LibreOffice

=LibreOffice=

LibreOffice is described as a free, open source personal productivity suite that is compatible with Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. It is comprised of six applications for document production and data processing. These applications include: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Math, and Base. Support and documentation is free and drawn from the community of users, contributors, and developers.
 * ** Description **

Unlike Microsoft Office, LibreOffice is free and open-source software (hence the name “LibreOffice”) [5]. There is no charge or fee associated with acquiring the software. “Free” also refers to the freedom to copy and re-use the software rather than being restricted to strict user/licensing terms as in MS Office [5]. Open Source refers to its liberal license allowing users to copy, change, and improve the design of the software by the availability of its source code [5][6]. As with software like Linux and Ubuntu the users are also the critics and developers and have a direct influence in shaping the form and focus of the program.

LibreOffice is descended from Open Office.org and was branched off in 2010 [5]. The initial developer is The Document Foundation which is comprised of developers formerly with the Oracle Corporation. Open Office had been in existence since 2000 when Sun Microsystems made the source code for StarOffice available for download with the intention of building an open source development community that would provide a free and open alternative to Microsoft Office [6]. The Oracle Corporation acquired Sun in 2012 and renamed the Office suite Oracle Open Office. Later that year, fearing that Oracle would no longer support the development of OpenOffice, members of the development team left Oracle and formed “The Document Foundation” and subsequently published LibreOffice which was based on the OpenOffice source code [5].
 * ** History **

In 2011 Oracle ceased development of OpenOffice and contributed the suite to the Apache Incubator and the Apache Software Foundation [6]. The Apache Software Foundation continues to develop Apache Open Office on a separate branch form LibreOffice.

Current versions of each software suite are available for download from the respective developer’s websites.

The University of Hawaii - Manoa (UHM) College of Education (COE) and its Educational Technology (ETEC) department maintains a laptop requirement (COE ITE Laptop Initiative) for all students in its programs [4]. Student’s laptop computer must meet current COE specifications for hardware, and a list of recommended types of software (COE Laptop Standards)[4]. Commercial, off-the-shelf office suite software is generally very expensive. While college and university bookstores often stock and sell these versions of software at reduced prices, many students may still find the cost of software prohibitive. LibreOffice offers an alternative Office type production software suite that is compatible with Microsoft Office and nearly as capable in form and function.
 * ** Impact on Teaching and Learning **

The COE requirements for word processing software, as indicated on the college's wiki, states, "The Laptop Standard allows any Office suite (LibreOffice, OpenOffice.org, MS Office, etc.) that supports either Open Document Format (.odt, .ods, .odp) or legacy MS formats (.doc, .xls, .ppt)" [4]. LibreOffice utilizes the ODF format for its word processing functions and is a software suite which meets this requirement.

The software function provided by both MS Office and LibreOffice are highly essential and a necessary part of our electronic and computer connected education. Except for a few textbooks, almost everything accomplished for class can be performed on a laptop computer. Many classroom assignments, projects, and presentations are created with a word processor, presentation maker, spreadsheet, database manager or a combination of these functions.

LibreOffice and other Open Document format software suites provides users with a cost efficient alternative to current off-the-shelf commercially developed products.

Just as Microsoft (MS) Office packages applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher, Outlook, and OneNote [3], LibreOffice combines Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math [1]. These modules provide the student with the most commonly used applications: a word processor, a spreadsheet, and presentation software.
 * ** Practical Applications **

-Writer is the word processing application emulating Microsoft (MS) Word. Writer’s capabilities, functions, and environment are very similar to MS Word. -Calc is a spreadsheet program resembling MS Excel, useful for analyzing data and creating charts and graphs. -Impress is a presentation program like MS PowerPoint, and is very effective for creating multimedia presentations. -Draw is a vector graphics editor similar to MS Visio. Draw allows the building and creating of diagrams and sketches from scratch including line, 2D, and 3D illustrations. -Base is the database management program similar to MS Access. -Math is an application designed for creating and editing math formulas. It allows the user to layout and display mathematical, chemical, electrical, or scientific equations quickly and in standard notation. There is no equivalent application in the MS Office suite. -LibreOffice also is configured with a PDF file creator similar to Adobe PDF Creator allowing PDF file creation which is universally accepted.

Because LibreOffice is developed in the Open Document Format it is adopted worldwide allowing universal compatibility with most Office type software suites. Support for the Open Document format is worldwide and industry wide as many companies support the Open Document format through the Open Document Format Alliance.

1. LibreOffice Start Center Figure 1. LibreOffice Start Center (Image from authors LibreOffice software)
 * ** Examples **

2. LibreOffice Writer Figure 2. LibreOffice Writer Sample page (Image from authors LibreOffice software)

3. LibreOffice Calc Figure 3. LibreOffice Calc Spreadsheet (Image from authors LibreOffice software)

4. LibreOffice Impress Figure 4. LibreOffice Impress presentation template (Image from authors LibreOffice software)

5. LibreOffice Draw Figure 5. LibreOffice Draw layout page (Image from authors LibreOffice software)

6. LibreOffice Base Figure 6. LibreOffice Base database design page (Image from authors LibreOffice software)

7. LibreOffice Math Figure 7. LibreOffice Math worksheet (Image from authors LibreOffice software)

[1] LibreOffice website: [] [2] OpenOffice website: [] [3] Microsoft Office website: [] [4] University of Hawaii, College of Education Wiki for Students @http://students.coe.hawaii.edu/ [5] Wikipedia LibreOffice website: [] [6] Wikipedia OpenOffice website: [] [7] Wikipedia Microsoft Office website: [] [8] CNET.com LibreOffice review [] [9] Infoworld.com LibreOffice review [] [10] Linux website: @http://www.linux.org/ [11] Ubuntu website: @http://www.ubuntu.com/ [12] Open Document Foundation website: @http://www.documentfoundation.org/
 * ** References **


 * ** External Links **
 * 1) LibreOffice: []
 * 2) OpenOffice: []
 * 3) The Document Foundation: []
 * 4) Microsoft Office: @http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/

Dalwyn Wong is a graduate student in the University of Hawaii, College of Education, Educational Technology Master’s Degree Program. Mr. Wong is a graduate of the University of Hawaii – Manoa, B. A. Zoology and Geography, and the University of Hawaii – School of Public Health, M.S. Environmental Health. He currently works as a Systems Support Representative for a Government Contractor.
 * ** About the Author **