Open Office for iPad?
OpenOffice is both an open-source product and a project. It has all the features which Microsoft Office has got. However we can download open office for Windows and Mac.
Few Days back Apple iPad was announced which had attracted 1000′s of people around the globe, On the same day Apple had also launched the iWork which allows us to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in Mac and iPad.
The most annoying thing about iWork is its not free. Which means you have to pay about $80 to get it. We all know Open Office is a free program which is widely used to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in Window and Mac, But unfortunately when a guy from old.nabble.com contacted open office team asking in his email.
Hi,
I was just wondering if you were planning to develop an oppen office
aplication for ipad ?Maybe it’s not possible.. I’m very interested in selling my Macbook for an
iPad, but without any office suite, it would be difficult to work with it
(I’m a student, and I would use it to take my lessons) even if iWorks exist
for ipad, I need an application which would be able to write and read .doc
and .ppt documents.Thank you for your answer.
Best regards
Antoine Forgeard
This was the negative reply he got.
I am not sure this will be possible for the simple reason that as opposed to
the MacBook which is more of an open platform, the ipad will have an
extremely closed operating system (Iphone OS) which doesnt make it possible
to load different languages or applications like the one we use.Recoding OOo in Objective-C would be prohibited and since it seems that the
apps are managed by Apple, it could make little business sense to allow a
third party (and free) competing product like ours.However just like the iphone, there are solutions like remote desktop that
allow to access an Open environment such a Linux desktop over the web. (look
on the history of this list for OpenOffice.org Online).Again there could be ‘jailbreaks’ that will make the ipad run Linux and in
that case OOo would be doable on an ipad but of course it will inherit all
the issues from breaking warranty and support and such.
This concludes that we can’t run any third party app on iPad. All those people who wana work in spreadsheets, and presentations on their iPad have to pay an extra 80 bucks to get iWork which can work with iPad.
iWork will be for sale for 10$ per application, so 30$ in total
Thanks for the update!
I saw iWork for $80 in softpedia.com
“This concludes that we can’t run any third party app on iPad.”
I know this isn’t true, as one of the reasons I’m thinking of getting the iPad is to use bitcartel’s upcoming iPad version of ComicBookLover.
There are lots of apps written for iphone OS.
“even if iWorks exist for ipad, I need an application which would be able to write and read .doc
and .ppt documents”
iWork can export as .doc .xls .ppt and PDF files if you would like and read them too. The only issue I have is when I export from .key to .ppt you should use simple or no transitions because PowerPoint cannot handle keynotes highly advanced transitions and animations. To keep advanced transitions in presentations and show on pc’s export as QuickTime file. Keynote creates the most professional presentations out there (Steve Jobs uses it). Pages and Numbers files have no issues exporting at all.
The bottom line is that it’s easier to pay $80 then to try to port the Open Office Application to the ipad. We use the MAC version of Open Office on our mac that we bought to develop apps for the iPhone. Good Luck to anyone that wants to try to compile the Open Office Source Code and release an iPone/iPod verison of Open Office.
Has anyone investigated using XMLVM to port OpenOffice to Objective-C/iPad – strikes me that iPad is a platform that should have OO
there is an alternative and it is excellent. Office2 pro is an alternative which edits doc ppt and xls. it also easily connects to google docs. It has plenty of kinks to be worked out but there is news that a new version has been submitted with most of them worked out. it is only 8 buck and it edits doc and xls and i believe ppt
Currently, Google Docs version of excel works but not the doc writer. Because of the war going on with google, adobe and apple I would guess some web apps like google doc to be made to work on the iPad just to spite them:)
Frezno
Pages for the iPad has one BIG issue exporting: the fonts do not embed correctly, and if a pc hasn’t the same font installed, it will show only a line of dots.
I believe there are several technical errors in the response. First, it is possible to develop free applications for iPad. Though DRM makes app management for the iPad an utter nightmare for users and developers alike, you can in theory submit opensource apps to the App Store (as long as you fork over the $60).
Furthermore, I don’t think the whole project would have to be in Objective C because I believe XCode accepts C/C++ code at least in libraries as well, so it might well be possible to leave the core application as it is and just use Objective C for glue.
The real reason (besides lots of effort) against the port would be in my opinion the immense RAM/CPU resources necessary to run OOO.
I think that iWorks MUST support open document formats (for example with import/export filters). Microsoft was also forced to support open standards (at least in europe) and I can’t see a reason because this doesn’t happen with apple. That format war is so stupid, it’s like 90s web’s flame… nothing good! Ohh Apple, this is not cool…
Bad Apple
they are stealing our mony
Bad Apple Bad
People complain about MS being hermetic, abusive, and prone to locking in their consumers. Whilst this is a well earned reputation, Apple hides behind a veneer of modernity, youthfulness and relaxed attitude, but is 5 times as bad as MS in holding their customers by the short and curly and not letting go.
PLEASE APPLE!!!!
MAKE AN OPEN OFFICE APP FOR IPAD AND IPOD TOUCHES!!!!!
I am a fan fiction author and I seriously wish to update through my Ipod Touch!!!!
Almost makes me want to return my iPad in the time allowed – it,s not even 1/2 as good as iPhone
I’ve received an ipad for Christmas. I’m very pleased with it, but frustrated by the lack of freedom to load things I want, such as software which will allow me to use it instead of a laptop. The browser cant find things which my PC browser (Opera) can find without any problems. MS Office is a standard worldwide, and should be loadable onto the ipad, which is more of a laptop than a mobile phone. Come on Apple, don’t alienate those who want to use your products in ways you didn’t anticipate.
I stay in Portugal. When I first heard of iPad I got really interested and, should the thing have been timely introduced in this market, I would have been, probably, an unsatisfied costumer by now. Don’t have any inside knowledge of computers, only use them to produce work, and in my limited opinion, from what I’ve seen and read and heard so far, this iPad is just another very expensive, big and useless toy. Doesn’t even come with a camera, for God’s sake! Mind me I am a proud owner of a MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air and I won’t trade them for nothing. When I bought the MacBook Pro I also bought iWorks 9, since I didn’t want to spend on Office. Right now I use OpenOffice and iWorks is back in the box. 60 or 70 some euros down the drain. To me, it was something done in a hurry, for the quick buck, with a funny logic, and it doesn’t do me any good.
Another iPAD option is “Documents To Go” which is available in a basic version ($10) and a premium version ($17.00). It does Word, Excel, and Powerpoint docs including 2007/2010 versions, (edit PPT in premium version only) as well as a much better PDF viewer and the ability to view (but not edit) iWork files. It supports “Open In” action with other compatible apps, has a built-in mail feature, and a built-in Windows and MAC desktop WiFi sync app. The premium version supports several cloud-based file services like Google Docs, SugarSync, Box.Net, iDisk, etc.
Not perfect, not OOorg . . . but the best solution I’ve worked with on the iPad.
Oh yes, it does work on the iPhone and IPod Touch as well.
Why dont you work in googledocs ?
@ Marc: Because Google Docs does not work without an internet connection maybe?
I use the IPad but utilize the Pages and Numbers with the Open Office. One of the things I learned that you have to covert the file to a MS Office (it is true that you lose some of the functionality) file and load it to IPad and other way around.
During the time I noticed that you have to create a file name on the desktop or laptop in order to retain the file name so it can be placed on IPad.
At this point it is a start but over time it will get better and more tablets coming out.
You can use PAGES on your IPAD, download the app- it is 9.99$ and will import word documents or you can type your own stuff. It has an amazing display. You can do letters, flyers, reports etc.
Q:What we can do with Ipad?
A:All the things you can do with a PC!
So, why buy an Ipad?
This device sucks…
Has any one noticed that iPad / iWork can read and write doc and ppt files. Secondly, it is only $10 each for pages (word processor), numbers (spread sheet), and key note (similar to power point presentation, even better). So you do not need $80 . Based on your needs, you can do this on iPad for as little ad $10 or at the most $30
I got the IPAD from my IT department to test. What I find amazing is the hypocricy of Apple. The Apple commercials of the MAC kid and the PC guy. Guess what. I shouldnt need another computer to start the IPAD up. I am strangle-hold into their software apps. This thing is not cheap and yet very limited. I dont get it. Is it because it has a fruit (Apple) logo on it ?, because it is sleek looking ? because it sure as hell isnt for its functionality. I returned it and got a small Mini DELL PC. about the same size and weight. Guess what. It does eveything I need and I dont have to be on one of these blogs for days trying to figure it out. Apple=psychiatrist for users.
I purchased an ipad recently. But without an open office feature and some of the other essential open features, I strongly believe the ipad is not worth half its price….
> the ipad will have an extremely closed operating system (Iphone OS)
> which doesnt make it possible
> to load different languages or applications like the one we use.
this person has no clue what they are talking of. iOS apps can be developed in C/C++, and only a thin UI in Obj-C
extremely closed OS?? I guess the hundreds of THOUSANDS of apps in the store are all figments of Apple’s imagination.
> Recoding OOo in Objective-C would be prohibited and since it seems that the
> apps are managed by Apple,
Apps are NOT managed by Apple.. they are managed by third party developers.
> it could make little business sense to allow a third party (and free) competing product like ours.
there’s no ‘business sense’ involved.. there are dozens if not HUNDREDS of apps in existence that ‘compete’ with almost every app made by apple.
@pixeled apps aren’t managed by Apple but apple controls what you may load onto your ipad. If Apple doesn’t like your program you can’t get it on your ipad. Even if you wrote it yourself! In fact, you can’t get your self-written program on your own pad unless you pay Apple an annual fee of $99. And you need to own a mac. I think that explains why don’t find alot of free apps which aren’t just teasers for a paid version.