Post by RavRob on May 8, 2019 14:22:09 GMT
While Microsoft Office and Google Suites vie for the biggest slices of the office suite market share pie, there are other options available. For Microsoft users, the downside is the cost of the software, which can range annually from $69.99 for Office 365's personal suite to over $200 for the home and business versions. There's also the lack of collaboration with Microsoft Office, a feature that Google Drive has mastered.
Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are free and are excellent if you need to collaborate with other users, but some users don't like that they don't work without an internet connection. Google's programs also lack some of the advanced features that pro-level Excel and Word users enjoy, and once you use up your allotted storage space on Drive, Google wants you to pay for more MB of storage.
Alternative to Office and Drive
LibreOffice is an open-source office suite that features six programs that are similar to Microsoft's Excel, Word, and Powerpoint and Google's Docs, Sheets and Slides. And the best part is, Libre's programs are free, and its files work with Microsoft and Google programs.
LibreOffice allows you to edit documents you made in Office and save new files in Office formats. For example, if a friend emails you a MicrosoftWord document but you do not have MicrosoftOffice on your computer, with LibreOffice you can edit the Word document and then save it as a Word file.
LibreOffice is free, but the software developers will ask for a donation upon downloading the file. Also, keep in mind that this is a large file so it may take some time to download.
How to access LibreOffice
You can download LibreOffice by clicking the "Download" button at the top of the LibreOffice homepage. Once you select that button, it will bring you to a page that highlights the versions. Select the program that best fits your needs and select your operating system (LibreOffice is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems). Then hit the yellow "Download" button and you are all set.
Download LibreOffice HERE