[Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice?

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daveg7
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[Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice?

Post by daveg7 »

I've gotten somewhat used to OpenOffice Calc, but I keep hearing that the suite isn't under active development and that LibreOffice is.

1) Does LibreOffice do everything that OpenOffice does?
2) Should I switch?
3) Is there a learning curve?
4) Would I be able to import my OpenOffice spreadsheets, including macros attached to buttons, without issues?
5) How many sorts can Libre do automatically at the same time (OpenOffice does only three without special efforts)?
6) Are there any disadvantages to making the switch?

Thanks!
Last edited by daveg7 on Wed Oct 18, 2017 7:58 am, edited 2 times in total.
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robleyd
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Re: LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice?

Post by robleyd »

Short answer: try it and see. Grab a portable version of LO and give it a run.

It'll quite happily open your AOO documents.
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daveg7
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Re: LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice?

Post by daveg7 »

While testing, can I run OpenOffice and LibreOffice at the same time on my PC?
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Re: LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice?

Post by robleyd »

Why not? Windows is capable of running several programs at once and your signature suggests you have adequate memory.
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Zizi64
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Re: LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice?

Post by Zizi64 »

Does LibreOffice do everything that OpenOffice does?
The LO can save into OOXML (docx, xlsx) formats, but AOO can not.
The LO has a littlebit higher compatibility with the MS VBA macros.
The LO Calc has some additional cellfunctions that AOO Calc has not (for example the function IFERROR())

And finally:
The LO has more new BUGS than the slowly developed AOO has.
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Please, edit the initial post in the topic: add the word [Solved] at the beginning of the subject line - if your problem has been solved.
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Re: LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice?

Post by daveg7 »

Very interesting, thanks!
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Re: [Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffi

Post by Lupp »

One more remark:

Originally LibO and OOo (later AOO) used exactly the same code, including everything influencing the surface (except the label). For some versions now LibO changed the structure of the menu tree in a few steps. To give just one example for Calc: The menu driven 'Fill' process is no longer to find under 'Edit' but under 'Sheet' now in LibO. Sometimes I would judge the new structure to be more logical and consistent, sometimes otherwise. That's life. There are additional changes in the UI and the appearance (or even the 'Muffin' option for victims of the 'Ribbon'). To date there were not too many changes, but you may no longer feel familiar with everything. If you try it now, it will not be a big problem - and you will find helpers knowing these differences, and thus knowing advice for you. I don't feel sure this will endure till 2020, 2025....

I also would advise like "robleyd" to start with a PortableApps release of LibO. It only needs expanding and no installation. It does not create file associations. The most recent relased version V5.4.2 is already available as a PortableApps package from this location. To expand it to a "portable" storage device is not obligatory. It will well work from a harddisk. In addition Portable versions of LibO worked well under 'Wine' when I tried some time ago.

(Ther are also nuisances in LibO. As an example may serve this unresolved bug. Rapid development may induce high productivity in bugs as already mentioned.)
Last edited by Lupp on Wed Oct 18, 2017 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffi

Post by RoryOF »

How well does a portable version of LibreOffice or OpenOffice (running on linux) handle insertion of multimedia (specifically mpg or avi files, in my case) into an Impress presentation?
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Re: [Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffi

Post by Lupp »

Lupp wrote:In addition Portable versions of LibO worked well under 'Wine' when I tried some time ago.
"Disclaimer"
My tests with LibO portable under Kubuntu with Wine were made more than 2 years ago, and were not systematically thorough. In addition I have to confess that I never use 'Impress'.
I tested a selection of my old standard documents and some newly created ones. The document (or OLE) types were from 'Write', 'Calc', Math', and 'Draw' (without aiming at presentations). I did not test 'Mail Merge' (another thing I never use) or 'Base'. I also tested printing only to my Kyocera FS-1030D.

Maybe I should not have mentioned these tests for being too incomplete or probably even outdated.
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Re: [Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffi

Post by esperantisto »

daveg7 wrote:I've gotten somewhat used to OpenOffice Calc
Do you experience any limitations? If not, then why change? You haven’t provided any reason to do it. I have both AOO and LO. When I work with text documents, I use LO for its better compatibility with Microsoft Office. However, when I need to process a spreadsheet, I prefer AOO for its much higher stability with large files.
AOO 4.2.0 (of 2015) / LO 7.x / Win 7 / openSUSE Linux Leap 15.4 (64-bit)
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Re: [Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffi

Post by daveg7 »

Thanks for the clarity, and especially also to Zizi64. Both of you have helped me firm up my opinion about this, and others have been wonderful as well.

Large spreadsheet files--including fun with formulas, sorting, macros, and macro buttons for potential clients--were my main interests in comparing these suites. Also, deepening my studies in Excel, OpenOffice, and the Japanese game of Go, among other things, are serious investments of time for me; I don't want to know many things superficially. I even spend time with delightful humans.

I've decided not to play in the relatively unstable environment of Libre despite my admittedly great relish for the adventure of new features and developments.

Thanks again!

David
esperantisto wrote:
daveg7 wrote:I've gotten somewhat used to OpenOffice Calc
Do you experience any limitations? If not, then why change? You haven’t provided any reason to do it. I have both AOO and LO. When I work with text documents, I use LO for its better compatibility with Microsoft Office. However, when I need to process a spreadsheet, I prefer AOO for its much higher stability with large files.
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Re: [Solved, but open f/discussion] LibreOffice vs. OpenOffi

Post by John_Ha »

daveg7 wrote:Also, deepening my studies in Excel, OpenOffice ...
See [Tutorial] Differences between Writer and MS Word files.
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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