Is Open Office Calc the replacement?

[robertc]

Although I think Open Office Calc is probably the best replacement of asawin (It's good, it's free and it produces files compatible with excel), I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions for any other spreadsheet programs.

[geoff12]

Was sorry to find As Easy As for Windows was no longer compatible. I tried open office (free) and ability office ( A few pounds from Amazon UK) They both imported *.wks files occasionally with strange formating and files can be saved in Excell format. They would both have been acceptable but I am getting fed up of having to change spreadsheets. From there I imported them into Excell 2010. Which I now use. Remember Excell 2010 won't import *'wks files directly. It took me a couple of nights work to get the formating and cell protection right. The down side is one has lost all your Aseasy Macros and excell macros I find incomphensible - thats life.

[StevePeters]

Don't know about compatibility, but I would guess that Open Office Calc is probably the logical substitute. The only thing I don't know is if it supports macro programming. Does anyone here know?

[geoff12]

Yes, Open Office has extensive macro programing but way beyond the As easy as type and not within my understanding... Since its free you might as well give it a try.

[StevePeters]

I'll have to download the latest version of Open Office and take a closer look at the macros.

Is this the right place to ask any questions I might have, when I start using the new version?

[hayden]

There are MANY other options. One is the spreadsheety Gnumeric. Its statistical functions are much superior to Excel or Open Office so that is one reason I like it (as a statistics teacher). It is also smaller and ligher than OO and just a spreadsheet so there is no need to install an entire office suite. I just opened an old AsEasyAs file with Gnumeric in Linux so presumably you could do so with Gnumeric for Windows.

My old WKS files I now use mainly with Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows Version 5 running in DOSBOX on Linux as well as Windows 3.1, 98SE, 2000 and XP. DOSBOX will run Windows 3.1 plus most Windows 3.1 or DOS programs in Linux. Linux and DOSBOX are free. DOSBOX also runs in recent versions of Windows where folks use it to play old DOS games, but you might be able to use it to run AsEasyAs or 1-2-3 in recent versions of Windows. You can buy old versions of 1-2-3 for peanuts on eBay as part of Lotus SmartSuite. I personally did not like the versions of 1-2-3 after 5 which means SmartSuite 4 or earlier, but your mileage may vary.

Another option is to multi-boot your computer. I have a number set up to boot DOS (with Windows 3.1) plus a later Windows plus one or more versions of Linux/Unix. Or you could run a vitual DOS or Windows machine in the OS of your choice.

Another is to batch convert your old files to Excel format or anything else that can be read today. There used to be several batch file conversion programs out there that not only converted the files but would do a whole directory full at once. Adobe Acrobat 4 included Word for Word, Corel Office 7 included Quick View Plus, and Outside In was another such product. Most of these are history today but you can often find old software for cheap on eBay. Of course you would need a platform that runs it!-) I made Excel version of all my WKS files in 2009 though so far I have been able to use the originals via one or more of the methods above.

[MaryTw]

Thanks, Hayden. Very helpful post. I tried DOSBox for Win32 and like it, but what is the difference between that and running the native windows prompt on a Windows system? IS there something specific to gaming that DOSBox can do and the windows command prompt can't?

[hayden]

Sorry I am so late in reading my mail! I think DOSBOX for Windows does some things that allow it to run old games that will not run in recent version of Windows but I cannot offer any details as I do not play games nor use DOXBOX for Windows.

[Undersub56]

Hello Robertc,
Unless you find a reason not to use Open Office Calc (Libre Office Calc), I would go with it because it has the greater user base/support base. Also a very long history that gives it more stability and features.

Unsub

[BillRotando]

I agree 100% Open Office is the way to go.