[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Six good reasons to download LibreOffice 4.0 here

[ChatTn23]

It was a good alternative to MS Office users that don’t really use much more than the MS Word part of the package, and it keeps getting better. If you have not tried LibreOffice and you’re looking for an alternative to more expensive options, give it a try. You may be surprised at all the features it provides. I’ve been running it in Linux, but it seems to be just as functional on my wife’s Windows 8 system.

[sanman]

Watch out when using tables in LibreOffice. When you save and close the document, and then re-open it again, you will find the tables have shifted slightly to the left.

[ReadandShare]

Does anyone know why?

While most all desktop freebie office suites can open and edit Office 2010 files (.docx, .xlsx and .pptx) -- NONE of them can save in those formats! Why is that? Not a fatal shortfall, but can be quite annoying for those wishing to edit/save files using Office Web apps and desktop freebie suites -- when the former will only save in the newer format while the latter only in the old format.

[lloydb39]

LibreOffice is good but has one glaring defect (unless it is fixed in the new version). You can't move blocks of text around with your mouse. Doesn't seem like it would be so hard to add that feature.

[Tothal]

Don't get me wrong: it's cool to have a free office suite as LibreOffice, and obviously a lot has been improved compared to former versions.

But anyway I can't agree with some of the six reasons mentioned in the article.

1.) Big gains in interoperability - no, still too much confusion and missing elements when you open modern Microsoft Office formats docx, xlsx, pptx, real interoperability is still not given.

3.) A prettier UI - for me personally it's still as bad as before. It still feel like in a time travel to the Ninetîes when I use it.

4.) Speed, and more speed - I find it still quite slow, as before.

If you're looking for an office suite with real interoperability, a pretty UI and high speed, choose SoftMaker Office. It's the only office package I know to offer seamless file transfers between Microsoft Office without loss of formats.

[moe295]

Quote

Does anyone know why? While most all desktop freebie office suites can open and edit Office 2010 files (.docx, .xlsx and .pptx) -- NONE of them can save in those formats! Why is that? Not a fatal shortfall, but can be quite annoying for those wishing to edit/save files using Office Web apps and desktop freebie suites -- when the former will only save in the newer format while the latter only in the old format.

You can save as docx. It's the xml format. I have mine defaulted to always save in this format. Same for the spreadsheet and power point formats. Searching the web, there may be some problems with saving in docx, and it recommends saving as .doc instead.

[westley52]

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(.docx, .xlsx and .pptx) -- NONE of them can save in those formats!

Obviously, you have been using OpenOffice.org - which cannot. However, LibreOffice has been able to do this for quite a long time now. Please try LibreOffice and not OpenOffice.org.

[joiseystud]

Quote

Does anyone know why? While most all desktop freebie office suites can open and edit Office 2010 files (.docx, .xlsx and .pptx) -- NONE of them can save in those formats! Why is that? Not a fatal shortfall, but can be quite annoying for those wishing to edit/save files using Office Web apps and desktop freebie suites -- when the former will only save in the newer format while the latter only in the old format.

Not sure what you mean. You certainly can save your files in the Office formats you mentioned. If you are in Calc, Just click "save as" and select MS excel 2007/2010 XML. That is the xslx format. In Libreoffice preferences you can change the default save to the office files and disable the fidelity warnings.

[beanstalk]

I am a long term Office user, and just downloaded a copy of LibreOffice. With very little useage to date, have to say I rather like this. Only objection so far is I use blue screen with white letters on Office, and haven't found this on LibreOffice as of yet.
For a free program, sure is close to Office, and for that kind of money,,,, Also started looking at Linex recently, and, again with what little I know to date, sure worth spending more time trying it. Talk about a closed mind. But finally the money (lack of) has spoken.
For those that have used these in the past, smart thinking.

[beanstalk]

Quote

Don't get me wrong: it's cool to have a free office suite as LibreOffice, and obviously a lot has been improved compared to former versions. But anyway I can't agree with some of the six reasons mentioned in the article. 1.) Big gains in interoperability - no, still too much confusion and missing elements when you open modern Microsoft Office formats docx, xlsx, pptx, real interoperability is still not given. 3.) A prettier UI - for me personally it's still as bad as before. It still feel like in a time travel to the Ninetîes when I use it. 4.) Speed, and more speed - I find it still quite slow, as before. If you're looking for an office suite with real interoperability, a pretty UI and high speed, choose SoftMaker Office. It's the only office package I know to offer seamless file transfers between Microsoft Office without loss of formats.

[beanstalk]

You may be right about SoftMaker being faster, and it may have better intregration with Office, but it certainly isn't cheap. Based on cost, LibreOffice is going to get a loooooong look from me.

jgrever621

[GlenBarrington]

Just how important is compatibility with MS Office any more? I mean in every company I've worked for in the last 15 years has bought me a laptop already loaded with the tools they want me to use if I needed to work outside the office (I always have).

What IT department wants the security issues that come from files being loaded onto their systems from unknown 3rd party systems into Microsoft applications?

It's been a long time since the IT departments were THAT unsophisticated!

[waynenet]

Quote

LibreOffice is good but has one glaring defect (unless it is fixed in the new version). You can't move blocks of text around with your mouse. Doesn't seem like it would be so hard to add that feature.

No problem doing that with LibreOffice 4 Writer. Simply highlight the text you want to move with your mouse then drag it wherever to move it.

[LinuxBrandon]

Great Article! It's awesome to see open-source software seeing some love on the front page of pcworld.com.