"LibreOffice is better at reading old Word files than Word"

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

LibreOffice is widely reported to open and convert decades‑old Microsoft Word and Excel files more reliably than modern versions of Office, highlighting how open‑source tools often prioritize long‑term compatibility where vendors have moved on. Commenters contrast Microsoft’s proprietary, imperfectly standardized formats (like DOCX and OOXML) with OpenDocument, note real‑world data loss and formatting issues when round‑tripping between suites, and point out similar patterns in CSV handling and legacy Windows software, where Wine sometimes outperforms Windows itself. The thread ultimately underscores how format choices, standards politics, and backward‑compatibility strategies affect document preservation, collaboration, and user lock‑in.

LibreOffice vs. Word for Old Documents

  • Many commenters report LibreOffice opening very old .doc files (1990s-era, even from floppies) that modern Word refuses to open or requires security setting changes for.
  • Word historically broke compatibility between versions and pushed users to save in newer formats, whereas LibreOffice invests in broad backward-compat support (including for very old Word formats).
  • Some note ironic gaps: older StarOffice formats are no longer supported in recent LibreOffice versions unless you use older releases or specific libraries.

File Formats, Standards, and Microsoft’s Incentives

  • Several comments argue that LibreOffice aims for compatibility and open standards, while Microsoft is incentivized to nudge upgrades and keep ecosystems proprietary.
  • OOXML (.docx) is described as “technically standard” but in practice messy: the ISO spec is incomplete for real-world interoperability, Microsoft maintains its own evolving spec, and there was controversy around the original standardization process.
  • ODF (.odt) is presented as the true open standard, but real-world adoption is hindered by Office dominance.

Editing DOCX/ODT and Data Loss Risks

  • Multiple reports say editing .docx in LibreOffice can silently corrupt files (e.g., broken internal XML, missing content, lost footnotes), with corruption only visible on reopen.
  • Others report Word similarly “shredding” complex documents over many revisions.
  • Common advice: import .docx into LibreOffice, work in .odt, then export back to .docx if needed, or send PDFs when editing isn’t required.
  • Interoperability remains imperfect in both directions: Office sometimes mishandles .odt, especially with tracked changes and advanced features.

CSV Handling: LibreOffice vs Excel

  • LibreOffice is widely praised for CSV import: a preview dialog, explicit delimiter/encoding choices, and predictable behavior.
  • Excel is criticized for unreliable CSV handling, hidden extra columns/commas, locale-dependent parsing, and lack of a prompt on simple double-click; some recommend Power Query but others insist CSV should “just open correctly.”

Backwards Compatibility: Windows vs Wine

  • Several anecdotes claim Wine (and Proton on Linux/Steam Deck) runs some pre-Windows 7 apps and games more reliably than modern Windows, especially older Direct3D/DirectDraw-based software and 16‑bit programs.
  • Others counter that Windows compatibility modes work fine for many legacy apps and that maintaining full backward compatibility is infeasible and conflicts with security.
  • Various shims, emulation layers, and replacement DirectX/Glide libraries are mentioned as practical workarounds.

Workflows, Collaboration, and Alternatives

  • Some prefer plain-text formats (Markdown, LaTeX, Typst, DocBook, XML) plus version control for large documents, citing robustness and traceability.
  • Others point out these can be painful to use or overkill for typical office users, who prioritize WYSIWYG editing and seamless collaboration in Office or Google Docs.