Ubuntu – How to install the latest OpenOffice

16.04openoffice.orgsoftware installation

As a new Ubuntu user, I have installed a few apps through the Terminal.

I have tried to follow several, albeit outdated, threads that explain how to install OpenOffice, but I cannot get it to work. It would be really helpful if someone would provide me with the necessary commands for it to work.

Best Answer

  • We use Libreoffice. It basically is OpenOffice but with a license that is suited. OpenOffice has a license that is too restrictive for Ubuntu to be of use (see below).
  • Besides that: Ubuntu is not about using the latest version but the most stable version at the release of the OS. Security wise it is better to stick with the versions Ubuntu supplies. Security related fixes are provided when those are found and fixed.

Nevertheless ...

  • You need to remove LibreOffice 1st and since there is no personal archive for Openoffice you need to download it from their website (pick 64-bit DEB). Software is provided by a DEB so you can download it and use our Software Center to install it by doubleclicking the finished download; or you can pick the tar.gz download and it will have installation instructions inside the installer on how to install it (see the readme regarding installation inside the package).

But why go through this trouble? Since there is a licensing issue I would always opt for LibreOffice.

This isn’t an accident. OpenOffice’s sidebar code was copied and incorporated into LibreOffice. The Apache OpenOffice project uses the Apache License, while the LibreOffice uses a dual LGPLv3 / MPL license. The practical result is LibreOffice can take OpenOffice’s code and incorporate it into LibreOffice — the licenses are compatible.

On the other hand, LibreOffice has some features — like font embedding — that don’t appear in OpenOffice. This is because the two different licenses only allow a one-way transfer of code. LibreOffice can incorporate OpenOffice’s code, but OpenOffice can’t incorporate LibreOffice’s code. This is the result of the different licenses the projects chose.

Basically: LibeOffice will always have more features than OpenOffice.

Regarding LibeOffice

  • LibreOffice provides a native Debian installer so you can use Software Center to install it. And there is also a personal archive for the really bleeding edge ... 

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libreoffice/ppa
sudo apt update

    You can also install specific versions newer than what Ubuntu provides by replacing the 1st command with ...

    sudo apt-add-repository ppa:libreoffice/libreoffice-4-2

and replacing the 4-2 by the version you want.

By the way: you do NOT need to remove LibreOffice or OpenOffice if you want to install a newer version of Libreoffice or of OpenOffice. You do need to remove the other one if you want to switch between them or need to remove a version that as higher than the one you want to install (and disable the newer version when installing the older version).

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