Discover Word Processing in Linux
In this chapter, you’re going to learn about office suites, including word processing!
Can we do that in Linux?
We are indeed, but it’s now possible to use office suites in Linux, thanks to two well-known ones:
OpenOffice
LibreOffice
OpenOffice
The first office suite in Linux was OpenOffice, created by SUN in the 2000s. When Oracle bought SUN, the suite was no longer a priority for the famous database manager, so The Apache Software Foundation took it under its wing. Nowadays, OpenOffice is rarely updated, and most users are switching to LibreOffice.
OpenOffice contains the following modules:
Writer: a word processor.
Calc: a spreadsheet application.
Impress: a presentation tool.
Base: a local database manager.
Draw: a design tool.
Math: a specialized module.
LibreOffice
If you want an office suite in Linux, you’ll probably use LibreOffice. This project started as a derivative of OpenOffice when Oracle bought SUN. It includes all the classic components listed above for OpenOffice.
And lots of extensions that allow you to add features. For example, there’s everything you need to create professional network diagrams. And all for free! Of course, LibreOffice also works in Windows and macOS – this suite has gained quite a following.
Install and Use LibreOffice
Now you’re going to install the LibreOffice office suite!
We’re going to do this using the command lines. 🙌 😄
After this, we’ll open each of the modules in the suite:
The word processor.
The spreadsheet.
The presentation tool.
The local database management tool.
You’ll see that they look a lot like their Windows cousins!
Let’s get started!
That’s all very interesting, but what about compatibility? What if I want to share documents with Microsoft suite users, and vice versa?
Excellent question! Don’t worry; Windows and Linux users can share documents.
Share Documents in Microsoft Format
As you know, the Microsoft Office suite is very widely used in the business world – and don’t forget that their documents are in a proprietary format! This isn’t good news for compatibility with LibreOffice, which uses an open format.
LibreOffice documents are in OpenDocument format, which was set up to create a standardized format independent of the software suites that use it. This format is supported by big manufacturers such as IBM and SUN and has become so widespread that Microsoft has adapted its suite to read it. Perhaps one day in the not-so-distant future, all office suites will use this format by default.
The current level of compatibility is much better. It’s possible to work on the same documents with two different suites, whether Word and Writer, Excel and Calc, etc., providing the files are relatively simple (particularly for Excel).
Ok, but how do I share documents between these two suites?
Option 1: Ask the person you want to share documents with to install LibreOffice. This is the simplest solution. LibreOffice is free and can be installed in Linux, Windows, and macOS. Bonus – the more people you convert to using LibreOffice, the more it grows!
Option 2: Save in PDF format. This solution is just as simple as the first. In LibreOffice, you can natively export all your documents to PDF format with just one click.
Save in PDF format. Option 3: The ODF converter plugin for Microsoft. This plugin lets you open files created in LibreOffice in the Microsoft Office suite. It’s free (released under GNU license) and available on the Uptodown website.
Finally, another way to increase the compatibility of the two suites is to use Microsoft fonts in LibreOffice documents. You can install them in Linux using packages.
Let’s learn how to carry out this installation in the following video.
Over to You!
Let’s make things a bit more challenging. You're going to practice using your office tool in conjunction with an online office suite: Google Drive.
Try the following steps:
Create a table in Google Sheets.
Export it to excel or ODS format.
Open it with your office tool in Linux (OpenOffice or LibreOffice).
Let's Recap!
LibreOffice is the main office suite in Linux.
Microsoft Office and LibreOffice don't use the same document format. However, compatibility is improving, and it's now possible to share documents between them.
PDF format, the ODF converter plugin, and the Microsoft proprietary fonts are the tools that help you share documents between Microsoft Office and LibreOffice.
Great! You can now create documents. Next, let’s connect up some devices to your system so you can copy and print them.
