LibreOffice Base and Firebird – a special relationship

(Translated from the Spanish original.)

Juan C. Sanz writes:

The Firebird database is distinguished by its unique features within the LibreOffice Base compatible database ecosystem. Why do I consider Firebird to be special? Because it is the only database engine that supports all possible forms of connection in Base and also allows the creation of both embedded, external and server databases directly from LibreOffice, without having to use specific tools.…

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Announcement of LibreOffice 25.2.2 and LibreOffice 24.8.6

Berlin, 27 March 2025 – The Document Foundation announces the availability of LibreOffice 25.2.2, the second minor release of the recently announced LibreOffice 25.2 family [1], and LibreOffice 24.8.6, the sixth minor release of the LibreOffice 24.8 family [2], for Windows (Intel, AMD and ARM), macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Linux. LibreOffice is the best office suite for users who want to retain control over their individual software and documents, thereby protecting their privacy and digital life from the commercial interference and the lock-in strategies of Big Tech.…

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LibreOffice Podcast, Episode #2 – Design and UX in Free and Open Source Software

Heiko Tietze from LibreOffice’s Design community tells us about UI and UX improvements in the suite, how decisions are made, and more. (Also available on PeerTube).

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Updates on Schleswig-Holstein moving to LibreOffice

German state moving 30,000 PCs to LibreOffice

Nearly a year ago, we posted about the German state of Schleswig-Holstein’s plan to move 30,000 PCs from Microsoft Office/365 to LibreOffice.

Now, Stephane Fermigier from EuroStack – which promotes European technological sovereignty and open source – has posted an update, citing an article in the German c’t Magazin. It discusses various reasons for the migration to LibreOffice and Linux, including:

  • Digital Sovereignty – Schleswig-Holstein is actively reducing its dependence on a single, non-European tech giant
  • Public Money, Public Code – Improvements made to open source software, like accessibility enhancements to LibreOffice, are available to the public
  • Public Procurement as a Lever – Schleswig-Holstein is not only improving its own IT infrastructure but also sending a strong signal to the market, potentially encouraging other public administrations to follow suit

In Fermigier’s post he also points to a recent talk from the LibreOffice Conference 2024 in Luxembourg (see below – video also available on PeerTube).…

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LibreOffice is in the Google Summer of Code 2025!

GSoC logo

Everyone loves having shiny new features in LibreOffice. But how do we get them? Many are developed by volunteers and people in the ecosystem.

But another great source of new features is the Google Summer of Code (GSoC), a global, online program focused on bringing new contributors into open source software development. GSoC Contributors work with open source organisations on a 12+ week programming project under the guidance of mentors.…

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