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Comment by Aurornis

2 days ago

> what's your issue with LibreOffice?

I'm sharing observations about seeing other people, including casual computer users, forced into using LibreOffice. It becomes the software experience they hate the most. They associate Linux with LibreOffice and want it all gone so they can go back to getting work done on mac or Windows like everyone else they know.

Your comment is a good example of the disconnect between average computer users and the LibreOffice fans:

> The only issue I have with it is when you need to open documents made in MSOffice. Otherwise, it does everything MSOffice does and faster with less cloud/AI crap. Reminds me of MSOffice during XP era

Collaborating with other MS Office users is a key part of many people's jobs. Having poor MS Office compatibility isn't just a footnote, it's a showstopper issue that will make these people's jobs harder every single day. Making people's job harder and take more time is a great way to make them hate something.

As for not having cloud features and having an old style XP era interface: These are also points that are only positive for a specific type of computer user wants computing to return the earlier, simpler era of computing they fondly remember. For everyone else, that "cloud crap" is a helpful feature for getting their job done and that XP era interface makes it feel like they're stuck using outdated software. I understand you don't use or like the new features, but average people who use this software in their jobs might actually benefit from the new features and new interface.

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Aurornis

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charlie-83  2 days ago

I guess I wasn't really thinking about it in the context of jobs since the post was about kids. I was thinking about the kinds of "non-techie" people I often help with computer stuff (often older people). They don't even know what the cloud is, they just want to have a spreadsheet for monthly expenses, make a document or two to print out and an occasional presentation. There are a huge number of these kinds of people but they don't really generate money as a market segment so MSOffice has completely abandoned them. Those people do sometimes need to open a file someone else made in MSOffice but LibreOffice compatibility is good enough for their purposes.

  • Aurornis  2 days ago

    > I guess I wasn't really thinking about it in the context of jobs since the post was about kids.

    The primary reason kids would use office tools is for classwork, which is not dissimilar from job work.

    If you're submitting a book report or something it doesn't matter what you're using to write it. However, once you get into group projects (which are very common, in my experience) being the odd one out who can't work with others is really not good.

    Kids also learn how to use computers at most schools. They're probably exposed to some combination of MS Office and/or Google Docs products already.