Linux Ubuntu - Word Processor

[CAMRAMan]

I'm considering the switch to Linux, but there is one area that I need to clarify first.

I do a lot of editing and proof reading. MS Word has Track Changes and Add Comments features that I would need to have in a WP package. Is there a WP for Linux that offers this functionality - or something as good/better? Does it save to .doc format fro distribution to my Windows customers?

TIA

[RainOrShine]

Yes, Ubuntu has OpenOffice.  I'm not specifically sure about track changes but OO is fairly well specified.

It can read and save .doc files but is not 100% compatible if you have complicated Word templates.

[tiermat]

Yes, OOo will do, and view, track changes in MS Word docs, as well as comments, you have to enable it though through Edit > Track Changes > View

HTH

[james]

There is a track changes equivalent, which interoperates fine with Word (it's in Edit/Changes in OO). It also has a 'Note' facility which I assume is the same as Add comments in Word, although I've never used this.

In terms of general compatability with Word, it's fairly good, but not perfect, but in my experience no worse than the differences between different Word versions. And yes, Ubuntu and almost any other major Linux distribution will come with OO installed, or extremely easily available.
 

[CAMRAMan]

Thanks for all the answers.

As well as the info above, I found this: http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=users&msgNo=134167

[border-rider]

I can confirm - I use OO in Ubuntu every day to track changes in Word docs.  It's fine

There are OO/Word compatibility issues - mainly to do with page and section numbering as far as I can see.

[tiermat]

Tables can be a bit sketchy, from experience, much better in 2.X than in earlier versions but can still cause issues (apparently totally fixed in 3)

[border-rider]

I use 2.3 and I've not had an issue with tables - but I don't recall one in 2.1. either

Maybe it depends which flavour of Word you're converting to

[CAMRAMan]

Great! That's just what I needed to hear. Page numbering & tables are a minor issue, as I'm just reviewing/editing the textual content.

My clients use MS Office 2003 & 2007. Do you know of any specific things to look out for?

TIA

[pcolbeck]

Great! That's just what I needed to hear. Page numbering & tables are a minor issue, as I'm just reviewing/editing the textual content.

My clients use MS Office 2003 & 2007. Do you know of any specific things to look out for?

TIA

Make sure they send you the documents in .doc format not the new Word 2007 format as only Word 2007 can read those (not even older versions of Word can read the new format).

[border-rider]

OO 2.3 can write to Word 2007 format, and I believe it can also read it though I've never tried. 

In that respect it has better compatibility with Office 2007 than previous versions of MS Office do.

[Séamas M.]

Interesting Grauniad article about docx .

I recently had to open a docx file to print it for my sister-in-law, went to the MS site and downloaded (for free) an update that allowed my MSWord 2000 to open and print with no problems.

[pcolbeck]

OOXML is not a proper standard and Jack Schofield should know better than to write a misleading article like that. Microsoft were terrified by ODF as it meant that if governments adopt it then they can use any Word processor they like that support ODF so sales of Word go down. What they have done instead is forced through be skulduggery (and I mean leaning on comities, vote rigging and a host of other naughties) OOXML as a standard through the OSI. Now if you have a standards document you should be able to implement software that's compatible with the standard but not with OOXML, the standard basically references other closed Microsoft file formats and only Microsoft can realistically implement a word processor that supports OOXML. The fact that its an OSI standard though will mean governments can specify OOXML and tick of the box that says that they are using an open standard.
This may come back to haunt Microsoft though as the EU is already sniffing around this process and they have just fined them billions of dollars for using dodgy business practices.