Microsoft office

[Dirtlaw]

You folks sure said it. LibreOffice is great stuff and doesn't have the problems of Microsoft's offering. I've been using it since OpenOffice.org 641B (the Beta version) and fell in love with it even back then.

The license, the GNU GPL, is lifetime, meaning as long as the software continues to exist anywhere, you're free to use and enjoy it, on any computer, anywhere. That's software freedom.

I'm with you. "Basic" software such as a word processor is not something it makes sense to rent. Over the lifetime of a business you would end up paying a fortune with minimal return. Unless you absolutely need 100% compatibility, that's just plain dumb.

[Cowboy T]

Yes, and you get what you pay for. Libre is fine for the casual office user, but if you need the advanced features of MS Office, which, like it or not is still the gold standard, Libre falls short.

That's hogwash. That's what a lot of Microsoft employees and Microsoft Partners say on forums, too. I find that it's actually MS Office that falls short, even when reading MS Office-created documents; LibreOffice reads MS Office documents that MS Office itself has trouble reading, and I've run into this more than once.

Easy decision for me though, I get Office 365 and Office Pro for free through work. But I would still pay for the Office suite for home if I didn't have that luxury. Last perpetual license I purchased was Office Pro 2016 for $10.

Your money, your choice, of course. But sure, those "discounts" are there to keep people addicted however they can. That's what the suppliers do, keep their users addicted by any means. I'd rather have both the freedom *and* the functionality, and LibreOffice gives me both.

I realize that this is like Ford/Chevy/Dodge, Dillon/Lee/Hornady/RCBS, or Rem700/Win70/Savage110/TikkaT3/etc.

[MrFancyPants]

That's hogwash.

No it's really not. Pull up a side by side feature comparison and it's clear what MS Office can do that Libre cannot. It's been quantified and it's black and white. The developers of Libre will tell you themselves what their software can't do as they are transparent about it.

I find that it's actually MS Office that falls short, even when reading MS Office-created documents; LibreOffice reads MS Office documents that MS Office itself has trouble reading, and I've run into this more than once.

Now THAT is "hogwash." Unless of course you'd like to prove your point by sharing any document which you claim MS Office has trouble reading.

If any of what you say was true, corporations and organizations all over the world would be using nothing but Libre rather than pay for some industry standard software suite which was "limited," but they don't, because you're wrong, plain and simple. If your career was in IT you'd know better.

Your money, your choice, of course. But sure, those "discounts" are there to keep people addicted however they can. That's what the suppliers do, keep their users addicted by any means. I'd rather have both the freedom *and* the functionality, and LibreOffice gives me both.

More ignorance. The "discount" I received was a perk for where I worked at the time due to a licensing partnership, not because MS needs to "keep people addicted." They have no problem selling any of their software because in corporate America and organizations all over the world, it's the standard. Go walk into any decent sized business and see what they're running on their computers. It ain't Libre.

I realize that this is like Ford/Chevy/Dodge, Dillon/Lee/Hornady/RCBS, or Rem700/Win70/Savage110/TikkaT3/etc.

No it's not, it's simply fact vs fiction. Again, Libre is just fine for your little computer at home to write your shopping lists and keep track of your budget on a spreadsheet, but it will never replace what's become the standard for 90% of businesses.

You are clearly jaded by MS for some reason, nor sure why, but your refusal to accept what is real regarding industry standard software in the IT and business world is laughable.

[p7m8jg]

Libre Office is still free.

+1 for libre office. Even donated $$ to them, still cheaper than Microsoft

[C.G.]

Yes, and you get what you pay for. Libre is fine for the casual office user, but if you need the advanced features of MS Office, which, like it or not is still the gold standard, Libre falls short.

Easy decision for me though, I get Office 365 and Office Pro for free through work. But I would still pay for the Office suite for home if I didn't have that luxury. Last perpetual license I purchased was Office Pro 2016 for $10.

It works well enough for my business.

[yellowsulphur]

If you're an alumnus of Cal and maybe UC, Office 365/downloadable Office should be active from your .edu account.

[ldsnet]

I have had enough with Microsoft's software and OS lease agreements. I have shifted to Libre Office, and making the move to KDE Ubuntu Linux on my desktops and Laptop.