Microsoft isn’t the only company launching new office apps today. The Document Foundation has released LibreOffice 4.4, a new version of the popular cross-platform, free and open source office suite.

The latest version features a revised user interface and new features including support for digital signing of PDF files you export.

libreoffice_04

LibreOffice is an office suite with apps for creating and editing text, spreadsheet, and presentation documents. There’s also a database app, a drawing app, and a math app.

While it’s not always 100 percent compatible with Microsoft Office documents, I’ve been using LibreOffice to view Office documents ever since the developers spun off their software from OpenOffice.org.

Among other things, version 4.4 of LibreOffice includes:

  • A reorganized toolbar
  • Improved context menus
  • Support for OpenGL transitions in Windows
  • SIFR Monchrome icons on OS X
  • Carlito and Caladea free fonts replace Microsoft’s Calibri and Cambria fonts
  • Several new default templates
  • Improved track changes
  • Better interoperability with OOXML file formats

You can find more details in the release notes.

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10 replies on “LibreOffice 4.4 released (free and open office suite)”

    2. I love the ribbon interface. I have been frustrated with the horribly-organized and inconvenient drop-down menus since Microsoft Office 97, but I didn’t know what a good alternative would look like. The ribbon was like a ray of sunshine in a cold, gray world of nested menus. I understand that some people prefer the older interface, so I wish that both would be an option that you would set at installation and then could change via the settings (preferably individually for each program) later on. In an office suite with ‘libre’ in the name, we should be free to use our choice of interface.

  2. I’m glad LibreOffice is staying with drop down menus. I never really liked the ribbon interface in later versions of Microsoft Office. Truthfully, the end of the 3 License Home & Student version was what caused me to which to LibreOffice exclusively (I have been using OpenOffice and LibreOffice on Linux for years). There are some things that Microsoft Office does better, but I couldn’t stomach the $150 to $400+ price jump to be able to use Office on 3 computers.

    1. Yeah, I have LibreOffice on my Laptop and it has been very useful and never looked back. I use Linux too. 🙂

  3. The problem with LibreOffice document compatibility is that it exports excellently but it doesn’t import well. So I can generate a docx document for Office to read and edit, but I can’t make changes to an existing Office documents without formatting going all over the place.

    1. Try saving in an older Word format. Seems to solve 90% of the issues for me and stays compatible with MS Word.

  4. Want – better compatibility with MS office.
    Even if it’s an old version like 2000.
    Saving stuff like arrows and text boxes and shapes goes nuts 😛

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