LibreOffice version
To Whom It May Concern:
I renegate from MS OS to Linux, came across Linux Mint and started test Linux Mint Debian MATE,
which I quite like; especially since the last reports about Ubuntu and Amazone. However, I still
struggle with very many Linux terms.
Testing LMDE, I found that the current LibO version in the most actual version of LMDE is 4.1.3,
which is actually quite old and because of the 3 at the end I would call it not necessarily yet
fully stable in LibO terms. In the AskLibO forum, where I give support whenever I can spare some
time, we typcially state that x..y.4 is stable. Changing from a previous family x..y-1 to x..y when
the x.y.4 is released is called "conservative" and means that the change is on the safe side. It is
also my experience with LibO, which I am using since 2 years.
I saw on the Debian LibO page http://packages.qa.debian.org/libr/libreoffice.html that 3.5.4 is
"stable",
4.1.6.2 is "testing" and 4.2.4-2 is "unstable". LibO released about a week ago 4.2.4-2 (I use it on
XP and it much better than 4.1.6 which I used before. I am a conservative changer.)
I admit that the LibO download page (http://www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-fresh/) is
confusing. When you click "Fresh" and "Stable" you will see the same versions. I assume it has to do
with new site, which can use some fine tuning.
Asking about the "age" of LibO at the Linux Mint forum, I was advice that the Debian maintainer
decide on newer releases after testing and was also given the link
http://packages.qa.debian.org/libr/libreoffice.html.
Now please allow me some questions:
1-Why are the versions 3.5.4 called "stable", 4.1.6.2 "testing" and 4.2.4-2 is "unstable" at the
Debian page?
2-When can I expect that the LMDE will be updated to 4.2.4.2?
3-Is there a way that I can be of help?
As for help please consider, I have some constraints in terms of commitments to do task until a
certain day. Therefore, I am working only in AskLibO, write bug reports / enhancement requests
whenever I find one but work not (yet?) in LibO QA. The limited commitment is due to the nature of
my business. Sometime I have time to do other things, sometimes I am drowned in business work. What
I could do is using always a newer release of LibO (version >=x.y.4) and test in daily work. I am
using Writer, Calc and Impress, occasionally Draw but not yet Base). For this I only need to know
how to install LibO in LMDE MATE beside the update from LMDE. Ideally I would like to be able to
install 2 versions of LibO on my Linux PC so I also can continue business work in a more stable version.
I am looking forward to your reply.
Regards,
Reinhold
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