Softmaker Office for Linux

[KBD]

https://imgur.com/a/CEaOarU
(MX with Textmaker running)

I've been using Softmaker Office on both Windows and Linux for awhile now. Libreoffice does a pretty good job, but there are times it butchers the formatting of files. For anyone who needs true compatibility with MS Office without the monthly fee or having to spend lots of money on software, while not free for the full version, it is reasonably priced, especially compared to MS Office, and occasionally they offer discounts on Softmaker's Office program.
I thought I would mention it as newbies especially complain about nothing comparable to MS Office in Linux.
http://www.softmaker.com/en/softmaker-office-linux
You can check out the free trial at the link above.
BTW they have an older free version and will have a newer free version for Linux soon, but it does not have docx and other newer Windows file formats, only the paid version has those.
Here is their older Freeoffice version:
http://www.freeoffice.com/en/

[fehlix]

Actually that is a good point bringing alternatives onto the table
The current free version is for most of "normal" user more than enough.
And I do aggree is much closer compatiblity wise to doc than LO is!
The current freeversion is based an the 2016-release and does allow reading docx, but you have to write as doc-version. As I was told from the manufacture the next freeversion 2018 will also allow you to write docx, xlsx.
So if anybody does not have heard about the piece of Writing software it's certainbly good to have been mentioned here!
Using softmaker freeversion couple of year's by now on linux it helps certainly to have sometime better printouts compared to LO imports. It's vailable as deb-package and installes without an issue.
I'm also awaiting get hold of 2018 freeversion to check it out.

[Jerry3904]

I have no problems with LO 6 and Office products and use it all the time for business purposes. There are some tricks...

[fehlix]

I have no problems with LO 6 and Office products and use it all the time for business purposes. There are some tricks...

Well it starts when you create in LO more complex docs layout-wise with pictures, frames etc and you are finetuning the layout. This often creates issues reading these LO-docs for those having only the Office from the other OS available. The SO-guys made a fairly good job. You will rarly spott a difference of the generated in either Office versions.

[Jerry3904]

Sure. At that level of complexity, I usually deliver PDFs as the final product (as I did just an hour ago--yeah!) or switch software.

[KBD]

Actually that is a good point bringing alternatives onto the table
The current free version is for most of "normal" user more than enough.
And I do aggree is much closer compatiblity wise to doc than LO is!
The current freeversion is based an the 2016-release and does allow reading docx, but you have to write as doc-version. As I was told from the manufacture the next freeversion 2018 will also allow you to write docx, xlsx.
So if anybody does not have heard about the piece of Writing software it's certainbly good to have been mentioned here!
Using softmaker freeversion couple of year's by now on linux it helps certainly to have sometime better printouts compared to LO imports. It's vailable as deb-package and installes without an issue.
I'm also awaiting get hold of 2018 freeversion to check it out.

The Freeoffice 2018 version will be awesome :) Nice theme options in the 2018 version. I used the free version for awhile, and beta tested the Linux 2018 version across several computers and Linux OS's. It is very easy to install and I had no issues on any system I used it on. Once you are on their mailing list by using free versions or trial versions, watch for deals. I got the 2016 full Softmaker Office version for $9.99, then got a free upgrade to 2018 version. They offered a mixed OS license--Windows and Linux--5 computer licenses total, I think I got that for about $30 more. So I have about $40 in their Office Suite and it is quite nice. Those German software guys know their stuff :)

[Gordon Cooper]

Like Jerry, I have had no big problems with LO and much of the work has involved pictures and frames with MS Word and PDF outputs as well as the standard odt.
Yes, there some some tricks in setting styles and writing/editing lengthy documents e.g. the MX User Manual, but once the tricks are understood, layout and editing
are easy.

[KBD]

I have no problems with LO 6 and Office products and use it all the time for business purposes. There are some tricks...

I agree, LO is quite good and does the job most of the time for most people.
But I had trouble opening a few LO docx files in MS Office, and frequently ran into artifacts going from LO to Office, so I'm glad to have Softmaker and no longer worry about any issues.

[Gordon Cooper]

Have not needed to use docx recently and have heard tales of others having problems with it. Think I did use Abiword for the occasional docx.

[linwinux]

Sure. At that level of complexity, I usually deliver PDFs as the final product (as I did just an hour ago--yeah!) or switch software.

I agree with that 100% because I've been using both, MS Office from the 90s until the mid 2000s, and then switched to OpenOffice, followed 3 years later by switching to LibreOffice. I've used Microsoft Office to create Brochures, Flyers, Business Letters, Databases, Presentations, and more. I have never had a problem converting any files to OpenOffice / LibreOffice yet. Sure, I've noticed formatting differences, but generally minor enough to be either easily ignored or quickly adjusted. I believe anyone who needs to create such complex documents that "perfect formatting" is an absolute must, more than likely wouldn't be a Linux user in the first place, but rather the kind of person who uses a Mac.
Converting important files to be shared by others to PDF is a no-brainer, that really goes without saying ...

Granted, I also believe in having more applications to choose from, but in some cases more software only makes things more confusing to less experienced users. Just imagine trying to explain specifically how you achieved a particular result with LibreOffice, to someone who started using SoftmakerOffice. LibreOffice also makes a large selection of additional Template files available on their site, with a community has been extremely well established for many years. If LibreOffice is too much or not good enough for you, there are already alternatives available with Abiword and Gnumeric (others too).

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