this post was submitted on 12 Nov 2023
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How do y'all deal with programs not supported on Linux? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 1 year ago by Alexxxolotl@sh.itjust.works to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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I've been seeing all these posts about Linux lately, and looking at them, I can honestly see the appeal. I'd love having so much autonomy over the OS I use, and customize it however I like, even having so many options to choose from when it comes to distros. The only thing holding me back, however, is incompatibility issues. A lot of programs I work with very often are Windows-exclusive, and alternatives supporting Linux are rare. So I guess I'm stuck with Windows, since I deem those particular programs really important.

Any advice from Linux nerds here? All constructive replies are very appreciated.

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[–] TCB13@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It’s not messed up, though. It’s just set to a different value. If the exact amount of paragraph spacing is important to you, you can either set it before you print, share the file as PDF or use a proper layouting software. This isn’t a Linux issue, you should do the same when sharing a file with someone using MS Office.

You're missing the point, if you get a document from a MS Office user you can't simply view it or print it and assume the result will be what the user intended it to be. Same applies in reverse if you make changes to the document. This makes LibreOffice unsuitable and not a real alternative.

Your yardstick for a usable desktop system is “every detail and default setting in all software needs to be exactly the same as on the Windows equivalent”.

No, the problem is that most people on this post want it both ways, want to say that LibreOffice is 100% perfect and can fit 100% of uses cases and be used for collaboration and at the same time say stuff like you said "It’s not messed up, though. It’s just set to a different value.". Its one thing or the other, not both.

And for what's worth is shouldn't be "set to a different value" because it breaks compatibility and LibreOffice say it does the best they can to ensure compatibility with MS Office formats.

[–] KISSmyOS@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

You’re missing the point, if you get a document from a MS Office user you can’t simply view it or print it and assume the result will be what the user intended it to be.

You're missing the point. You can't assume that even if both use MS Office, either. Cause one of the users could have changed a setting, or use Office Online, or Office for OSX, or an older version, all of which aren't fully compatible.
MS breaks these things all the time between versions too, without even telling you they've updated your Office.
Again, if layout of your end product is important, don't share .docx files.

[–] TCB13@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Again, if layout of your end product is important, don’t share .docx files.

I know a LOT of people who've been doing this since Office 97 and formatting holds across computers. And to be fair it seems to hold a lot better between older and newer versions of MS Office than with LibeOffice.

[–] KISSmyOS@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

And I've had better results opening Office files with LibreOffice than with MS Online Office.

[–] TCB13@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

You guys want to have it both ways, first you'll say that Office online is the ultimate solution for every Linux user that needs to collaborate with MS Office users and now this. lol

[–] Flumsy@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Every single docx file that I opened in a recent LibreOffice version looked exactly as intended. What features specifically are you talking about that dont work?

[–] TCB13@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Look at my screenshot above. Do you call that "looked exactly as intended"?