I have been searching for a new recorder application for my Linux desktops. The KDE Recorder is a new find. It is a Snap application available from the Snap Store. Linux Snap applications are self-contained software packages that run in a secure environment called a sandbox, allowing them to work across various Linux distributions. They are managed by a tool called snapd, which handles installation, updates, and removal of these applications automatically. Below is how to install Snap and the KDE Recorder. Enjoy.
Enable snaps on Debian and install Recorder
Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully. Snaps are discoverable and installable from the Snap Store, an app store with an audience of millions.
Enable snapd
On Debian 9 (Stretch) and newer, snap can be installed directly from the command line: sudo apt update sudo apt install snapd
After this, install the snapd snap in order to get the latest snapd: sudo snap install snapd
Install Recorder To install Recorder, simply use the following command: sudo snap install krecorder
The KDE Recorder can be found here: https://snapcraft.io/krecorder
By combining a streaming recorder with Pithos- a Pandora client, you can record streaming Internet radio. Pithos is a native Pandora Radio client for Linux. It’s much more lightweight than the Pandora.com web client, and integrates with desktop features such as media keys, notifications, and the sound menu.
Pithos also has some built-in add-ons like a 10 Band Equalizer.
Pithos can be found in the Synaptic Package Manager or here in a Snap app:
For those looking to theme their XFCE desktops like the famous MAC OS desktop, there are many options available. Below are my results using the Mojave-Light Theme and Mojave-CT-Eos Icon set. Wallpaper is MAC OS Sierra. The dock used is Plank with the cratos-lion theme. All of these can be found on XFCElook.org. I have posted links below. Enjoy.
MAC os Mohave Theme: https://www.pling.com/s/XFCE/p/1275087/
MAC os Icon Theme: https://github.com/zayronxio/Mojave-CT https://www.opendesktop.org/p/1305429/ (round)
MAC os Sierra Mountains Wallpaper: https://wallpaperaccess.com/mac-4k
Do you often make small edits to audio files or need to make voice recordings that are easy to clip and export? The conventional free choice for that type of work is Audacity, including on Linux. But Audacity has grown into a much more complex and, some might say, bloated app. Audacity has also had its share of controversies over the years.
One potential replacement is KWave. It's an app developed by the KDE team that's meant for simple audio editing. There are features for common edits like adding a low-pass filter, editing sample rates, fading, and normalizing volume. You can insert silence and noise, or record directly from your microphone. It supports WAV, MP3, OGG, OPUS, FLAC, and ASCII coded audio.
Like I said, it isn't as fully-featured as Audacity, so it won't accomodate everyone's needs. But if you're looking for something that's simple and easy to use, I recommend trying KWave.
KWave is widely available across Linux distros, so you can likely find it by searching your distro's software manager. You can get KWave from Flathub and on Snap Store.
You can also easily install it from the command line:
Based on the prior article I gave Besgnulinux Linux a try. It reminds me of MXLinux with its number of tools and utilities. Although it uses the JWM window manager, it looks very similar to XFCE. Besgnulinux includes Libreoffice office suite, Deluge BitTorrent client, the Brave Browser, a Brave TOR browser, a couple of music players (SMPlayer and MPV media player), and a Conky Viewer with a few themes. Appearance is black on gray. It runs very fast. It also offers some recommend Third Party applications. Overall, a nice Linux distro with lots of built in applications. Just the thing an older Windows PC user might need. Below are comments from ZDNET and my own screen shots. Enjoy.
From ZDNET: What in the world is that name? Every time I say it, I think, "Best GNU Linux."
Besgnulinux is the brainchild of a single developer who seems to be on a mission to keep old computers out of landfills, and I find that to be a very noble pursuit. The developer has taken Debian stable and created a user-friendly desktop with the help of the JWM window manager. What this does is create a very fast operating system that's also highly stable and works brilliantly on older hardware.
I tested Besgnulinux as a virtual machine with only 2GB of RAM and a single CPU core. Guess what? The OS ran like it was on a powerful, modern desktop computer.
This distribution will appeal to anyone with an aging Windows 10 computer who doesn't care about having the most modern, eye-candy-laden UI and wants an OS they can trust will run reliably and well.
Besgnulinux uses the Calamares system installer, defaults to the Brave web browser, and includes over 40 custom-built tools to control the system's settings as well as the look and feel of the desktop.
Desktop wallpaper viewer below:
Deluge BitTorrent client below:
Brave web browser below:
Third Party Software recommendations below:
There is an App Image Manager to download other software below:
Which Linux distributions will rise above the competition in 2026 to dethrone the old guard? Here are my picks.
ZDNET key takeaways
Linux is set for a big year in 2026.
There will be a few distributions that will surprise people.
These six distros will be on everyone's list by year's end.
It seems I went to bed, and it was just turning 2025. Then, I wake up, and it's 2026. Where did time go?
I can tell you one thing: time went to helping Linux rise in popularity. Okay, the death of Windows 10 also
had something to do with that, but everyone in the business of covering
Linux knew this would one day happen: the masses would finally realize
that there is an alternative OS that's more reliable, safer, and easier
to use.
We
may not be declaring 2026 the year of Linux just yet, but several Linux
distros are likely to have a very good year. These are my picks for
that list.
1. AerynOS
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Once you get past the installer (which will be a bit of a challenge for those new to Linux), you'll find AerynOS
to be an outstanding, rock-solid operating system that is fully atomic
and offers a beautiful KDE Plasma desktop. It is those two last bits
that will elevate AerynOS's status among the Linux distributions.
You see, atomic and immutable
(those are not the same things, by the way) are the future of operating
systems because they provide an experience that will always work.
Atomic distributions basically ensure that no upgrade will result in
system failure, a broken desktop, or unusable applications. That is
important because people depend heavily on a dependable operating
system.
AerynOS
does atomicity but not immutability. That's important because
immutability requires a read-only core file system, and that can confuse
users when they attempt to configure something outside of their home
directory.
AerynOS does all of this beautifully and even has a
very vanilla take on KDE Plasma, which I think is the right way to go.
KDE Plasma is beautiful out of the box, and it's incredibly
user-friendly.
As
well, AerynOS automatically manages boot entries, kernel
synchronization, and rollbacks. This eliminates the need for the manual
writing of configuration files. Even if the EFI system partition is
wiped, it can be automatically rebuilt.
All of this comes together to make something pretty special.
2. AnduinOS
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
AnduinOS is a Linux distribution that, on the surface, appears very much like Windows 10.
AnduinOS is based on Ubuntu, which gives it a head start on
user-friendliness. Couple that with a UI that is immediately familiar to
the average user, and you can see why AnduinOS could become a darling
for the coming year.
As
for the UI, it's based on GNOME, so it's fast. And with the help of
GNOME Extensions, you can extend the features of the desktop. Who
doesn't want that? Speaking of which, the developers have included such
extensions as ArcMenu, Blur My Shell, Dash to Panel, Light/Dark Theme
Switcher, OpenWeather Refined, Removable Drive menu, and more. With the
help of a handy extension manager, you can enable/disable and configure
those extensions to meet your needs.
AnduinOS
also does not collect any information from users, which will be a
breath of fresh air in a world where user information is gold to so many
organizations and companies.
I think the big reason why AnduinOS
will become a darling in 2026 is that more and more users will finally
walk away from Windows and will want an operating system that doesn't
challenge them to learn a new interface. AnduinOS does that better than
most.
3. Besgnulinux
Besgnulinux will make waves in 2026.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
What in the world is that name? Every time I say it, I think, "Best GNU Linux."
Besgnulinux
is the brainchild of a single developer who seems to be on a mission to
keep old computers out of landfills, and I find that to be a very noble
pursuit. The developer has taken Debian stable and created a
user-friendly desktop with the help of the JWM window manager. What this
does is create a very fast operating system that's also highly stable
and works brilliantly on older hardware.
I
tested Besgnulinux as a virtual machine with only 2GB of RAM and a
single CPU core. Guess what? The OS ran like it was on a powerful,
modern desktop computer.
This distribution will appeal to anyone
with an aging Windows 10 computer who doesn't care about having the most
modern, eye-candy-laden UI and wants an OS they can trust will run
reliably and well.
Besgnulinux uses the Calamares system installer, defaults to the Brave web browser, and includes over 40 custom-built tools to control the system's settings as well as the look and feel of the desktop.
Okay,
Manjaro is based on Arch Linux, which I wouldn't recommend to a new
user. Manjaro Linux is a different story because it makes good on the
promise of transforming Arch Linux into something that is
user-friendly.
BigLinux
takes this one step further by including things like web applications
for services/platforms like Amazon Music, Deezer Music, Discord,
Facebook, Instagram, Jitsi Meet, Messenger, Netflix, Outlook, all of the
Google apps, and more. In fact, BigLinux includes dozens of
applications that take up very little space on your drive and help make
the distribution as user-friendly as possible.
As
well, you get to choose which web browser you want during the OS
install. You can pick from Brave, Firefox, Google Chrome, Chromium,
Vivaldi, LibreWolf, Opera, or Falkon. Another very handy addition is the
Big Driver Manager, which vastly simplifies the installation of
drivers.
I believe there are big things to come for BigLinux.
5. Pop!_OS
This is what the default COSMIC desktop looks like.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
It almost seems unfair to include Pop!_OS
on this list because it's been around for so long. The thing is,
System76 took a big chance on creating its own desktop environment,
COSMIC.
I've been using COSMIC desktop since the early alpha stages,
and even then, it seriously impressed me. I would go so far as to say
that COSMIC is going to become the most popular Linux DE by the end of
2026. That alone helps to make Pop!_OS a shoo-in for Linux darling of
the year.
COSMIC is blazingly fast and highly configurable. That doesn't mean you have to bother with desktop configurations, because the out-of-the-box experience is amazing.
Given
how stable and fast COSMIC 1.0 is, I can only imagine what version 2.0
will be like. I would guess that, by the time the next iteration
arrives, COSMIC will have elevated Pop!_OS beyond anything it could have
otherwise become with GNOME.
6. ZorinOS
The Zorin OS desktop resembles Windows with a bit more panache.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Zorin OS has already proven itself to be a favorite contender for OS of the year.
This came about when support for Windows 10 ended and Zorin OS had been
downloaded over a million times in two months (with 78% of those
downloads coming from Windows machines).
Zorin
OS is based on Ubuntu and gives the user a choice of desktop layouts.
If you want a Windows-like layout, Zorin OS has your back. MacOS? Sure,
no problem. When a user discovers Zorin OS, they finally understand that
an operating system doesn't have to be complicated or overbearing.
Zorin
OS strikes a perfect balance of user-friendliness, power, flexibility,
and reliability. If there were a single OS I would recommend to those
migrating from Windows 10, it would be Zorin OS.
This Linux distribution can compete with any lightweight OS on the market.
ZDNET key takeaways
Tromjaro is a Manjaro-based Linux distribution.
This distro uses Xfce desktop and includes well-curated apps.
You can download and install Tromjaro for free.
A trade-free operating system, that's what Tromjaro means. But what does a trade-free operating system have to offer?
Well,
it means a lot, especially if you're tired of the imbalance between
those who have versus those who want. From the developers' perspective,
this "trade-free" OS wants nothing from its users, such as no data
collection and no demands for attention: "This is the purest form of
free and the most honest one."
Essentially, you have an operating system (based on Manjaro) that collects no data and wants no fee. Sounds pretty much like Linux, right?
When I walked through the process of installing Tromjaro,
it struck me that these developers are pretty serious about their
approach. Even during the post-install setup, I was prompted to set up
the Internet Content Blocker. Unfortunately, that feature didn't open. I
even went through the Settings app, and couldn't get it to work.
I decided to continue with my testing anyway.
Select from one of six different custom Xfce layouts.Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Once the setup was complete, I had an Xfce desktop on a Manjaro-based distribution that was laid out in a MacOS-like style.
I'm
not gonna lie, I was impressed. The installation was smooth, the
desktop clean, and the app menu filled with all the tools you might
need. You get LibreOffice (with the database component added for good
measure), the Pamac GUI for the pacman package manager, a clipboard
manager, a color profile manager, a kernel manager, a cron job GUI, the
Czkawka cleanup tool, Firefox, a resources monitor, a multimedia player,
web apps, and much more.
The list of preinstalled apps is an impressive collection of tools curated for the average user to hit the ground running.
But why should you try Tromjaro over any other distribution that uses Xfce?
First, Tromjaro boots very fast. On top of that, Tromjaro performs like a champ. This Linux distribution can compete with any lightweight OS on the market.
There's
also the addition of the Videoneat app, which curates science materials
(in the form of documentaries, movies, courses, tips, and more). I'd
never known about this service and found it fascinating. Each video must
be downloaded (via torrent) before viewing, which can take some time,
depending on the clip size. However, the quality of the videos is good,
and some are worth watching.
I've never heard of Videoneat, but it certainly is intriguing. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
To
further consider why someone would use Tromjaro, I turned to the
(lengthy) list of things the developers changed from the Manjaro base,
including:
Layout Switcher for XFCE.
Theme Switcher for XFCE.
Applied the same fixes for the entire XFCE desktop for themes and icons.
Integration and enabling of the Chaotic-AUR repository.
Hand-picked wallpapers that are more or less unique to the distro.
Co-created the default TROMjaro icon pack.
Enabled Global Menus and HUD.
Added more options to Settings Manager, such as RGB lights setup, system and files backup, webcam, a system cleaner, and more.
Gestures for mouse, touchpad, and touchscreen.
Support and optimizations for touchscreen devices.
Flatpaks and AUR support, as well as a Tromjaro-specific repository.
Support for AppImages.
Automatic system backup.
All common files (video, audio, documents, images) are opened with properly tested apps.
A heavily tweaked Firefox with removed annoyances and trackers, a handful of addons for even more protection, and more.
Trade-free apps for VPN, file sharing, messenger, and more.
Custom internet searches that are accessed from the system's menu.
A custom web app library.
That's
a pretty impressive list that would benefit most users. Clearly, the
Tromjaro developers are taking their mission seriously.
There's also a handy series of videos you can watch that help explain what Tromjaro is all about.
Performance
As
I said earlier, Tromjaro performs as well as any lightweight
distribution I've tested. Part of the reason for this success is the
Xfce desktop, but you cannot discount the optimizations the developers
have considered.
I ran my usual Ollama test on Tromjaro, and it verified what I'd assumed about the distribution. It's fast. Really fast.
After
my initial query, "What is Linux?", I followed up by asking Ollama to
write a Python GUI program that allows users to input specific bits of
information and append this to a file.
Ollama went to work and immediately crafted the application. The speed at which the app was created was impressive.
Conclusion
I
was surprised to run across a Linux distribution that I'd never heard
of, and with Tromjaro having the lofty trade-free mindset, I was glad to
have stumbled upon it.
Although Tromjaro won't woo me away from Pop!_OS (that's a tall task for any distribution), it will remain on my list of distributions to consider for future needs.
I'd recommend installing Tromjaro on a spare computer (or a virtual machine) to get a feel for what it's all about. Who knows, this might wind up being your next distro hop.
For those looking for a bright clean theme to enhance their Linux desktop, download and try the Zorin OS GTK Theme [Unofficial]. So there is no need to install Zorin OS to get the same look. Enjoy.
You can download the theme here: https://www.gnome-look.org/p/1769479
There are a matching set of icon themes found here: https://github.com/ZorinOS/zorin-icon-themes
By Roland Taylor - We do not need a mythical “year of the Linux desktop” for Linux to keep growing. We just need good ideas, consistent execution, and projects that keep getting better with every release.
It seems like new Linux distros launch every week, but many struggle
to make it past the “hot new project” phase. The ones that do tend to
share a few traits: a clear audience (even if within their own niche), a
single, strong idea, and a user experience that shines in its own way,
even if at times experimental.
In this list, we'll look at nine
new and/or revamped distros from 2024 and later that have a real shot at
breaking out in 2026 if they keep up their momentum and keep smoothing
out their rough edges.
AnduinOS,
created by a former Microsoft engineer, is an Ubuntu-based distro that
mirrors the Windows 11 aesthetic while leaning hard into privacy and
simplicity. It is known for a small download, a polished desktop, and an
experience that works for everyday users and developers alike.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
At
first, AnduinOS looked perfect for Windows switchers, but it lacked a
simple default method for installing apps without the terminal. That was
a real mismatch for its target audience.
With AnduinOS 1.3 and
native Flathub integration, that friction drops significantly. Paired
with its focus on polish, it could be the change that turns curiosity
into real adoption among Windows exiles.
blendOS
pairs an Arch base with Podman containers for other distros, so you can
run their apps natively, including Android, without a VM. It is an
atomic, declarative, immutable system that tries to give you multiple
distro worlds in one install.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
It
makes “apps from anywhere” practical without destabilising the OS. The
atomic and declarative approach also makes the system easier to maintain
and recover. If it keeps smoothing out the experience, blendOS could
become a favourite among power users and a credible OEM base.
First
released in 2005, Damn Small Linux (DSL) is a mini distro built for
older PCs, offering a full graphical desktop with minimal requirements.
For many early Linux users, myself included, it was a first taste of
life outside Windows. It was also my first ever distro, running inside
my Windows 2000/XP desktop.
DSL 2024 is a fully modernised remake
based on antiX 23 i386. The original was famous for fitting into 50 MB,
but this version expands to around 700 MB, still small enough for a CD
while feeling far more modern. It trims things like translations and
some documentation, but keeps full apt support and even includes scripts
for pulling down anything missing.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
Retro
PCs are having a moment, whether for nostalgia, reducing e-waste, or
making computing more accessible on old hardware. A tiny-but-capable
distro that also unlocks the wider Debian ecosystem is exactly what that
crowd needs. It will not be for everyone, but for its niche, it could
be a big deal.
IncusOS
is not like the others in this list. It is purpose-built for running
Incus, a container and virtual machine manager created after Canonical
made LXD an exclusively Canonical product in July 2023. Aimed at
homelabs and servers, IncusOS ships without a desktop and focuses
instead on an immutable base with atomic A/B updates and strong defaults
such as UEFI Secure Boot and TPM 2.0.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
Homelabs
and self-hosting are no longer just hobbies. They are a practical way
to protect user freedom and reduce dependence on companies that monetise
access and data. IncusOS fits that shift well: it is predictable,
locked down, reproducible, and built to do one job properly.
As more people treat their homelabs like real infrastructure, appliance-style base systems like IncusOS could take off.
5. KDE Linux
KDE Linux provides a clean experience of the Plasma desktop
One
of the true outliers in this list, KDE Linux is not your average
distro. It is KDE’s official reference implementation for Plasma and KDE
apps. Like a few others here, it ships as an immutable base OS. Arch
packages are mostly an implementation detail, while apps are expected to
come from Flatpaks, Snaps, or AppImages. In other words, the base
system is meant to stay untouched, apart from updates and rollbacks.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
KDE
has long delivered a polished, customisable desktop, but it has rarely
controlled the full out-of-the-box experience, from the OS stack to
defaults and app selection. KDE Linux fills that gap and gives KDE a
chance to define “the KDE experience” end to end.
If it matures
quickly, it could become the go-to way to run Plasma as intended, and
even interest OEMs. KDE’s Slimbook line could plausibly ship with it
down the road. Even if it never goes fully mainstream, it can still
raise the baseline for what a KDE-first OS should feel like.
Kazeta
is a gaming-focused distro that aims to recreate the 90s console vibe
on modern PCs, even turning DRM-free games into “cartridges” stored on
SD cards or other removable media. It is built for offline gaming, and
that is the point. It targets DRM-free libraries like Itch.io, GOG, and
retro titles, with a console-style approach rather than a
storefront-first one.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
Linux
gaming is well past basic viability now, which leaves room for a more
exotic take. Kazeta’s pitch is simple: no stores, no launchers, just
that old-school “insert and play” feel. It is a niche, but a real one,
with obvious appeal for retro collectors, parents setting up
child-friendly machines, and anyone who wants the console experience
without subscriptions and logins.
ObsidianOS
is a new, UEFI-only distro built around A/B partitioning. Updates apply
to the inactive slot, so if something goes wrong you can roll back with
a reboot. It aims to deliver stability for everyday users, and offers
multiple flavours, including a text-based installer and desktops like
KDE and COSMIC.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
Reliability
is now a selling point, and A/B updates make “bad updates” far less
scary. ObsidianOS is still opinionated and not fully beginner-friendly,
but the idea is compelling. If installation and day-to-day polish
improve, it could become a serious option for people who want a tougher,
more resilient desktop without going full enterprise.
pearOS,
a Linux distribution designed to look and feel a lot like macOS, is
back again in the form of pearOS NiceC0re 25.12. This release is a full
rebuild on an Arch base with KDE Plasma and a heavily customised
experience, including the Sweet Mars UI theme. It does not run macOS
apps, but it gets surprisingly close in look and workflow.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
A
revival needs more than nostalgia, and pearOS has clearly put in the
work. This is not just a name returning, it is a modern Arch-based
Plasma distro with a strong visual identity and a level of polish that
stands out.
With more people ditching macOS and Windows alike,
pearOS could become an easy “install and enjoy” recommendation for
anyone who wants something slick without spending days tweaking.
Vanilla
OS 2.0 is a major rewrite, doubling down on immutability and atomic
updates with its ABRoot system, making updates and rollbacks both safer
and more predictable. Like blendOS, Vanilla OS delivers a containerised
system, namely its own "APX". It encourages the use of this system for
all app installations, but it gives you the freedom to pull from several
distros and even experimental Android app support without entering
dependency hell.
Why It Could Go Big in 2026
Atomic,
immutable desktops are clearly taking over, and Vanilla OS is one of
the clearest attempts to make the immutable desktop feel "normal", with
cross-distro tooling not just as a bonus, but the expected experience.
If the team keeps improving the UX around this bold and unconventional
setup, and makes it effortless for average users, Vanilla OS could
become a mainstream-friendly entry point to the immutable future of the
Linux desktop.
Christmas is the time for gifting. If you think It's FOSS is doing a great work, please support us by opting for a Plus membership. You also get 5 eBooks on Linux, Docker and Bash scripting.
Final Thoughts
We do not need a mythical
“year of the Linux desktop” for Linux to keep growing. We just need good
ideas, consistent execution, and projects that keep getting better with
every release. These nine distros are not the whole story, but they are
strong signals of where the desktop is heading in 2026. A year from
now, a few of these may no longer be “interesting,” but genuinely
mainstream.
The discussion around open-source productivity suites is usually
dominated by one name — LibreOffice. I even got around to using it when I tried going fully open-source for a week.
However, for someone like me, who isn’t a power user, there were
aspects of LibreOffice that just didn’t click. Specifically, the need
for modern conveniences, such as collaboration and mobility, made me
switch to something else.
I
ended up settling for another open-source productivity suite called
OnlyOffice. While it lacks some of the advanced features of LibreOffice
and not everything is free, I discovered it meets my needs. I don’t
think I'll go back to LibreOffice anytime soon. Well, not unless it
includes some of the features that OnlyOffice provides in its generous
package.
OnlyOffice has a better interface OnlyOffice mirrors Microsoft Office’s design philosophy
One
of the biggest reasons I was put off by LibreOffice was its interface.
It’s not ugly by any means, but I can’t get over how it looks like an
older version of Microsoft Office, before Microsoft transitioned it to
the popular Ribbon interface. The menus are dense, clunky, and
cluttered, making it harder to use, especially for new users.
LibreOffice feels like it's hanging on to an old and unwelcoming design
philosophy.
OnlyOffice, on the other hand, has fully embraced the
Ribbon UI, similar to modern versions of Microsoft Office. It’s
something Microsoft has perfected over the years to make it intuitive
and enjoyable to use. The Ribbon interface makes everything feel like a
cohesive, modern workspace rather than a collection of individual tools.
It’s
one of the things that makes the transition from Microsoft Office to
OnlyOffice effortless. There’s practically no learning curve because
everything is where it's expected to be. I also like how OnlyOffice has
tabs. Since I prefer a browser-based workflow, the tabs streamline my
workflow and make managing multiple documents easier while keeping my
desktop uncluttered.
Real-time collaboration is easier to set up in OnlyOffice It’s free and, best of all, optional
LibreOffice
is primarily an offline solution with no cloud features baked into its
DNA. While a majority of LibreOffice’s users prefer it this way, it can
be a hindrance to modern workflows, especially when it comes to
collaboration.
There is LibreOffice Online, which runs the full
office suite in a browser through a self-hosting solution like Nextcloud
or OwnCloud. It lets you edit documents from anywhere and collaborate
with others in real time. However, setting this up isn't straightforward
for most users.
OnlyOffice offers its own native cloud solution,
DocSpace. It allows me to break my projects into rooms, where I can
invite others to co-edit documents in real-time. I also get the standard
suite of professional collaborative features—tracking changes, version
history, real-time comments, and mentions. Furthermore, I can use AI
agents in this collaborative space, provided I have the API keys and
credits for the models and prompts.
To use DocSpace, I just
signed up for an account, which made transitioning from a solitary
experience to a collaborative one effortless. Alternatively, I can
create my own hybrid cloud setup if I want total control over my data.
The best part is that it's optional — I don’t have to use DocSpace if I
don’t want to.
OnlyOffice has an office mobile app LibreOffice only has one with viewing capabilities
LibreOffice
is also primarily a desktop app, which is a disadvantage for people
like me who sometimes need to finish working on the go. There have been
many times when I needed to make last-minute edits or review documents,
but I didn’t have a computer. One thing I did have at the time, though,
was my phone.
That’s why it helps that OnlyOffice has a free
Android and iOS app that translates the desktop experience to mobile
very well. Furthermore, it can connect to various cloud services,
including DocSpace. This gives me access to my documents wherever I go.
LibreOffice doesn’t have an official app like this, and it’s a major
sticking point for me.
There’s the LibreOffice Viewer app for
Android. However, it's mainly a viewer app (as the name suggests) with
experimental editing capabilities. Hopefully, LibreOffice gets an app
that works across platforms, has full editing, and built-in cloud
syncing capabilities in the future.
I'm not denying that LibreOffice is the gold standard
People
usually switch from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice when they’re
looking for a free alternative. That’s for a good reason, as LibreOffice
is the purest form of open-source there is — community-driven and
completely free and unrestricted. Furthermore, it offers a level of
depth that OnlyOffice doesn’t always match. This is especially true when
it comes to customization, database integrations, and macro support.
However,
a lot of this freedom comes with complexity that many average users,
myself included, don’t want to deal with. I have a mindset that
prioritizes usability over complexity, and I know I’m not alone. Sure,
OnlyOffice has some advanced features locked behind paid subscriptions,
but I prefer it over LibreOffice because it respects my time, especially
when it comes to creating a modern workflow.
