Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: OpenOffice to be dumped in Freiburg ?

On 2012-11-19 1:40 AM, rost52 <bugquestcontri@online.de> wrote:
> This can be achieved with many bugs less and full compatibility. MSO
> doesn' come up with a new format every week, thus our devs have a very
> good chance to adjust LibO to full compatibility.

Sounds easy, doesn't it? Until you realize that the documentation of the 
file formats is secret.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to reverse engineer a binary file
format spec (even the new XML formats contain binary code).

On 2012-11-19 12:04, Carl Paulsen wrote:
> In practical use, I would NOT say LO (or OOo) has a "high" file
> compatibility with MS Office. Virtually every file I receive from MS
> Office users has some kind of problem (bullet lists almost NEVER
> convert correctly, at least from MSO to LO).

In our experience (smallish company with base of 50+ users), file format
compatability was actually very good *until* Microsoft came out with
their new 'improved' XML formats in office 2007. It got *much* worse
with the newer version in Office 2010 - so much worse that many files
were totally crashing Libreoffice.

It was this that caused the boss to mandate that new PC purchases come
with an Office License, and we buy 5 additional ones until everyone gets
Microsoft Office.

We will continue to install LibreOffice side by side, but the days of
only our Accountants having Office are over, I'm sad to say.


On 11/18/12 7:48 PM, rost52 wrote:
> Whenever I need to exchange files with MSO formats, I additionally
> attach a pdf-file or ask for pdf-file as reference. This is a
> reduction of productivity - I am willing to take I, but how many
> others?
>
> Although I am aware that it is not an easy task and requires dev
> work, 　LibO　must achieve more than a high compatibility with MSO
> formats. I keep fingers crossed.

I don't see this happening any more. Microsoft is on a roll now, coming
out with new versions *far* more often than they used to (which means 
they can 'improve' the file formats much more often). My understanding 
is they are actually pushing ultimately to a subscriptions based model - 
but this could end up being good news, because imnsho, dong this could 
actually back fire on them though (fingers crossed)... when I discussed 
this with my boss, he commented that the day Microsoft *forces* us to 
have to 'renew' our licenses annually is the day he will never upgrade 
again (just stay on whatever version we currently have until the world 
ends).

Charles

--
For unsubscribe instructions e-mail to: users+help@global.libreoffice.org
Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted