Tag: libreoffice

ZetaOffice: LibreOffice as a web service

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

LibreOffice is probably the most popular open source document editing software out there at the moment. It is a local solution, which means that you need to install it on your devices to use it.

Related content

LibreOffice 24.8: you can now block active content in documents

ZetaOffice is a relatively new online service that brings the Office suite to the web. Desktop versions for Windows and Linux are also available, but these are in beta right now. The developers plan to release mobile versions in the future as well.

It is developed by Allotropia. The Allotropia website lists “services, consulting, and products around LibreOffice and related opensource projects” as the work focus.

ZetaOffice Online

Right now, ZetaOffice Online supports Writer, Calc, and Impress. You can head over to the official website and try the linked demos there to see how it works.

ZetaOffice Writer example

You may note that the demos are quite memory hungry. The Writer demo used about 1.4 gigabytes of memory when I tried it, which is a lot. Some demos almost locked the page when I started them.

The functionality of LibreOffice appears to be there. There does not seem to be a registration option on the website at this point. In fact, no information about using ZetaOffice with your own documents is provided.

The website offers some information on the business plan and functionality though:

  • ZetaOffice is provided as a self-hosted version and a paid version that runs on high performance servers.
  • The service is in open beta right now.

Closing Words

If you find the idea of having access to LibreOffice on a website appealing, then you may want to keep an eye on the project. It is in beta right now and it may take a while before it exits the beta phase.

No word yet on pricing, which surely has the power to make or break the project. Still, it is interesting to see that projects like it exist.

Do you use LibreOffice? Would you use ZetaOffice or another service that brings the open source suite to the web? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019 support ends in one year

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Next year will be crucial for many Microsoft customers. The company will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.

Next to that, it will also end support for Office 2016 and 2019 on the same day. This means that any of the included applications won’t receive updates anymore after that date.

This includes Word and Excel, but also Skype for Business 2019, Access 2019, or OneNote 2016.

Here is the full list:

Office suites: Office 2016, Office 2019

Office applications: Access 2016, Access 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, OneNote 2016, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2019, PowerPoint 2016, PowerPoint 2019, Project 2016, Project 2019, Publisher 2016, Publisher 2019, Skype for Business 2016, Skype for Business 2019, Visio 2016, Visio 2019, Word 2016, Word 2019

Productivity servers: Exchange Server 2016, Exchange Server 2019, Skype for Business Server 2015, Skype for Business Server 2019

While the programs continue to work after the end of support date, bugs and security issues will accumulate that won’t get fixed by Microsoft anymore. Microsoft won’t offer technical support either anymore.

Note: There is a good chance that micro-patching service 0Patch will support the two Office versions with updates after support end. A subscription is available for about $25 plus tax per year.

Customers may upgrade to a new version of Office, e.g., Office 2024, which Microsoft released recently, or subscribe to Microsoft 365, which includes Office applications.

The “End of Support: Know your options” table by Microsoft shows products that run out of support and Microsoft’s recommendations.

Obviously, there is no mention of Office alternatives that users may switch to. LibreOffice is probably the best option when it comes to that. It is an open source Office application that comes with pretty much the same apps as Microsoft Office. And it is free to use.

It offers good compatibility with Office document formats, but compatibility is not 100%. While most home users may not notice these differences and issues, Enterprise and business users may.

Do you run any of the applications? What will you do once support runs out? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Office

LibreOffice 24.8: you can now block active content in documents

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

An update for the open source cross-platform office suite LibreOffice is now available. LibreOffice 24.8 is available for all supported systems.

The new version includes over a hundred improved or new features. Several are important from a security point of view.

The details:

  • An option to disable active content and OLE automation is now available.
  • Improved WebDAV/HTTP UCP authentication with Microsoft SharePoint.
  • Improved CMIS UCP authentication with Microsoft SharePoint.
  • Option to remove personal information on saving.
  • ODF Wholesome Encryption is now available. It improves tamper and brute-force resistance, offers improved performance, and improved hiding of metadata.

Several of these options are interesting from an end-users point of view. The ability to disable active content improves security, as it prevents attacks that exploit these options.

LibreOffice 24.8 new security settings

Here is how you enable it:

  1. Open Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Security > Security Options and Warnings > Options-button.
  2. Check “Disable active contents from OLE Objects, DDE and OLE Automation”.

Note: this may impact documents that rely on these technologies.

Here, you may also enable the removal of personal information on saving.

Check “remove personal information on saving” and then what you do not want included. This is supported at the time of writing:

  • Changes information.
  • Document user information.
  • Author name and date of notes.
  • Document version information.
  • Printer settings.

You can check out the full changelog on the official Document Foundation website.

The latest version is available for download already. You can download it from the official website or from within LibreOffice by selecting Help > Check for Updates.

Do you use LibreOffice or another Office program? What is your take on the new security features? Feel free to leave a comment down below.