This has been released. Thanks for testing!
https://portableapps.com/apps/office/openoffice_portable
I've just posted a pre-release of OpenOffice.org Portable 2.4. This new release updates OpenOffice.org to 2.4. As this is a larger point release for OpenOffice.org, we're running a pre-release first to ensure both new installs and upgrades work properly (rather than being irresponsible and just rushing it out for the sake of having it done quickly.) 
Download OpenOffice.org Portable 2.4 Pre-Release 2 [82.3MB download / 240MB installed]
(MD5: 69a68109c1d59abde84867ce5514d860)
Download OpenOffice.org Portable 2.4 Pre-Release 2 (GERMAN) [81.2MB download / 240MB installed]
(MD5: 80e6fbd391c1dd846de53ee072a7a1db)
One thing I'm debating is whether or not to remove the Vera fonts from upgrades. Vera used to be included but OpenOffice.org now includes a set of DejaVu fonts. The OpenOffice.org installer (and uninstaller) leaves the Vera fonts installed on Windows, so at the moment, I'm leaving them intact in case someone used them for existing files. They only take up 564k so it isn't a huge deal comparatively. The new DejaVu fonts are, unfortunately, much larger at 6.9MB.
As OpenOffice.org Portable's install size is now up to 258MB 240MB (as of PR2), I'm debating doing a minimal version called OpenOffice.org Portable Light. By leaving out all the optional bits (UNO-Python, Help Files, Fonts, etc) and stripping out the non-English dictionaries it can be trimmed down to 143MB 110MB (after some further adjustments) while still maintaining full functionality. We'd probably only do this for English (our primary supported language and the most popular worldwide). I'd be up for any thoughts on this.
Please test and post your findings, thanks...
Release Notes:
Pre-Release 2 (2008-04-02): Removed JRE installer and Updater
Pre-Release 2 DE (2008-04-02): see above
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Great, thanks for the update. I'll test it out now.
As for a Light version, i'd say go for it, it's a good idea and will offer those with limited space a full office suite, without any of the unneeded "extras"
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
do a light version please
for on the go writing and stuff most people don't need all the addons and extras
testing now so far so good
Lead, Follow, or get out of the way.
would the portableapps compressor work for this?
Na na na, come on!
The compressor is for compressing exe/dll and other files. not for removing unused stuff.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
a lot of can't writes :(...
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
go for light version, but do not abandon the full version, please...
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
The bloat is starting to make me hesitate when wanting to install newer versions...
Just tried it in Vista Ultimate, and I haven't found any obvious problems so far.
I did it both as a fresh install and as an upgrade from version 2.3.1
A light version wouldn't be a nice option, but I'm curious if the options that are going to be removed are available as separate installers?
I was allways for a light version
I suggest to remove all non standard image packs in ./share/config (*tango.zip, *industrial.zip, *highcontrast.zip and *crystal.zip) this will save about 17.4 MB.
We can offer the discussed option-pack too in order to add all wanted parts to the light and to remove all non-wanted stuff from the full package.
Regards
Marko
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
I think we need to keep it as a separate product. I was debating having it within the same installer with a single option for "Optional Components (help files, fonts, UNO-Python, etc)", but I think it's gonna get REALLY complicated really fast. Each point release of OpenOffice.org Portable results in 10-20 additional lines in the installer to remove directories and files that were in the previous version that are not in the new version already. The standard/light installer would need to be able to remove the optional files as well on a reinstall without 'optional' selected... (incidentally, the 'option pack' would have the same issue). In the current 2.4 release, this will mean an additional 160 lines of code for the English installer to handle the different directories and files included in one and not the other. Other languages will need individual installers and analysis of differences due to the different language files. And it will continue to grow more complex with each release. In the long run, this would simply grow to be unmaintainable.
Now, one of the options would be for the standard install to continue to work as it has but the light install (optional not selected) to remove all files except add on directories (like fonts) before install, thus alleviating the maintainability and hundreds of lines of code issue. The downside is that this will slow installations as it takes a while to delete 2,500 files off a flash drive (the approximate number of files in the light version).
Thoughts?
PS - Good call on removing the additional themes as this cuts us down to 126MB.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Assuming it wouldn't be a grueling pace, the space saved would be worth it. I mean, are we talking a couple minutes, or a long coffee break with a standard 6m read/ 3m write speed USB stick?
Depends on the stick as there is no such thing as standard 6m/3m. Depends more on the controller chip and how the memory is set up. I tried on a slower than average OCZ Rally2 8GB. It takes about 12 minutes to install OpenOffice.org in the light variant. It took about a minute to delete the files.
The only issue is that the progress meter will be stationary during the time when it is deleting files. Though the status message will be changing to show which file or directory is being deleted at the time.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Thanks...
btw.. Many times when a mirror is defined at the URL I end up removing it before the download will start.
Umm... huh?
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I don't know why, but many of the downloads, especially download URL's with &mirror=puzzle somehow doesn't start the download.
When I remove the mirror part of the download URL it starts downloading instantly.
It's not just this download. I have had problems with almost every download URL that defines the mirror.
Well then good thing the link in the original post doesn't specify a mirror so it should work great for you. In fact, none of the links I tried coming from any of the Big Red Download Buttons point to a mirror, they all point to:
http://downloads.sourceforge.net/portableapps/{filename}?download
That page/link has the logic to auto-pick the SF mirror for you.
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
Perhaps the geo-locator is sending Marko to a different (European) mirror?
MC
As far as I can see, there is no obvious need for a light version.
The size of USB sticks are getting larger and larger, and the speed issue is not a big deal.
I always use portable apps, I travel a lot, and I dont mind a minute or two of waiting, and then be sure of the programs I work with.
Keep up the good work...
It would be good to have a light version. Yes sticks are getting bigger and bigger. But a lot of people can't afford to get bigger and bigger sticks as they come out every couple months.
Release Team Member
It's not like OpenOffice.org Portable's growth would force people to keep buying new sticks every couple months. Overall, we see this OpenOffice.org Portable growth:
2.0 (Oct 2005): 144MB
2.1 (Dec 2006): 175MB
2.2 (Mar 2007): 181MB
2.3 (Sep 2007): 218MB (UNO-Python was added in here)
2.4 (Mar 2008): 256MB
Even including the decision to add in UNO-Python as growth, you're looking at a growth rate of under 4MB per month. So we're definitely not talking about forcing people to buy new drives every couple months here. A 256MB app fits on a 1GB flash drive about as comfortably as a 218MB app... and that's 6 months of growth.
The light version would be more about making the old 256MB flash drives able to run OpenOffice.org again and the 512MB flash drives more comfortable having it on them. In the states, most places don't even sell drives this small anymore and haven't in quite a while. The smallest size drive that DealRAM.com tracks is 1GB and the cheapest are now US$7.25.
By no means am I saying people should buy new sticks, especially if money is an issue... I'm just saying that most of our users have sticks large enough that it's not an issue. Even so, I'd like to ensure that older drives can run most software to enable people to get more use of older drives and to ensure that folks can run all this stuff regardless of income level.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I'm not even saying open office is growing to fast. But if we have several large apps then light editions would probably be appritiated by people. And I wasn't accusing anyone of anything either. I didn't mean to make it sound like a rave it really wasn't. Just an observation. Personally I know someone who still uses a 64mb stick. And yes I realize that is an extreme.
Release Team Member
... for a quick release, as we've discussed it in the past.
Single packages for the light version and the option pack (or every optional component) are the best idea.
I work at a solution with patchgen at the moment, perhaps this could be a potential way...
Marko
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
Actually, it's more like one package where you can install the regular full version or the minimal version.
Or two different packages.
Maintaining the files list gets complicated.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
... and then the rest.
Thank You for the quick RC1 closed to the final OOo Release
BTW. Should we create German / French / Italian RC too?
Marko
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What You need is OSS!
I think, we should first focus on a standard package with help and python. The help is sometimes necessary for the most users, because they are not power user in every modul of the office. The python bridge is necessary for some essential functions (serial letter and extensions). There are great extensions now on http://extensions.openoffice.org (and will day by day be more)
We didn't bundle UNO-Python up until 2.3.1 and only had a couple people ask about it over the year+ time we left it out. While it is very necessary for some, it's not necessary for probably 99% of users.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I think the light version would be good.
Make it as small as possible with the full usability. Removing the additional themes sounds good as they take a lot of space.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Upgrade from OOO.org 2.3 portable. Everything looks clean here. Preferences and recent docs transfered just fine. One question though. It looks like the JRE install file is being included in ..\PortableApps\OpenOfficePortable\App\openoffice\program\jre-6u4-windows-i586-p.exe
Just happened to see it during the extraction phase and wondered, does the Java install file need to be included? If not, you'll save another 15.5 Mb.
PS - Another vote here for a light version, or at least a way to remove other dictionaries like with the Option Pack.
I'd missed it when packaging. It brings the standard install back to 240MB and the light install down to 110MB.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
It will be great to have German RCs too.
If You want we can do it on the base of the en package.
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Thanks, but we hardly get any testers of the English Pre-Releases. We might get 10 testers who actually try it out and report back. We'd probably only get one to test a German release... and it would be Simeon
That said, package it up based on the English one. Make sure there are no additional files in the last release German compared to this one (use WinMerge... if there are, add them to the installer's PRE section). Usual selections as far as what's included... everything but the activex, quickstart, etc. And leave off the auto-updater, too, since we can't yet intercept it and one new users was confused and downloaded the full version. Compress it all up with the PortableApps.com App Compressor on default (it now works with the Java classes, too).
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I know English too!
Not that I want a german version but we have other german-speaking people here other than me and Marko. I stopped testing lots of Apps for time-related reasons but if you mention me personally I think I have to try this one.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
We have more than 10 testers on standby for testing the German version on OpenOffice.org
The suggested selection is exactly the one we'have used in our last packages (before the German PA packages).
Will there be a en RC2 (and a RC1 Light) in this case we should skip RC1 (standard) for German.
Paid for Software more or less?
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with the Stuff suggested by John.
Its the same as the en version but without the jre installer file
One problem (?):If I use the Pa compressor (last version) with default for the jar files in classes too no wizard works (seems that the problem isn't fixed yet). I've looked in the en package and it seems that there are also the uncompressed versions, cause they have the same size...
That's why the German package comes with uncompressed jar files too.
Regards
Marko
Paid for Software more or less?
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Quite right. It seems mine wasn't compressed due to a bug in PortableApps.com Compressor with handling ZIP/JAR in directories with spaces.
It appears OpenOffice.org can't handle any compression other than what's on it (probably just store) for the classes.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Since you're mentioning languages, the 2.4 has some additional language features, but I think they're just easier ways to swap from the dictionaries you have already installed. I don't know if they need checking due to being portablized, but...
The Tools>Language menu has more options (but they're gone -- over-written -- if you use your old Data/User profile. Just temporarily rename your user directory and resart to see the feature)
On the bottom of the screen to the left of the zoom number (like 100%) you should be able to see the current language and click to change (that stays if you use your old profile, I think)
Maybe you guys can pass this on to the localization folks on your site some time?
Bh2ooo
I fully support the DejaVu idea (EDIT. I maybe misspoke of their licensing so I deleted those words), but maybe keep both until there's more field experience.
OOo 2.4 shipped with DejaVu fonts and there's already forum posts about smearing and text displacement and scattering. I've had missing characters and overstruck ones using their Serif and Serif Condensed on my LCD (which is otherwise quite stable). The Sans were fine on screen and they all print and PDF correctly.
Looking at the Deja Wiki, they have a few dot release updates since the version OOo benchmarked, but I don't know what they addressed (it's probably there but I'm not that into it). But, they are progressing. Besides, their Wiki says the condensed fonts are "experimental."
And like you said, the Vera don't take much room.
Bh2ooo
I have a 4 gig stick, and 4 gig sticks are cheap. However, I want to be able to use my thumb drive to move files and such as well, so I like to keep my PortableApps as slim as possible.
Nihilism makes me smile.
I've posted PR2. The JRE installer that was included in PR1 has been removed. The OpenOffice.org updater has also been removed (since it attempts to download and run a standard OOo installer). Please test and post feedback.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
A bit confused here. Is removing the JRE part of the light edition of part of the official OpenOffice.org? Saving 15MB on a 150MB install worth it?
Removing the OOo updater is good thing. (the installer of OOo was a self extracting file which then extracted an installer which needed to install which didn't cleaned up after itself last time I checked. (Making OOo actually use roughly 3 times its size on disk after first install and not removing the install and extracted files)
he removed the JRE INSTALLER and not the files because it would install a local copy.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
forget to update the md5 or do I have an invalid copy?
My md5 is 69a68109c1d59abde84867ce5514d860 (I downloaded it twice with the same md5)
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
... that was the problem.
I've uploaded it again as PR2 (cause its the same like the en PR2 without jre and updater) PR1 is removed.
Sorry, next time I'll double check if the upload is really really done
Regards
Marko
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
I would much appreciate to include at least a German dictionary into the lite version.
As I use combined Mp3-player of 2 GB for my several portable apps, lite versions would be much appreciated
Also I am one of the 0.01% (or more) who use python for their serial letters. Which is a very usefull function.
Yours sincerly
F. Hofmann
(I just downloaded the German beta)
I downloaded twice and from different locations but every time the release failed to install. The NSIS-installer complained to be corrupt.
I use W2K 8updated), antivir, zonealarm
Yours sincerly
F.Hofmann
Now the Install works fine, thx
I've downloaded both files a couple of times, and do not get the Md5 sums listed above. (There don't seem to be digital signatures on the installers, either.) Are the files bad on the mirrors, or did the MD5 hashes not get updated in the OP (or did I mess up again)?
MC
I just forgot to update it. I don't usually include md5s with dev tests or pre-releases so I'm not used to updating them. Dev tests and pre-releases aren't digitally signed.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I just tried Pre-release 2 on Vista Ultimate SP1, and it works without problem.
I updated my previous install to the latest english beta on a Win XP SP2 limited account.
Everything was clean and good. I updated the germen version to the english but it stayed german. Does that mean I can now use the english package and it will remain in german?
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Now You are able to switch between German and English over Extras-Optionen-Spracheinstellungen/Tools-Options-Language Settings.
(That it is still German after the en install is because "Default" in die settings points at first to the system standard (German in Your case) if more than one language is available).
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What You need is OSS!
Yup, it's a pretty handy feature. Unfortunately, adding the German bits into the English package takes our install size from 240MB to 276MB. I would assume French and Italian would do about the same.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
John:
I loaded the latest version of OpenOffice on my FlashDrive and ran it (opened documents and spreadsheets) then closed the program. After checking (WinXP SP2) I can't find any traces left on my computer.
Paulf
I was wondering, maybe have the user select the languages he want and the others just don't get installed?
Or something like that
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
this may see nuts but why not put each product as there own?
Na na na, come on!
Hi,
FYI there is a french site that provide an fr version and after decompression the OOo is about 130 MB.
You can contact the author to check/compare what to remove/suppress for this light version.
link to illegal site (copyright violation and trademark infringement) removed by moderator JTH
thanks for your great job.
i dont trust that site......i think its a fake copy of this site. cause there are alot of non-open source apps that are currently illigal on that site.
(i rely on this app for my science project thats due the day after my bday......... b-day: april 7th. and im no where near done :))
Na na na, come on!
I looked at the site, and they aren't distributing pirate copies of the non-oss software. They have a small "build" program that supposedly takes the installer for each application, and makes it portable. You would still need the original install files, serial numbers, etc.
I haven't tested the build programs, but I'm not so sure what is wrong with that approach. People do launchers here.
Nihilism makes me smile.
still thats like steeling john's idea and putting it as ur own. (the design and all) and yet it makes itself look offical by putting a link to this site at the bottom .until i see that john puts that site as offical im going no where near it.
Na na na, come on!
... e.g. the Mozilla Portables, there is no hint, that they use the trademarks with permission of the Mozilla Foundation.
The PortableApps.com logo and design is also under trademark... don't know if they use it with Johns permission, if not it's illegal too.
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
That would be a rip-off site that's actively violating my copyrights and trademarks as well as Mozilla's trademarks.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Again, looking good. Didn't see any additional files included this time.
By all means offer users a light version of OOP; but I wonder if your proposed exclusion of the help files is wise. The documentation for OpenOffice is often incomplete and out of date in relation to new versions.
Much more helpful - if I may suggest it - would be a complete and annotated list of OO (and OOP) files: what they do, where they should be, and whether they are necessary. In particular I would like to know:
(1) Which files should be backed up to retain options and user preferences bfore re-installing or installing new versions;
(2) Which files - in a completed installation - are safe to delete if the user doesn't want to make use of a particular function (eg. python-uno) or set of functions without bringing down the whole program. Or just wants to save space.
In other words, I would like to have the information to enable me to customize my own light version. I realise that this entails hard work for someone...and that - for a free program - beggars can't be choosers!
The lite version should be lite. And there is an OOo wiki online with up-to-date help.
Nihilism makes me smile.
...works fine, looks ok
I've got four positive feadback mails from de.openoffice.org testers.
@John.Perhaps we are ready to release the standard version on Monday?
Regards
Marko
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What You need is OSS!
Yeah, I'll post on Monday. I've got 4 others being posted, too (WinMerge, Task Coach, Sunbird x4).
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
suppose that answers my email too, considering you only listed three
Yeah, I meant Toucan, too. Thought it but didn't type it.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
after this we could discuss the light version.
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
If help is needed, please send a ping!
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
I'm from Brazil, so I hope my English text is clear to everybody...
With all the respect to different opinions, I do defend keeping the full version. There are other arguments too, but that's my opinion...
At the same time, and most important, I would humbly suggest to pack the next version (whether full or light) without a lot of dictionary files. They're not the bigger part of the package, but I think very few of us use OO Portable in more then 2 languages, so there are some files that are not necessary at all.
For example, I always download the latest version of Brazilian Portuguese dictionary files' from BrOffice.Org (a NGO that translates OO to Brazil) and overwrite the Brazilian Portuguese dictionary files' that came originally with the package.
I do repeat, it's not the bigger part, the only dictionary files I do need in the original package is English. I do download my born language files and the others I don't need at all. And I doubt I ever will.
I would love a light version!
In addition, any way to make OpenOffice load/open quicker?
Why is OpenOffice so slow to open (all versions, not specifically 2.X) when compared to MS Office?
Thanks for the great work!
Local installs of Microsoft Office cheat and preload parts of themselves when Windows loads by default and has for years. You can have a local install of OpenOffice.org do the same thing by installing the QuickStarter. Of course, this isn't appropriate for the portable version.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
If I am correct, even IE is preloaded first and that's why you see IE opens fast as soon as you click the icon. But, from there on, it's a tragedy
Mozilla takes times to open first but from there on, it's a pleasure. (I hated Netscape & Never used Opera)
OpenOffice may take time to open but the memory footprint is low for it.
Hi,
You can take a look here, but in french.
[link to illegal software removed by moderator JTH]
This post explain how to configure OOo memory utilization and java parameters, this is very helpfull to optimize the startup.
Bye.
Anyone know if these are useful?
BTW - That reminds me I need to cease and desist this site for trademark, gpl and copyright violation. I'm getting tired of having to do that.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Why does the site breach trademark, gpl and copyright violation?
Simple. They're repackaging Firefox, Sunbird and Thunderbird and turning off the splash and altering bookmarks without permission, violating Mozilla's trademarks (the license PortableApps.com has for these apps does not extend to 3rd parties). They're repackaging all the software here and stripping out the GPL license and readmes that state copyright, leaving off the source files and making no mention of the GPL on their site... all of which violate the GPL and, thus, copyright law. On top of that, they're disabling the splashes and repackaging all the apps from PortableApps.com without crediting us... which pretty much sums up their ethics.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Ah, I see.
Concerning Firefox, Sunbird and Thunderbird, it seems Mozilla should send them an email. (The license for PortableApps does not extend to 3rd parties, however, that is not to say you would be the sole person to get exclusive worldwide rights to have a deal with Mozilla)
About the other applications, well, to redistribute a (changed) package you have to disable splash and remove PortableApps logos and trademarks else they will be in violation of your trademarks and copyrights. So I sortof understand WHY they disable the splashes... It's not allowed for them to use the Splash graphics anyway.
Removing the GPL licenses is not correct, but I didn't know mentioning GPL on the site would be a violation.
I can understand that if they just are repackaging apps from PortableApps without crediting is not very nice.
The Mozilla apps contain both my and Mozilla's trademarks and I'm the first line of contact. If there are issues, I get Mozilla involved.
The packages are ONLY changed to strip out PortableApps.com stuff. They don't even recompile them, they just use the INI files to disable the splash and then remove the readmes, licenses, etc. This is basically to make it look like its their own work.
They're violating other trademarks as well, but they don't involve me or Mozilla.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Okay, I understand. I just wanted to state that if someone re-distributes a changed version that would be ok with GPL, but they have to remove any Trademarked material, else they would not be allowed.
If they did not recompile [the launchers] your trademarks and copyright notices will still be in the launchers.
I wonder if this problem would get bigger if portable computing is accepted more and more by many people and websites.
Good luck with it!
... better use the Getting started guide from OOoAuthors.org it is available in English and German too.
All the informations relating to the memory settings are for the user. We should not change the OOo Standards in the Portable Package. Every user can do it himself.
Marko
PS: Is the final on the way
?
[Link fixed by moderator SL]
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
Error 404
H. Alexander Guillen G.
the link should be http://oooauthors.org/ he left out the http in his link, so it improperly created it
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
think I fixed the link, but it looks like the server is down
@John, so was Filezilla the start of a few releases?
EDIT So it would seem
I don't know whats happening
I "install it" but when i open it it just crashes...
Never had problems with any version before...
Please release the light version!
Thanks!
Nihilism makes me smile.