Is there any possible way to run Microsoft Office natively on Linux without using the web version or a virtual machine? My school laptop can't handle a VM, and I really need Office for file sharing and collaboration.
3 Answers
Have you tried using PlayOnLinux? It’s mainly for games, but some users have reported success with installing Office through it. There’s also CrossOver, which is a commercial product that claims to run Office pretty well on Linux.
Honestly, there's no straightforward way to run the latest version of Microsoft Office natively on Linux. The software is pretty tightly integrated with Windows. You might consider Wine or a similar compatibility layer, but they don't fully support everything.
LibreOffice is your best bet if you're looking for something very similar to Office. It supports most formats, and you can set it to save in .docx format so your classmates can open it easily. Just remember, you’ll miss out on some of the more advanced features in Microsoft Office.
I heard about OnlyOffice too; is it closer to Office than LibreOffice?
Yeah, but compatibility issues can arise when sharing files between different platforms.
PlayOnLinux seems a bit outdated now, though. Maybe CrossOver is a safer bet?