I see your technology shift more as the evolution of GNU/Linux as it becomes more polished, more user friendly.
Ernie
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Then tell your membership secretary to use the online Excel tool (possibly creating a desktop link to it), with the argument that doing so will cost nearly nothing, and that the financial resources that would be required for a new computer could be better spent elsewhere?
Ernie
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Then replace the Excel bottle with a link to the free online Excel?"
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Yes you pay, and keep paying by renting the software. Not like libreoffice which is free, except for apple store where its 10 euros (last time I looked)
I tried that and its just like using google sheets. My user claims its not good enough or does not offer all the functions, but as yet he cannot demonstrate what function as he is not talking a calculations function so just dont understand his request.
The same user MUST HAVE access to google drive, so I said you need to sign in to your account so google maps your drive. But then discovered he just keeps clicking on cancel to get access to chromium the cannot understand why he is not connected.
And, unless I misunderstand, is on Apple, right?
Ernir
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In that case, unless directed otherwise by someone in power, I’d simply decline the user’s request until such time the user can adequately demonstrate a valid need, clearly, and concisely, don’t you think?
Ernie
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I thought LiberOffice did everything excel does.
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Yes apple store you pay for libreoffice. If you try to install direct from the site onto an apple you get a warning message and have to make a systems setting change to get anything direct instead of the store. Windows has a similar block unless you change a setting to stop using microsoft store.
Yes apple store you pay for libreoffice. If you try to install direct from the site onto an apple you get a warning message and have to make a systems setting change to get anything direct instead of the store. Windows has a similar block unless you change a setting to stop using microsoft store.
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Almost, LO reads and writes excel files. The issue I have seen is with hlookup, vlookup and lookup functions are dealt differently but once you know its easy. Some of the data functions are not the same. But its mainly menu layout they are in different places. Like word 6 to word 365 ribbon bar moved
Bit like moving from one car to another the switches are in different places to wind the windows up and down
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But it’s not Excell! At least that’s my impression of how the user in question might answer …
Ernie
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Illogical emotive nonsense.
You cant win. If you overrule him everything that happens subsequently will be your fault. Let him take the responsibility. It will come back to bite him.
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I like that response, and it very closely aligns with how I guide anyone who asks, but it doesn’t address the issue of actually getting others to give GNU/Linux a try in the first place. If you ask me, that’s the highest hurdle.
Ernie
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That hasn’t been my experience. I use LibreOffice here, both on Windows 11 Pro 25H2, and Garuda Mokka Linux. While I downloaded the installer from the LibreOffice website on Windows 11 Pro, I installed it on Garuda Mokka using pacman, the Arch-based package manager. As a side note, I can also install LibreOffce using WinGet, Microsoft’s command line package manager, and I get the same software, at no charge unless I choose to offer one, and that’s true for both Windows and Garuda. That’s not the case with Apple now, is it?
Ernie
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The difference is you are on the pro version of windows its the home users version that is locked into ms store
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That’s a bit rich - just thought I’d confirm that - yeah $14.99 AUD in the Apple App Store!
I’m sure you can download the whole thing as a DMG (and I’m sure I’ve done it in the past).
There’s one thing I know that Libre Office Writer cannot do - edit / save MS Word document formatting with shyte like corporate pre-ambles, half page logos, branded headers and footers and corporate templates - it will ALWAYS mangle them beyond repair!
Yes you can, as I have done from the official web site, but apple system kicks up warning messages you need to get around
But no one ever claimed LibreOffice Writer to be a direct replacement for Microsoft Word. It simply does what Word does, even if differently. When in school, I used Word, and I use LibreOffice Writer now. I don’t ever miss anything I had to use in Word, not even a little bit. As for templates, it may not handle them identically to Word so you may have to re-write them, but it does support templates. The reason Writer mangles Word formatting, etc. is that Word uses proprietary methods to provide those features. LibreOffice Writer uses open source, standardized solutions.
Ernie
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