Excel Alternatives?

[rjbinney]

I know we're not supposed to post about "other" software here, but really my question is "what other software"?

I have been using Excel since my version 3, in late 89/early 90. I used Office 97 for 13 years - got my money's worth - and Office XP for another eight. Now I'm dropping a C-note a year, and as they deprecate programs, MSFT is actually removing them from machines (see: Publisher).

I know there are lots of "free" alternatives (e.g., Libre). Are there any that even come close to Excel in functionality and ease?

Any word processor is about the same as any other; I still think Project is the gold standard in its space. But what about Excel? Is it worth forking over the money just to keep this one application?

 

[RoryA]

It depends entirely on what you use it for, I think. Most people I know could get by with any of the free office suites like LibreOffice, but I certainly couldn't. £8 a month isn't expensive - especially not with multiple users - and I don't know anyone who's actually used Publisher more than maybe once.

 

[rjbinney]

I used Publisher maybe once every six months - when I need something more "flowy" than PowerPoint. I guess what pissed me off the most was not just that "we are not supporting it anymore" but "we will remove it from your machines and your files will be useless."

I think the most sophisticated thing I routinely use Excel for now (my heavy data crunching days behind me) is as a database, with sorting/copying/lookup macros and I am a heavy user of INDEX and MATCH. I don't use the deep BI analysis stuff at all.

Curious what you find lacking in Libre, and obviously interest in others' thoughts as well.

Thanks!

 

[rjbinney]

Another concern, of course... This board is probably the most amazing support system for any software I've seen - crowd-sourced or otherwise. I can usually get answers - complicated ones, for sure, but correct! - within a matter of minutes of posting my concerns. I doubt LibreOffice, for all its "up the establishment" vibes, can match that.

 

[RoryA]

Curious what you find lacking in Libre, and obviously interest in others' thoughts as well.

I use Power Query and Power Pivot all the time. Plus, having Excel at work, it makes more sense to have it at home too.

 

[rjbinney]

Wherever I am, I'm "at work...."