What are your programs similar too?

[Marc822]

I was directed to this site while researching Microsoft Home and Student vs Microsoft Office University 365.

I would like to know how your document, presentation, spreadsheets work. Are they similar to WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT?

My son is in college and we now have to purchase one of the above programs. I don’t want to have to purchase if it isn’t necessary, however, he is accustom to using those programs and learning a different program would probably not be the best thing for him at the moment.

Please help.

[JohnD]

Libreoffice is an excellent FREE alternative to Microsoft Office. If you can find your way around MS Office then you should have no problem with Libreoffice.

Yes, the Libreoffice suite contains programs that are very similar to MS Office’s Word, Excel and Powerpoint. The biggest user interface difference is probably the Microsoft command “ribbon”. The LO user interface is more like the older (pre 2007) MS Office. I personally like the simpler interface a lot better - but many prefer the Microsoft way.

There are a few differences of course, but most “well-used” functions are very compatible. You can import and save documents in the Microsoft format to maintain transferability with Microsoft users.

If absolute compatibility is required - go for the MS Office solution. For a chance to be part of a growing community of very satisfied users of a free and open product, you can’t beat Libreoffice.

[ROSt53]

As for the growing speed of the Libre Office community: the number of registered users in Ask LibO increased in March 2013 by 11%.

I think this is a pretty good growth rate.

[froz]

In general (below = means very similar).

Microsoft Word = LibreOffice Writer

Microsoft Excel = LibreOffice Calc

Microsoft Powerpoint = LibreOffice Impress

But in LibreOffice free of charge package there are also tree additional tools:

• LibreOffice Math: formula editor, very useful for many students to write beautiful formula
  
• LibreOffice Draw: for drawing (like diagrams etc) may be useful for some students
  
• LibreOffice Base: for storing larger number of data in relational database (maybe little bit more advance tool).
  

Microsoft Office vs. LibreOffice feature comparations:
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Feature_Comparison:LibreOffice-_Microsoft_Office

Fast feature presentation:
https://www.libreoffice.org/features/

Getting started help:

GS40-GettingStartedLO.pdf

Download LibreOffice:
https://www.libreoffice.org/download/

I suggest to download and install LibreOffice and take a look at the program. The only “big” difference is that Microsoft Office saves documents in Microsoft Office format, but LibreOffice saves the files in OpenDocument format (ISO standard format that can be opened by many programs). If documents will be shared with Microsoft Office users then I suggest to set default file save format in LibreOffice to Microsoft Office:
Tools | Options | Load/Save | General | for each of Document Type drop-down box set the setting in Always save as Microsoft xxx format.

But you need to know that Microsoft Office and LibreOffice are not 100% exact copy. So just like if you have a car from one manufacturer and you would like to buy a new car from another manufacturer you need to learn some differences. But you always have http://ask.libreoffice.org to ask a question if you get stuck, and this help is for free…