load / save file formats via Tools > Options.

    That way, nothing has to be in .tmd format.

    philby
     
  15. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    The main problem has been Microsoft's refusal to adopt an open office format which made working on documents opened in Open/Libre Office difficult and that issue has only been rectified with MS Office 2013. Ideally, you want all office suites to have exchange standards so you can do your work in any of them.
     
  16. ^^^ Agreed. Microsoft's behavior regarding open document standards has been anticompetitive (e.g. their failure to provide good ODT support; which serves to discourage people from using ODT as a standard format, or using platforms that do fully not support DOCX).
     
  17. arsenaloyal

    arsenaloyal Registered Member

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    libre office is good alternative to ms office,personally i use wordperfect though.
     
  18. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    It completely depends on what you want to accomplish, either may be sufficient. There's also Microsoft's online docs you can use which are free and don't require you installing anything.

    Go to http://www.skydrive.com/ and click on create > document.
     
  19. Aventador

    Aventador Registered Member

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    Read post 13. :D
     
  20. berryracer

    berryracer Suspended Member

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    no matter what you try, nothing even comes close to the MS Office interface IMHO

    I would rather get a cheap old Office 2007 than use any modern alternative

    just my 2 cents
     
  21. Aventador

    Aventador Registered Member

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    Not sure exactly what you mean by that berry but Microsoft Office 2010 is more modern looking then Libre or Open. I get Microsoft Office 2010 free from work so I am all set. But I recommend Libre to all my customers.
     
  22. berryracer

    berryracer Suspended Member

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    oh I haven't used any alternative ever since the days where i used OpenOffice and hated every bit of it

    why do you recommend Libre to your clients? can they not afford office? the basic edition does all you need and barely costs anything?

    I got my professional plus license for $10 USD on day one of its release through a promotion they gave our company employees. Was working for a big real estate company in Dubai back then called EMAAR
     
  23. chrisretusn

    chrisretusn Registered Member

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    I use LibreOffice exclusively. I frequently have to open and edit MS Office documents and then send them back. No one have ever complained. They have no idea I am using LibreOffice.

    I have run into a a couple of date formula differences between LIbreOffice and MS Office which sometimes needs adjustments in the formula. Not a huge problem to fix. Also file links don''t always translate across systems and need to be corrected.
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2012
  24. Aventador

    Aventador Registered Member

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    Why spend money when you can get FREE. Basic Edition? What basic edition? Heck Home & Student is $150.

    http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/buy/office-2010-which-suite-is-right-for-you-FX101825640.aspx?
     
  25. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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