Author: Italo Vignoli

A step-by-step guide for new developers

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the size and complexity of LibreOffice. The source is written in many different languages and formats — C, C++, Java, Bash, JavaScript, Python, Perl, SQL, Test, XML — and consist of roughly 102,000 files (excluding all localizations) with 36,000,000 lines of text (7,000,000 lines of source code).

Nobody understands the whole code in detail, but we have many core developers who each know part of the code in detail. This step by step guide shows an easy way going from “wanting to contribute” to successfully have the first patch merged to master. If you want help or need more information, please do not hesitate to contact the developer mentoring lead.

LibreOffice uses a time-based release schedule, to produce the best quality free software. A time based release is one that does not wait for either features or bug fixes but is based (as much as possible) on time. This enforces discipline in introducing fixes, gives predictability, and allows more regular releasing. In addition, synchronizing a time-based release schedule with the wider free software ecosystem also offers huge advantages, by getting new features out to users as quickly as possible with a minimum of distribution cycle lag.

As a result, users get new major version every six months with a wide range of features, fixes, and enhancements. In addition, they get many pure bugfix micro releases. The first X.Y.0 release is intended for early adopters. More conservative users are advised to wait for a later X.Y.Z bugfix release.

TDF strongly suggests early adopters and tech savvy users to deploy the latest bleeding edge version (now LibreOffice 5.2.3, and soon LibreOffice 5.2.4), and more conservative individual users and enterprise users to deploy the longer tested previous version (LibreOffice 5.1.6, for enterprise users with the addition of professional support provided by the ecosystem). For testing and quality assurance purposes, though, the project maintains a repository of every older LibreOffice version: https://downloadarchive.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/old/.

Information on the ODF standard and how to move your organization to ODF-compliant document solutions

The document has been forked in a textual format (Pandoc’s Markdown) by Paolo Dongilli, to keep track of versions and changes, correct typos, add new content and easily fork it for localization purposes. It is available on GitHub: https://github.com/paolodongilli/ODF-Guidance.

This guidance gives general information on the standard, as well as more detailed information for chief technology officers and government procurement officers.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to Open Document Format (ODF)
2. Procure ODF solutions
3. Base ODF solutions on user needs
4. Validators and compliance testing
5. Platforms and devices
6. Accessibility
7. Privacy and security
8. Avoid macros in documents
9. Integrate ODF with enterprise tools
10. Extensions, plugins and custom solutions
11. Collaborate on documents
12. Change tracking in ODF
13. Embed fonts in ODF documents
14. Corporate styles and templates
15. ODF spreadsheets and formulas
16. Support and training
17. Overview of productivity software
18. Costs and benefits of ODF

In July 2014, the UK government has selected Open Document Format (ODF) – LibreOffice native document format, officially published as international ISO/IEC standard 26300 on November 30, 2006 – as the standard for editable office documents to be used across all government offices.

The documents in this collection (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/open-document-format-odf-guidance) look at the ODF standard and related procurement issues. These include how to make sure applications and services dealing with editable documents are ODF-compliant.

There are four documents in the collection: 1. Open Document Format (ODF): an introduction; 2. Open Document Format (ODF): procurement; 3. Open Document Format (ODF): user needs; and 4. Open Document Format (ODF): validators and compliance testing. They are a useful resource for all LibreOffice advocates.

The Document Foundation issues a press release in English – and in other languages, according to the availability of volunteer translators – for major and minor software releases, and for other significant announcements such as new Advisory Board members. Press releases are key to get media coverage, and have been instrumental for the growth of LibreOffice awareness around the world (although we have had to overtake the brand awareness of another product).

Press Releases are regularly published on this blog, and are categorized under Press Releases in order to make them easy to find. On the main menu (top black bar) under Media Hub it is possible to access the category page: https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/category/press-releases/ (screenshot on the left), to get the history of announcements.