Rant about Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9

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GCRDS
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 6:40 am

Rant about Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9

Post by GCRDS »

 Edit: Split from Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9 released 
4.1.9 . . . what a friggin' nightmare! I've just wasted three hours with that POS! I tried downloading it and then I couldn't access even the earlier versions. I had stuff that I needed to save so I found another word program and installed it . . . they saved me. I finally deleted 4.1.9 and shut my computer down and now I'm live again and once I figure out if I will use that other program or just suffer (only less so) with MS Office, I will delete OpenOffice from my laptop. OO has been tolerable only because I have been too cheap to pay for MS office . . . but OO (or whatever, I am pretty much beyond caring at this point!) is just too hard to have to deal with . . . too many hoops and I've gotten to the point where I'd rather pay MS's exorbitant prices than deal with the constant frustration of fighting OO!

I am sorry as I know that a lot of people have worked hard to create this alternative to MS, but it is simply too much of a hassle, it's caused me many issues as it doesn't play well with MS Office which I do have to continue to use through my company and this 4.1.9 fiasco from last night into the early hours this morning with my lost sleep is the final straw! I'll try this other product, if it is less worse than OO, I might accept it but otherwise I am done with these imitations.

Regretfully,

Brian T.
Brian Termunde OpenOffice 4.1.8 on Windows 10 Home
John_Ha
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Re: Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9 released

Post by John_Ha »

GCRDS wrote:4.1.9 . . . what a friggin' nightmare! I've just wasted three hours with that POS!
I always find it strange that a tiny minority of people seem to have such difficulties with something which is so simple, easy and straightforward. It took me just a few clicks to download and install the upgrade.
GCRDS wrote:I couldn't access even the earlier versions
Earlier versions of AOO? You don't need earlier versions as you now have the latest version. Earlier versions of documents? All of your documents are still there where you saved them and none is affected in any way by upgrading (or by downgrading). Your Recent documents list is exactly as it was before.

If you want an earlier version then uninstall 4.1.9 and delete your User Profile (or rename it if you want to try to copy your customisations) as it is probably not backwards compatible with previous versions. Download whichever earlier version you want from here (it goes back to 3.4.1) and install it. Again, it's just a few mouse clicks.
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
GCRDS
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 6:40 am

Re: Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9 released

Post by GCRDS »

NO I did NOT have the 4.1.9 'upgrade' . . . thanks to wasting my time trying to install it I lost access to OO completely! Something that occurs every so often is that OO refuses to open documents, if I'm at work, WORD does so without a moments hesitation. Eventually OO will, and it's still a source of ongoing frustration! I don't recall what exactly I did to regain access as it was 2am, but be assured that I will NOT waste any more time on this 'upgrade' nor any others.

I cannot tell you how MUCH I appreciate your VALUABLE 'assistance'! From what I experienced sir, 4.1.9 IS backwards . . . I guess I don't know the secret knock or something . . . just a nobody who was hoping for an alternative to MS Office . . . I guess that from your pleasant and oh so helpful reply, I certainly will need to look elsewhere! I, for one, do not find OO very 'user friendly' . . . again, perhaps I just don't know that special secret knock! I guess that being someone who had issues trying to download this program I do not 'fit in', only those that can are 'acceptable', those of us who DO experience challenges through no fault of our own (I mean, I simply followed the directions that OO provided after all!), are not wanted nor are welcome . . . at least that's what I get from your so helpful reply. So be it. I don't plan on wasting your nor especially my time on this matter any further.

While my post could have possibly been worded a bit more tactfully, do understand that I had just WASTED hours (and I do mean hours!) of my time trying do download this program and only succeeded in preventing me from saving data . . . which, fortunately I was able to use my internet provider to do so . . . since OO was of NO use to me during that time. Eventually I succeeded in regaining access, but it was more by error than design, and I rather doubt that it was due to OO's design.

I have previously installed 4.1.7 on my home computer and it works, but with 4.1.8 there have been a few issues when trying to go back and forth between it and Office.

I tried to follow (several times) the instructions on installing this latest version and absolutely not ONCE was I able to do so successfully . . . Perhaps Mr. Ha, you've not heard the expression, "Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is a form of insanity"? Well trying to download this program certainly drove me nuts!

Again, thank YOU ever so much for your oh so very kind ASSISTANCE! I am SO sorry to have troubled you! Please do not waste your (nor my) time again.
Brian Termunde OpenOffice 4.1.8 on Windows 10 Home
John_Ha
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Re: Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9 released

Post by John_Ha »

GCRDS wrote:NO I did NOT have the 4.1.9 'upgrade' . . . thanks to wasting my time trying to install it I lost access to OO completely!
It's difficult to help you as you don't describe the problem you are having very well.

I guess you chose not to accept a desktop icon when AOO asked during the installation so, when AOO deleted the old one, you couldn't find AOO.

It's a basic level of computing skill to be able to find an installed program and to be able to add a desktop icon for that program.
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
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Hagar Delest
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Re: Rant about Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9

Post by Hagar Delest »

If you need compatibility with MS Office, then you can try LibreOffice that has better OOXML filters.
But honestly, in such case, better just stick to MS Office, that's part of the vendor lock-in policy.

If you still want to try AOO, you can try to reset your OpenOffice user profile.
LibreOffice 7.6.2.1 on Xubuntu 23.10 and 7.6.4.1 portable on Windows 10
NZ_LinuxStudent
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Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2021 1:10 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Rant about Apache OpenOffice 4.1.9

Post by NZ_LinuxStudent »

Using open source solutions such as ApacheOpenOffice, LibreOffice, FreeOffice will save you and the company over the lifetime of the product, business or individual user. Microsoft is moving to a registration based system, where users pay an annual licence fee for the system, that will include the MS Office suite and other bundled windows software. To avoid these costs, users will have to migrate away from Microsoft products.

I would also suggest that you use SoftMaker FreeOffice, which is very similar to Microsoft Office. It can be downloaded from this link, https://www.freeoffice.com/en/ .

If you wish to use AOO, use Hagar's solution above to reset your user profile.
OpenOffice 4.5.0 on LMDE 4 Debbie
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