Author Topic: Apache OpenOffice port updates?  (Read 993 times)

St3gm4

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« on: February 13, 2026, 06:14:02 pm »
Apache OpenOffice released a new version 4.1.16, for security and bug fixes. Will the AOO port continue to be supported for future updates as well?

https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OOOUSERS/AOO+4.1.16+Release+Notes

I understand that the priority will be the browser port.. just want to ask if the AOO port will still be supported for future updates by Bitwise?

https://www.bitwiseworks.com/products/ports.php

Also, I realized that they removed the application from their store. What happened?

https://www.bitwiseworks.com/shop/index.php

Dariusz Piatkowski

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1465
  • Karma: +35/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2026, 09:22:24 pm »
Here is the statement that can be found on BBW's main page:

Quote
02.02.2026
Right now the company is on hold and we are not planing to do any updates on Injoy Firewall and Apache Open Office fo now. If we resume them in the future is uncertain, but as always everything is possible. We will still provide some updates to our mmany ports we did. But most probably not in this mass and quantity. As this went to when time permits. We are sorry we had to go this route, but it' like it is.

St3gm4

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2026, 10:33:27 pm »
Ow shoot! How did I miss that? Thanks. ;D

Michael

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 33
  • Karma: +4/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2026, 02:08:22 pm »
Is there a way to save the project? It doesn’t seem unsolvable for a C++ professional.

But it should also be appropriately compensated. Perhaps through a fundraising campaign?
Should we give it a try?

Alternatively, it might also be an idea to organize the porting through Arca Noae? Then the software would have to be available for purchase in the shop, which would benefit the (external) developer.


@Martin: What do you think?

Neil Waldhauer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1169
  • Karma: +35/-0
    • View Profile
    • Blonde Guy
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2026, 03:21:48 pm »
Bitwise had both a C++ developer and fund-raising. What would you do differently?
Expert consulting for ArcaOS, OS/2 and eComStation
http://www.blondeguy.com

Martin Iturbide

  • OS2World NewsMaster
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5632
  • Karma: +50/-1
  • Your Friend Wil Declares...
    • View Profile
    • Martin's Personal Blog
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2026, 04:05:13 pm »
Hello Michael

As far as I know Yuri Dario was the one porting OpenOffice for Bitwise, but last time I wrote him, he told me he was very busy with work.

We can do a fund raising, but without having the developer that wants to work on that it is kind of hard. Maybe if we can get Bitwise to set a goal to update OpenOffice we can give it a try.

Regards
Martin Iturbide
OS2World NewsMaster
... just share the dream.

St3gm4

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2026, 05:01:37 pm »
I think, from what I understand, they are prioritizing one project for now, and the reason why they can't do everything at once is because they lack developers on their side. So doing one thing for now is understandable because you want to meet some deadlines.

Every year, they need to release some updates, so I am hoping they won't drop their other projects while doing the other one.

One of the most important ports for me is the office suites and browser ports, so I think Bitwise has a lot of more important things to do, and it's understandable that they are prioritizing the browser ports because that is the most complex one.

I am still hoping for the updates of the office suites since I have been heavily using OpenOffice since I started using ArcaOS on my office desktop.

Hopefully, after the browser ports, they will be able to prioritize their other projects as well. but that could take too long… I wouldn't underestimate their work since their project is more difficult for a small team to do. Browser porting is no joke.

I really do believe that 80 percent of the problem is in the browser. Most people need a proper browser before anything else, and the rest are within the OS itself (drivers, compatibilities, etc.).

St3gm4

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Karma: +2/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2026, 05:09:48 pm »
I guess for me, my priority wishlists are:

  • Acceptable browser (more important than the rest)
  • Updated office suite (OpenOffice)
  • Wi-Fi compatibility (for specific USB dongles)
  • Bluetooth compatibility (for specific USB dongles like CSR 4.0 Bluetooth)
  • Unified audio support for DOS and Win-OS/2
  • Software rendering for 2D and 3D graphics acceleration via CPU (using SwiftShader, LLVMpipe, or Lavapipe; similar to ReactOS' software rendering)
  • Compatibility for printers with built-in scanners
  • Compatibility with modern projectors
  • Updated Java version
  • Ability to have boot animation (if possible)
  • Faster and more optimized FAT32 support (more acceptable transfer speeds)


Michael

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 33
  • Karma: +4/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2026, 06:40:31 pm »
I am not involved in the work of Bitwise Works, but I believe the company is currently not pursuing any projects. The shop is closed, and the company is in a dormant state.

As far as I could follow in the German OS/2 forum, it might indeed be possible in the future for OS/2 specific code to be removed from the project if there is no further demand. This would then mark the end of OpenOffice on OS/2.

Dave Yeo

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5689
  • Karma: +148/-1
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2026, 07:12:31 pm »
The problem with building OpenOffice is a requirement that is not commonly available and only the Bitwise developer had. I tried to build it at one point and that requirement stopped the build. Forget what the requirement was, probably a LIB and perhaps it can be recreated.
I should revisit the build.

Michael

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 33
  • Karma: +4/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2026, 08:16:32 pm »
If Bitwise no longer has the means to continue the project, it might also be possible to get the missing part.

Matthias (https://github.com/Pilot-Pirx) is involved in the OpenOffice project and has offered his support on os2.org in case someone wants to take on the porting.

Andi B.

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 945
  • Karma: +17/-2
    • View Profile
Re: Apache OpenOffice port updates?
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2026, 09:10:32 pm »
TTBOMK Yuri uploaded all his work to the official AOO repo. As usual with such big projects the problem is to get all the needed dependencies installed on your local build machine and set it up the way that it works. Also getting the know how about circumvent build problems is not that easy. Not rocket since but very time consuming. I was happy to pay Yuri (via bitwise) to do this stuff all these years.