Which Version Should I install?

[Anovice]

A friend got laid off and I gave her my old HPG50 laptop to work on her resume and other documents. The operating system is Vista. The OpenOffice Version installed is 3.4.1 which must have been installed 10 years ago.

Can she put a new(er) version of OpenOffice on that laptop? If so, which version? Also, does she first need to uninstall 3.4.1?

Thank you!

Anovice

[Villeroy]

OpenOffice is almost dead due to a lack of developers. The latest version is 4.1.7 which does not differ very much from the 10 year old version.
The actively developed successor to OpenOffice is https://libreoffice.org/ which can be installed in parallel to any version of OpenOffice.

I would uninstall OO 3.4 before installing OO 4.1

[RoryOF]

She should be able to use OpenOffice 4.1.7; as Villeroy says it may be good to remove OO 3.4.1.

[Anovice]

Thank you for your post.

It sounds like the way to go is https://libreoffice.org/ for two reasons. One, she does not have to uninstall 3.4.1. Two, LibreOffice has so many more features. I would feel really bad if she uninstalled OO 3.4 and could not download OO 4.1. This way if she downloads LibreOffice and has a problem, she still has OO 3.4.

Is there a certain version of LibreOffice that she should download considering that the laptop is so old and the operating system is Vista?

Again, thanks much!

Anovice

[Anovice]

She should be able to use OpenOffice 4.1.7; as Villeroy says it may be good to remove OO 3.4.1.

Now I am confused

I read Villeroy's post as it was better to go with LibreOffice and this way she would not need to uninstall OO 3.4.1. What would OO 4.1.7 give her over 3.4.1? She was using Office 365 on her work owned laptop. Wouldn't LibreOffice give her more features? Either way, she is going to need to learn something new.

What do you think she should do?

Anovice

[Villeroy]

It is YOUR free choice. I use to recommend LibreOffice because it installs without any problems on Windows 10, Many Windows users have massive problems with Windows 10 and OpenOffice (Java, Antivirus, "Defender" and what not). LibreOffice is 10 years ahead. It constantly adjusts to new environments like Windows 10 and heterogenous Linux environments. There is not a single Linux distribution with OpenOffice packages. They all distribute LibreOffice. LibreOffice invested a lot of development work in improved compatibility with foreign file formats. I should mention that LO consumes more system resources and that some of its improvements are questionable, though.
If you choose OpenOffice and compare it with to 10 year old version, you will notice the side bar and that's it. A project of this size needs hundreds of active supporters.

[Anovice]

Villeroy, I will suggest that she install LibreOffice as it seems that there is really nothing to gain with OO 4.1.7. Hopefully, the HP G50 with Vista has enough system resources to accommodate it. Is it one download from the link in your first post?

Thanks!

Anovice

[Villeroy]

LO does not run on Vista. Sorry, I missed that info. Your user profile indicates Windows 10.

[jrkrideau]

Hopefully, the HP G50 with Vista has enough system resources to accommodate it.
Anovice

If not, it is easy enough to upgrade the operating system to a modern Linux distro

[Villeroy]

Hopefully, the HP G50 with Vista has enough system resources to accommodate it.
Anovice

If not, it is easy enough to upgrade the operating system to a modern Linux distro

+1
and any modern Linux distro comes with LO preinstalled.

[Anovice]

LO does not run on Vista. Sorry, I missed that info. Your user profile indicates Windows 10.

Sorry, I am running Windows 10.

May I ask what the side bar does on OO 4.1.7? On its face, it does not seem worth the risk of first uninstalling OO 3.4.1 and then installing OO 4.1.7 and hoping works, if she is not really gaining anything.

Anovice

[RoryOF]

I suggest leaving her on OO 3.4.1; the side bar allows one turn off the menu bar and get the functionality from the side bar; it was designed to make better use of the wider screens that came into fashion some years ago.

[RusselB]

You might be running Windows 10, but you stated that you were inquiring on behalf of someone else, so it is the operating system and other information that we need for correct referencing for them.
You have stated that they are running Windows Vista and that, unfortunately, was missed Villeroy and he defaulted to the information in your forum profile.
You can leave OO 3.4.1 installed while trying OO 4.1.7, but if you do, I suggest doing a custom installation and don't go with the default installation location.
I don't currently have a Vista system available for me to test OO 4.1.7 on, so I can't say it will or won't work.
As jrlrideau stated, you could easily switch (upgrade?) the OS from Vista to a Linux distro, and, imo, this would be your best option.

[Anovice]

Being I am computer challenged, I will keep OO 3.4.1 as is. It does not seem to make any sense to try OO 4.1.7 and potentially run into problems when the objective is to generate a few documents to get employment, not get a side bar.

Going forward, it might be nice to change the OS to a Linux distro, although I have absolutely no idea where to start. How would I go about getting a simple Linux distro for a beginner? My needs in computer are few.

Anovice

[RoryOF]

Most, if not all, linux distributions can be installed to run from a DVD or USB (a live test) for trial purposes, then installed from such medium to the local computer if that distro meets with the user's approval.

If you or your friend are computer challenged, I do not suggest moving to a linux distro, as this requires a paradigm shift in computing experience.