Softmaker Freeoffice 2018

[VtPoet]

//Perhaps you could reach out to them and ask why their privacy policy (only available in German: http://www.softmaker.com/en/data-protection) and EULA (link on: http://www.freeoffice.com/en/download) don't cover what their software does or not does do with regards to personal information of the user.//

As far as I can tell, neither does Libreoffice, or rather only insofar as their website is concerned (also in German for some reason):

https://www.libreoffice.org/about-us/privacy/

Which, actually, if you can read German, is quite a bit.

It's possible that Freeoffice and/or Softmaker office is dialing the mothership (as with any application), but I've seen no evidence for that (apart from confirming ones license).

[GS3]

I do not have an opinion on Freeoffice specifically but I do want to comment that, everything else being equal, I would much rather choose non-American software because I believe the American Government spies more and spies better.

[KBD47]

VtPoet, thanks for mentioning Android, I had forgotten about it and have not yet used their Android version.
The only other office software I've used besides Softmaker that does a decent job on MS files is Kingsoft Office:
http://www.kingsoftstore.com/
But that one has ads in the free software, and no doubt is dialing regularly to the Chinese mothership as we know China is a stickler for securing privacy for their people

[VtPoet]

Worth knowing: They haven't updated their Android version yet. The paid version is called Android HD, but for all intents and purposes its a full blown version of Textmaker 2016 for Android. However, Android HD can't open the new TMDX file format of SO 2018. So there's that. This just means that if you want your files to be interchangeable, use TMD rather than TMDX.

Their comment on this: "A new version for Android is not yet on the table but of course it will also support tmdx like SoftMaker Office 2018 for Windows and Linux."

As for the advantage of TMDX or TMD: "The tmdx file format supports all new features of TextMaker 2018 (e.g. table styles). Its structure is similar to the docx file format in MS Word."

I continue to use TMD. None of 2018's new "features" seem relevant to me, primarily writing.

[KBD47]

Thanks for the info VtPoet. I only use their MS formats. I think for 2018 they worked on Windows version first, then Linux, and seems they have work yet to do on Android. I really wish they defaulted to open document formats rather than their own proprietary format.
Yes, the 2016 version is perfectly fine and works well. I like themes in the newer version though.

[Portreve]

I didn't switch my daily driver OS to a libre-licensed one to provide a platform for running proprietary¹ software.

[¹ Yes, I know, I've got Flash installed thanks to Chrome and Firefox. It's an exception. No, it's the exception. Shut up.]


If I wanted to run proprietary software, I could do so in the very next second. However, I don't want to, and therein lies the entire point, hopefully for others here as well.

LibreOffice has some deficiencies. One of those deficiencies, along with several other programs I can think of, happens to include not having UI experts involved to create a slick and polished experience that's as good as anything Microsoft, Apple, or Adobe can throw at us. However, I literally use some part of LO just about every day because of my job.

[KBD47]

I didn't switch my daily driver OS to a libre-licensed one to provide a platform for running proprietary¹ software.

[¹ Yes, I know, I've got Flash installed thanks to Chrome and Firefox. It's an exception. No, it's the exception. Shut up.]


If I wanted to run proprietary software, I could do so in the very next second. However, I don't want to, and therein lies the entire point, hopefully for others here as well.

LibreOffice has some deficiencies. One of those deficiencies, along with several other programs I can think of, happens to include not having UI experts involved to create a slick and polished experience that's as good as anything Microsoft, Apple, or Adobe can throw at us. However, I literally use some part of LO just about every day because of my job.

I'm with you regarding open source, that is my preference. I also think that LibreOffice is awesome. As you mention, even in Linux you run into a few use cases where proprietary software is needed. For those who must use proprietary office file formats that cannot be different at all from MS file formats, Softmaker Office is an option available on Linux. But if one doesn't need it, skip it

[Portreve]

There's two programs in particular I would love to see f/oss developers tackle building libre replacements of: FileMaker Pro, and Audio Hijack.

[killer de bug]

As for Freeoffice I'm just saying it's proprietary software and in my book that warrants investigating up front: how is the for-profit company behind it making money from the users of their gratis product?

That's indeed a really good question. And it raises a lot of suspicion.

[Pjotr]

No need for suspicion: they only offer the "basic" version for free.

The "professional" version does have a price, which explains their business model: https://shop.softmaker.com/shop/shop.php

Apparently they assume that some percentage of the "basic" users eventually will want to buy the "professional" version. A business model like so many other software businesses have....

[Pierre]

No need for suspicion: they only offer the "basic" version for free.

The "professional" version does have a price, which explains their business model,

and that's good value, too, considering they have Linux Version, as well.
- - even the Windows version is 30% of what M$ charges for their "Office Home & Student 2016 for PC".
boy, do we get ripped off, by M$ in this country.

[KBD47]

boy, do we get ripped off, by M$ in this country.

And that's why I'm happy to pay for Softmaker Office. MS has a stranglehold on schools and businesses with their office software and they take full advantage of it. We need competition in this field badly, which is why I'm grateful for Softmaker and hope LibreOffice continues to improve so it can fully hold its own with MS files.