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I have recently upgraded LibreOffice to the latest version using the PortableApps.com platform.
Unfortunately, I am unable to launch any of the LiibreOffice programmes. When I click on one of the programmes the LibreOffice banner will load and start to go through the process then disappears and nothing happens.
I am using Windows XP.
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I installed the local version of LibreOffice 5.4.2 to confirm. It doesn't appear to work on Windows XP any longer. They likely just haven't tested the current release on Windows XP and updated the system requirements. Most publishers don't test on Windows XP any more and software simply stops working on it as they slowly upgrade their compilers for the different pieces of their software. It's likely it's just one specific part of LibreOffice that's compiled with a compiler for either Vista or 7 and up only, but it will cause the whole app to stop working on it.
There's a bug you can follow along here: https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=112928
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Thanks John.
I looked at the bug you mentioned.
Sadly, people are being forced to migrate to another Windows version. Some people are very happy with their existing set-up and don't need to upgrade their software. The existing Microsoft Office works well and so on. But some of the basic services are slowly being eroded away. Even the web browsers are refusing to support Windows XP and 32 bit technology.
Jon
It's not a matter of refusing to support it. All modern compilers have dropped support for Windows XP and many have dropped Vista. So, you have to choose between supporting an old OS used by a very small percentage of users or using a newer more-stable compiler that can take full advantage of the newer features in modern Windows operating systems. You can't do both as the older compilers are similarly no longer supported.
We've been affected by it ourselves as we're stuck using a very old Delphi compiler because it's the last one that supported Windows XP. It's made building versions of our platform more complicated than it should be and forced us to use oddball libraries to do things that are built into the newer version. Plus it has known bugs and memory leaks we've had to deal with. Luckily, we'll be moving to a newer version shortly because builds of the newer release started working on XP again even though it's not supported. It will, however, force us to have to conduct additional testing of every platform release on XP if we want to continue to claim to support it. Or, do what many publishers have done, and just hope it continues working and not test.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Thanks John for coming back.
Life goes on and, I guess, we need to adapt.
I am still using a 386 Dell desktop pre-installed with Windows 98 at home. It is offline and has my personal business accounting software on it. Although, out there in the world, the Accounting software (and Windows) has been upgraded many many times, the current "old" software is "just fine" for me. It gives me all that I want and need.
But for my business to others, I require a better system. Windows XP and its associated software is all that I need. But, to better interact with my customers, I have to move on. My privacy and the confidentiality of my client's information is very important to me. So I will have to keep that in mind as I upgrade.
Jon
Per comments 36 and 37 at https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=112928 it looks like there will be a patch for the problem in version 5.4.3.
Thanks.
In the meantime, I downloaded LibreOffice Still.
Jon