Scan & Fix 50 registry issues FREENeoOffice for Mac User Reviews
This download is served from an external site
closeNOTICE: This link will open a connection to a third-party site. CNET cannot ensure the security of software that is hosted on external sites.
Sponsored Products
-
"A Required Payment is NOT a Donation"
Version: NeoOffice 3.2
Pros
Slightly more stable and perhaps more Mac-like than OpenOffice/LibreOffice
Cons
Always 9 months to a year behind the most recent version of OpenOffice/LibreOffice
Summary
I've used NeoOffice, OpenOffice and LibreOffice extensively. I've donated to NeoOffice in the past. I'm now using LibreOffice exclusively. I won't even consider paying the $10 to NeoOffice unless the developers stop using the term "donation" for a required payment. I don't mind paying for products and services; however, I HATE THE OVERT DISHONESTY in calling a payment a donation. IT'S NOT. GROW UP! START TO WEAR BIG BOY PANTS.
I've probably paid $100 in the past few months for apps on Apple App Store for Macs. That's fine. You pay and you get a product and are able to use that product on all of your Macs. That's free enterprise and it's honest. It's not a donation.
To say I'm angry is an understatement. It's a matter of principle and I'm not going to play along. -
"I Got rid of it."
Version: NeoOffice 3.2
Pros
I'll use Libre.
Cons
It's not Libre.
Summary
Here is what Richard Stallman actually says: Free software is software that users have the freedom to distribute and change. Some users may obtain copies at no charge, while others pay to obtain copies-and if the funds help support improving the software, so much the better. The important thing is that everyone who has a copy has the freedom to cooperate with others in using it.
Richard Stallman wrote the rules on how open source software should be distributed in case you were wondering why I quoted him.
Updated on Apr 20, 2011 -
"LibreOffice"
Version: NeoOffice 3.2
Pros
LibreOffice
Cons
LibreOffice
Summary
LibreOffice
Go get LibreOffice!
Updated on Apr 19, 2011 -
"Totally Misleading and Fraudulent"
Version: NeoOffice 3.2
Pros
App actually is good, have used for years.
Cons
Lying to users, requiring payment as a 'donation'.
Summary
Complete scam, abandoning it and the lying desperate ways of the developers. Really sad, they are evil.
-
"Illegal and unethical requirement of $10 donation"
Version: NeoOffice 3.2
Pros
Open Office made Mac friendly.
Cons
Requiring a donation to download software is charging for it, plain and simple. The argument that NeoOffice is not a derivative work of Open Office is extremely weak, it makes use of major components. As such charging for this violates OO's LGPL.
Summary
I'm not going to pay for this, and I won't be recommending NeoOffice to anyone else either as I have done in the past.
-
"Requires payment (fraudulently called a 'donation')"
Version: NeoOffice 3.2
Pros
NeoOffice the most Mac friendly version of OpenOffice. It is highly recommended as a free and international standard based alternative to commercial office suites.
Cons
Planamesa, who write NeoOffice, are required by law to provide it for FREE because it is based upon Open Source source code. By requiring a 'donation', Planamesa are breaking the law. I suggest abandoning NeoOffice until this matter is resolved.
Summary
Introduction:
Please note that I am not a lawyer and my statements here are not definitive. I am, however, a long time user of Open Source software, am familiar with the various Open Source licenses, and know full well that Planamesa is in violation of the OpenOffice Open Source license by way of their requiring PAYMENT in order to download or use any version of NeoOffice version 3.2. Rather than take my word, please verify this situation for yourself and make your own conclusions. What I provide here is based upon my research and provides my concluding opinion:
The Situation:
I could not be more disturbed and saddened by the fact that Planamesa, who program NeoOffice, are breaking the law established by the Open Source license for Open Office. Planamesa are REQUIRING (versus asking) for a 'donation', meaning that they are actually requiring a PAYMENT (which by any definition is NOT a donation). Uou are not allowed by Planamesa to download NeoOffice version 3.2 and presumably onward without payment.
Any Open Source application, such as OpenOffice, is required by law, in accordance with its license to developers, to provide ALL elaborations upon that code to be donated for free back into the Open Source project. NeoOffice IS OpenOffice IS free to one and all WITHOUT any donation of any kind BY LAW. That Planamesa REQUIRE a 'donation' is ILLEGAL by default. They are not allowed to do so at any time for any reason. That will not change.
I fully support providing donations to all Open Source projects. However, no one ever has the right to REQUIRE any donation at any time for any Open Source code based software such as NeoOffice.
If or when this legal matter is settled, please DO actually donate to Planamesa for their excellent work. But until this legal matter is settled, I personally recommend NOT acquiescing to this illegal REQUIREMENT OF PAYMENT (which by definition is NOT A DONATION!) Instead, I suggest changing over to one of the legal versions of Open Office such as that provided from OpenOffice.org or the recent branch of the project called LibreOffice, available at LibreOffice.org. I personally prefer LibreOffice.
Hopefully this situation will be rapidly resolved and NeoOffice will again require no payment, as is required by law. Until that time, I suggest abandoning NeoOffice for the free alternatives. -
"Won't install update for v 3.1.2 patch 2"
Version: NeoOffice 3.2bp3
Pros
I may never know.
Cons
Downloaded and got to install dialog. Was informed my version of OSX 10.4.9 was too old, at the same time telling me I needed 10.4 or later. Maybe this is why it's a beta???
-
"changed from bean to NeoOffice"
Version: NeoOffice 3.2b
Pros
More option and easy to use
Cons
nothing so far
-
"Excellent compatibility with MS Office."
Version: NeoOffice 3.1.2 patch 2
Pros
Great compatibility with MS Office, and is the only other spreadsheet that I could find which provides the "goal seek" feature which I use frequently.
Cons
I have a Mac Mini with a G4 processor running OS 10.5.8 and 1 GB ram. My only complaint is very slow opening of existing spreadsheet files because it uses almost all the processor's capability.
-
"Copy-Paste bug that causes program crash"
Version: NeoOffice 3.1.2 patch 3
Pros
Usually a bug like this will be fixed quickly!
Cons
After pasting text in field used [command] [return] to add a new line in same cell. Program freezes and then crashes.
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
You must be 13 years of age or older to submit personal information to CNET Networks. In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, CNET Networks does not accept name and e-mail address information from users who are under 13 years of age.
All submitted ratings and written comments become the sole property of CNET Networks, Inc. (CNET) and may be used at CNET Networks' sole discretion. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days in batch groups, not in real time. However, CNET Networks reserves the right to remove or refuse to post any submission for any reason. You acknowledge that you, not CNET Networks, are responsible for the contents of your submission.
CNET Networks is not responsible for the content of the publisher's descriptions or user reviews on this site. We encourage you to determine whether this product or your intended use is legal. We do not encourage or condone the use of any software in violation of applicable laws. CNET Download.com does not sell, resell, or license any of the products listed on the site. We cannot be held liable for issues that arise from the download or use of these products.
