LibreOffice's 5.1 update added support for Windows 10. An unofficial version of LibreOffice was recently uploaded to the Microsoft Store, but now doesn't show up if searched directly in the store. It's still available via LibreOffice's site, though.
While the version of LibreOffice that was available through the Microsoft Store isn't official, it's a quality software suite that begs the question, Is it worth switching from Microsoft Office?
Jan 03, 2019 However, LibreOffice doesn't accommodate live collaboration. A web version called LibreOffice Online is in development, but progress has been slow. Ultimately, if you want Microsoft's cloud storage, then Office 365 is the most well-rounded choice of the three. But if you already have your storage sorted. The key difference between LibreOffice and Microsoft is that LibreOffice is an open-source, free suite of office products while Microsoft Office is a commercial office suite product package that requires users to purchase a license. Both will run on multiple platforms and both offer similar functionality. Aug 28, 2012 42 thoughts on “ Seven Reasons for Choosing LibreOffice over Microsoft Office ” Jaap Aap August 28, 2012 at 6:14 pm. Speed and stability seem a bit of a stretch – mso wins hands down in these areas for me.
I've used Microsoft Office since Windows 95. But I decided to take a look at LibreOffice after it arrived in the Microsoft Store. It's impressed me, though it's viability as an office suite depends largely on your setup.
Here are some reasons why you should choose LibreOffice over Microsoft Office, and some reasons why you shouldn't.
LibreOffice is available for free on Windows 10, Mac, and Linux through Libre Office's website.
Reason to switch: Value
The first thing that catches the eye about LibreOffice is the price tag, or more specifically the lack of one. LibreOffice originally forked off of OpenOffice and has been regularly maintained and developed over the years. It's one of the best free office suites of applications around and has programs for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. It is a versatile and powerful set of programs, though it's worth noting that it emulates the older core set of apps from Microsoft Office and doesn't have equivalents to newer programs like OneNote.
While there are many word processors and cheap or free programs that try to deliver a full office setup, Libre Office is one of the most comprehensive. Its wide range of apps tackles the vast majority of office-related workflows. And it does all of this for free.
It supports open formats that allow you to use documents from other programs so you don't have to isolate yourself or your workflow into a Libre Office world.
The value of LibreOffice is truly impressive. It's practically an advertisement for the open source community because of how great of an app you can legally get for free.
Reason to switch: Dedicated developers
While LibreOffice is free, it's not some half-hearted project. It's regularly maintained and updated to support the latest versions of Windows 10. The suite can also be expanded with extensions to add more power and versatility.
While that might not seem like a big deal, some apps that are built to replicate or directly compete with big names fall away and become abandonware. LibreOffice released updates in the last few months to both its 'Still' and 'Fresh' branches. Because of this, you don't need to worry about LibreOffice falling away. All indicators show that it is alive and well and won't go anywhere anytime soon. Even if it did, you wouldn't have to worry because your documents would be in open formats.
Reasons NOT to switch: Cloud limitations
One of the biggest areas these two suites diverge is in how they approach online and cross-platform workflows. Microsoft invests heavily in the cloud to let you open and save documents anywhere you'd like. It also focuses on having apps on a variety of hardware, ranging from computers to tablets and phones. LibreOffice is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, but iOS and Android are limited to viewing files only unless you turn on experimental features.
If you need to save something on one device and jump to another and continue editing, you'll be better served by Microsoft Office. You can do online editing with things such as Collabora and ownCloud, but that's more complicated to set up than just signing into your Microsoft account. Microsoft Office also handles collaboration from multiple editors better than LibreOffice.
Libreoffice Vs Microsoft
Much like the rest of this comparison, how much this affects you will vary. I use a personal PC, work MacBook, work iPad, and personal Android phone. I use Office Online often and use two different OneDrive accounts for work and personal use. So, for me, these features are essential, and I could never switch away from Microsoft Office. But you could have a completely different workflow that would be great for you centered on using LibreOffice on select devices and saving them onto a cloud like Dropbox.
So should you switch from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice?
Deciding to switch to LibreOffice over Microsoft Office is largely dependent on your specific workflow. While LibreOffice obviously is a better value because you're getting something for free, that isn't a factor to someone who already is happy to pay for Office 365 for things like OneDrive storage or someone that gets Office 365 through their workplace or school.
Comparing the feature sets of the two suites is more complicated. It isn't as simple as saying that one is better. If you scroll through this page comparing the feature sets you'll see that the suites alternate in terms of which is better from section to section. For example, LibreOffice lets you insert more items such as vector graphics and FLAC audio, but Microsoft Office has better touch support and better cross-platform collaboration features. My advice in terms of features it to browse through each suite and see which fits your personal needs best.
LibreOffice is impressive, and because it's free you can try it out while still paying for Microsoft Office. My advice is that if you're interested, give it a try while keeping your Office 365 subscription and then make a more permanent decision. Ultimately, LibreOffice could save you some significant cash.
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Mac Memory Usage Microsoft Office Vs Libreoffice 10
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Latest Version:
LibreOffice 6.4.2 LATEST
Requirements:
Mac OS X 10.10 or later
Author / Product:
The Document Foundation / LibreOffice for Mac
Old Versions:
Filename:
LibreOffice_6.4.2_MacOS_x86-64.dmg
Details:
LibreOffice for Mac 2020 full offline installer setup for Mac
Mac Memory Usage Microsoft Office Vs Libreoffice File
Your documents will look professional and clean, regardless of their purpose: a letter, a master thesis, a brochure, financial reports, marketing presentations, technical drawings and diagrams. Download, Install or Update Libre Office for Mac!
LibreOffice for macOS is compatible with many document formats such as Microsoft® Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher. But the app goes further by enabling you to use a modern open standard, the OpenDocument Format (ODF). Beyond the many features shipped by default, the tool is easily extensible through its powerful extensions mechanisms.
What does LibreOffice give you?
Writer is the word processor inside the app. Use it for everything, from dashing off a quick letter to producing an entire book with tables of contents, embedded illustrations, bibliographies and diagrams. The while-you-type auto-completion, auto-formatting and automatic spelling checking make difficult tasks easy (but are easy to disable if you prefer).
Calc tames your numbers and helps with difficult decisions when you're weighing the alternatives. Analyze your data with Calc and then use it to present your final output. Charts and analysis tools help bring transparency to your conclusions. A fully-integrated help system makes easier work of entering complex formulas. Add data from external databases such as SQL or Oracle, then sort and filter them to produce statistical analyses.
Impress is the fastest and easiest way to create effective multimedia presentations. Stunning animation and sensational special effects help you convince your audience. Create presentations that look even more professional than the standard presentations you commonly see at work. Get your colleagues' and bosses' attention by creating something a little bit different.
Draw lets you build diagrams and sketches from scratch. A picture is worth a thousand words, so why not try something simple with box and line diagrams? Or else go further and easily build dynamic 3D illustrations and special effects. It's as simple or as powerful as you want it to be.
Base is the database front-end of the suite. With Base, you can seamlessly integrate your existing database structures into the other components of Libre Office, or create an interface to use and administer your data as a stand-alone application. You can use imported and linked tables and queries from MySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft Access and many other data sources, or design your own with Base.
Math is a simple equation editor that lets you lay-out and display your mathematical, chemical, electrical or scientific equations quickly in standard written notation. Even the most-complex calculations can be understandable when displayed correctly. E=mc2.
Also Available: Download LibreOffice for Windows