Nextcloud, Ionos and other partners are developing an open-source office suite under the project name „Euro-Office“ as an alternative to the market-dominant Microsoft Office.
The two partners are not starting from scratch, but have forked the components of OnlyOffice available as open-source code and want to build on them. In the summer, the software is then intended to replace the previous office component Collabora in Nextcloud and the Ionos Nextcloud Workspace. A ‘technical preview’ is already available on GitHub.
While this is a good news, I think they should move from github, you know microslop copilot…
Why don’t they contribute to LibreOffice Online?
Because the Only Office source is more modern while Libre Offices’s source code now is around 35 years old. At least that was the reasoning in one of the articles I read.
So old code is now suddenly bad? Weird and somewhat also not the case, as LibreOffice is constantly updated.
I guess it is a preference. I for myself tend to rather use a FreeBSD than Fedora for production environments.
Sometimes it is better to start fresh.
Especially when you want to be the owner of something.
Libre has 35 years of good, bad, and the ugly. It’s has 35 years of tech debt, and design choices made. That’s not easy to just “fix”
It’s a completely different beast to sift through legacy code than it is to just start fresh requiring a completely separate set of skills.
Not getting rid of the old is one of the many reason Windows is such a shit show. Every program today in 2026 asks itself “Am I Barbie Riding Club(1996)? Before it runs because it needs a special compatibility mode”. Why inherit among the million other issues if you don’t want to?
You got that backwards. Its open office that hasnt been updated in years.
That was my thought and Nextcloud already supports Collabora Office which is a fork of LibreOffice Online I believe.
Sounds good to me! I hope they support the open document formats better than onlyoffice currently does. Also euro-office isn’t a particularly good name, although it has the advantage of being explicit about where it’s based.
It looks like a well deserved middle finger to the US.
Nice. Public beta: https://github.com/Euro-Office/
Hehe… the project is dying before it even started:
ONLYOFFICE has issued a formal notice regarding the “Euro-Office” project recently announced by #Nextcloud and #IONOS.
𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀, 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗚𝗣𝗟𝘃𝟯 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟲.
The violations include:
- Removal of ONLYOFFICE branding and logo from derivative works
- Failure to provide proper attribution to the original technology
- Non-compliance with open-source distribution obligations under AGPLv3, Section 7
To be clear: ONLYOFFICE is #opensource. We actively support forks, integrations, and derivative works. Hundreds of partners build on our #technology every day: legally, transparently, and successfully.
The use of our technology without respecting the #legal conditions that govern it is unacceptable. Under Section 8 of AGPLv3, any breach of the license results in the automatic termination of all rights granted. Without a valid license, continued use constitutes copyright infringement.
𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
𝗪𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.
Read the formal notice: https://onlyo.co/41Ci2gW
#software #opensource #AGPLv3 #license #compliance #sovereignty #intellectualproperty
Are there any actually good replacements for Excel? As an intermediate/advanced user, every alternative I’ve tried to date pales in comparison. I can’t see anyone in my industry switching away from MS because of this, as things currently stand.
Edit: I didn’t expect so many replies. I use Sync (I know, it sucks and is dead) and it didn’t inform me I had replies, so I’m only just seeing them, apologies. Can’t get to everyone though.
For those who think we’re using Excel as a database, not really. Can’t get into specifics regarding industry, but personally I use Excel daily for a variety of things, none of which is data entry. I build stuff to help calculate and solve issues; I’m not following a specific process in most scenarios. 🤷
I hear this argument a lot but no one ever gives details as to what common features excel has vs say libreoffice. I’m really curious, because i’d like to contribute free time in this direction.
What I always find missing in all these Excel vs. other spreadsheet software debates is the rationale for using a spreadsheet in the first place. I work a lot with large corporations, and it’s often the case that they can’t move away from Excel because, in the past, they relied on it to solve a process in a way that—at least today—could and should be handled better. Perhaps we should question the process more often and the Excel alternatives less.
As a data consultant, I would say those companies already do question the process, and have done for decades.
Yes there are countless situations where a dedicated system or database could and should replace Excel, but there are just as many scenarios where Excel is ideal, and swapping out a spreadsheet for what would be potentially tens of separate applications across the business, or one absurdly expensive behemoth, to perform tasks that could be done rapidly and clearly in Excel is neither practical nor economically viable for most companies. A spreadsheet is perfect for plenty of situations.
My job is literally to help these companies move to appropriate database solutions, often transitioning away from Excel. But there’s no getting around that a spreadsheet solves (often simple) problems that are impractical with other tools. You can move a company to a supplier’s sector-specific solution and solve huge numbers of issues, but unless that solution exactly meets every aspect of the business requirements, there’s always going to be a fallback and it’s often Excel, for better or worse.
Years ago, one of my buddies tried to open a very long spreadsheet and Libreoffice couldn’t do it. I think the maximum row and columns reached parity in version 7. I think one more cosmetic feature that is missing is the easy to access table and chart style templates.
Power Query
I can only assume anyone still asking the question “is Excel really that much better than the alternatives?” lacks exposure to Power Query and its prevalence in business.
My answer isn’t going to be helpful, because I can’t remember specifically what I was doing, but even for a small personal project a year ago, I tried to do something I consider basic, and OnlyOffice (what I was trying out at the time) couldn’t handle it and was ridiculously slow.
Format as table
I’m confused. Excel is a spreadsheet, that’s always in the form of a table.
that downvoter really could have instead done something useful and explain what “format as table” is
A table in Excel will have a name that can be referenced. It will also automatically grow larger when you type in the row under the last row. You can have multiple tables within a sheet. It comes with extensive filters. In LibreCalc you can only set filters but everything else remains static. It’s literally the most used thing in Excel.
You just described the basic functions of a database. People are building a databases in spreadsheets. That’s not a reason to keep using Excel, that’s a reason to have an intervention lol
Edit: this is halfway tongue in cheek. Trying to get office workers to use more and different tools partway through their careers is unfortunately unviable in many industries.
No, there isn’t.
I would love if there was, but beyond basic use cases, Excel is significantly ahead of the competition.
Probably more credibility if you actually give real, specific examples of what you cannot do on Libre Calc that you require?
Oh boy!
Lack of proper table support.
FILTER is borked.
MAP functions and their ilk aren’t there.
The DBASE functions have serious issues.
Array formulas sort of work but often results in issues.
Calculation speed is super slow. I’ve tried converting a pension forecast tool and it just ran so incredibly slowly.
As someone self hosting my own Nextcloud with Collabora, I can tell you that living with LibreOffice is easy - but living with Libra Calc is impossible. It is not a workable, serious solution.
The fact that you can’t make real tables renders the software completely unusable. Tables are used in pretty much every spreadsheet.
I think you might be thinking of databases… Access (barf), not Excel.
I do think databases and tables are a useful thing but most database systems require over-specifying fields via esoteric “column types” while spreadsheets underspecify them via formatting (and extremely limited formatting at that)
Some happy medium must exist out there, but I haven’t seen it. Notion and Google Docs (Format /Convert to Table) approach this but don’t quite get there.
No, definitely thinking specifically of data tables in excel.
I appreciate you attempting expansion, I will say it is still difficult when you’re asked for specific detail and your response consistently States generalities like:
“lack of support” - meaning what, feature isn’t there at all? Doesn’t display existing tables from uploaded excel docs?
“has serious issues” - meaning… what are they?
“results in issues” - …
“…is borked” - c’mon
and "incredibly slow " - relative to what? Double time of expected from excel? Triple? Extra two seconds per attempt?
You’re using subjective terms that mean people can’t A) determine if you’re problem will impact them as well and B) you’re not describing your perceived issues well enough to allow experts reading along here, now or in the future, to offer you actual solutions or alternatives.
That considered, it makes you come off as a person who doesn’t want their perceived problem solved.
Alternatively, it comes off as a person who has tried this in earnest numerous times and is exhausted by people who assume that they haven’t given things a genuine shot.
And there are few things more grating than a tech person assuming the other person doesn’t know what they are doing in earnest just because they were short with you from having already explained it elsewhere, numerous times over time, to the same result of what is, effectively, tone policing. “You didn’t phrase this in a technical manner thus I assume you know jack shit.” Not far off from sea-lioning really.
You’re bringing a lot of personal momentum to your responses obviously. My point was clear, state specific issues to allow the potential for specific answers. If you’re moving in good faith, that’s the approach.
The perspective here is one of someone resistant to change, blaming FOSS as an easier scapegoat. Always simplest to blame the tool over the operator… And often, that “dumbshit, broken printer that won’t print!!!” Just wasnt plugged in.
Your rebuttal is borked.
I mean ideally people should move away from spreadsheets altogether, keeping the data and the view and control layers mixed like that is kinda terrible and scales poorly for large data sets that require any serious transformation and computations, ideally your data should reside in a acid compliant database or some data lake for safety and ease of access, and then view and transformations should be handled by a separate software on top of that, at least this is how most companies that do big data analytics set things up, I know it’s overkill for some small to medium company that has limited needs, but there has to be something better than putting data into cells and writing functions on top of that.
I’m not talking about uses of Excel as a serious database, though. 🤷
May I suggest Python ?
By the time you get tits deep in Excel to the point where other spreadsheets can’t hack it, you may as well be using a real programming language instead of VBA…
If you can do advanced Excel, you can do Python (and numpy will crush Excel in ways that aren’t even funny, well OK, it’s funny too).
This is a good suggestion which could work in some cases for sure.
You won’t find any applicants for a secretary, HR, or accounting position if it requires knowledge of Python.
No, but for these OnlyOffice is a viable alternative. @surgarsweat was referring to way advanced features, not something secretaries or HR or accounting will need. I have use OnlyOffice for 6 years now, and have yet to find an Excel need it could not fulfill.
I’ve tried OnlyOffice for personal use and it’s just okay. There are some things that I consider basic that I tried to do and either they didn’t work or it got super slow/laggy/crashed.
The article is on a ‘pay or ok’ site.
Honestly this stinks of potential enshitification downstream. Libreoffice and Openoffice are just fine. Nextcloud’s posture in the market and “Brand name feel” sets of my alarm that it is like 5 minutes away from charging people subscriptions for self-hosting if they don’t already. Synology runner up?
Nextcloud is free software (aGPL v3) though so your worries are very misleading.
Nextcloud’s business model is service contracts. Which is going great. The origin story of Nextcloud is that ownCloud was too commercial (open core) instead of fully open source, so they forked it. I haven’t seen any moves by Nextcloud that has moved their focus from open source to hint at enshitification. Your claims are rather bold and without proof. Nextcloud doesn’t even use LibreOffice, but the online derivative Collabora. Also OpenOffice has been dead for more than a decade so I don’t know why you even reference that. Are you confusing this with the totally different OnlyOffice (‘only’ not ‘open’) which this news is actually about?
Their fork of OnlyOffice is actually because it is open core and they want it fully open source: https://github.com/Euro-Office/#euro-office-liberates-the-onlyoffice-code-base
Good podcast episode interviewing Frank Kolichek were the folk is mentioned : https://opensourcesecurity.io/2026/2026-02-nextcloud-frank-karlitschek/
I haven’t made any claims. My comment is about the “vibes” of NextCloud as a “product” and “company”, if you want objectivity in what i’m saying.
Im not a nextcloud user and it’s good that you personally don’t feel that they’ve made any moves towards enshitification but we’ve seen countless companies start with great and pure intentions that unfortunately throw that all out the window when: an opportunity to be a market leader, opportunity of profits becomes too great, or the userbase becomes significant enough. “Open Source” seems to unfortunately be part of the tech company corporate playbook.
We live in a world where organizations and companies get to change terms after sale now. While it is not zero sum, if you’re not exercising skepticism towards those trying to offer you something, you’re probably doing yourself a disservice. Nothing is truly free.
Also, OpenOffice is definitely not dead lol https://www.openoffice.org/
Nextcloud uses GNU AGPLv3 and explicitly doesn’t use a CLA: https://github.com/nextcloud/server/blob/master/contribute/HowToApplyALicense.md. They do this to prevent themselves from relicensing it. So they can’t suddenly take the code and make it closed source.
Regarding OpenOffice. I used to be a big fan of OpenOffice more than a decade ago, but LibreOffice has become my open source office suite since then.
Apache OpenOffice (AOO) might still work, but there is no significant development (see commits of the last year https://github.com/apache/openoffice/graphs/contributors?from=2025-05-01&to=2026-04-02&type=c). Only one person is committing on a daily/weekly basis, but this person is in their own words not a developer (https://github.com/apache/openoffice/pull/202#issuecomment-2561915795). Most of the commits are ‘cleanup’ commits where whitespace or comments are changed https://github.com/apache/openoffice/commits/trunk/.
LibreOffice on the other hand is actively developed. Others who are actually involved explained this better than I can:
Tried nextcloud, 3 updates per day, fuck off.
I moved my data there a couple of months ago and couldn’t be happier. Maybe try a different provider?
I love Nextcloud, but I have everything running in containers, and I have them auto updating on system boot.
Its a super powerful software. Its on my top list of self hosting software. But it breaks so often with auto updates. And there is the potential of having to reinstall it because of a broken install, and your personal service being down for weeks.
Borg backups work, but they are not intuitive to setup when using containers.
Auto setting up trusted domains is not intuitive.
My solution going forward, is to have secondary containers which I don’t update as frequently, that point to the same user files folder on the primary containers. Kind of like having my services load balanced. I plan on doing this for some of my other containers that are frequently down.
In my experience, services that require more than 1 container are the ones that crash the most. Especially when they connect to a database container.
They need to come up with a less cringe name than EuroOffice if they want any adoption. Not going to replace nationalism with pan-European nationalism.
