Apache Is Going To Release A New Version Of OpenOffice

[sirdilznik]

People should just boycott this thing. This sort of fragmentation is just a cancer.

This sort of fragmentation is open source in action. This is how open source works, projects get forked, it happens all the time.

[sheldonl]

I agree. The UI works well and should best be left alone. MS with their ribbon UI seem determined to find the best way to confuse their users, no need to follow that path.

Couldn't disagree more. The reason it doesn't get traction beyond a very small user base is that the UI is old, tired and horribly ugly. It's true, people were confused by the ribbon, in 2007, but pretty much everyone has moved on and gotten used to it. Once you are use to it you don't want to go back.

[Marc Driftmeyer]

This sort of fragmentation is open source in action. This is how open source works, projects get forked, it happens all the time.

The only successful ones reabsorb or die rapidly as a fork and the bulk of focus continues forward in one sibling only.

[wodencafe]

The only successful ones reabsorb or die rapidly as a fork and the bulk of focus continues forward in one sibling only.

I disagree

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Linux_Distribution_Timeline.svg

[Ericg]

I disagree
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...n_Timeline.svg

I'd be curious to see an updated chart-- see how many are still being developed 2yrs later.

[DeeK]

It's true, people were confused by the ribbon, in 2007, but pretty much everyone has moved on and gotten used to it. Once you are use to it you don't want to go back.

Not only confused by it, but the ribbon was also a significant waste of display real-estate. Compared to the efficient and minimalistic standard menu system, it seemed an unnecessary extravagance.

Nowadays, it's not that big a deal. Displays are larger, and the ribbon has been tweaked so that it can be minimised. The extravagance has started to turn into convenience.

[Iksf]

I don't see the problem with a ribbon UI as a concept. It's better for less capable users as more options are easily exposed than burried in menus. It's a waste of screen space for a power user sure but then the vim faithful would complain about that much the same as you complain about the ribbon. Microsoft went for ease of use over easy access to the super advanced features in Office. I don't think that, now they've reworked it a few times, it's that bad.

[TheBlackCat]

So someone points out the project is essentially dead, and shortly thereafter they declare a new minor release? I am sure that is a total coincidence.

[pracedru]

Couldn't disagree more. The reason it doesn't get traction beyond a very small user base is that the UI is old, tired and horribly ugly. It's true, people were confused by the ribbon, in 2007, but pretty much everyone has moved on and gotten used to it. Once you are use to it you don't want to go back.

I don't think it is the UI that hinder adoption of Libre Office and Openoffice. I think it is because people are taught to use MS Office. It?s entirely becayse MS has managed to get a de facto monopoly on Office applications.

[Cape]

LibreOffice UI.... I think it's the ALL-TIME number 1 reason why new users dropp FOSS and go back to prop-crap. It's intricate and daunting and super boring whereas it should be fresh and easy expecially considering it's very often the "ambassador" of free software.
I myself find it confusing and stressful to operate.

I'm not going give any more donations to the Document Foundation until i see a decent UI in place.