End of support for Windows 98/ME in OpenOffice.org 3

[Sfor]

Yes, I've tested it. The OpenOffice 3 beta does not work in windows 98. I was unable to install it even with the KernelEx installed.

There is still a chance to convince the OpenOffice development team, the decision to leave Windows 98/ME behind is not the right one. The feture request are made through the bug tracking system. Each registered member can vote for some issues. With a proper amount of votes we have a chance to defend our platform.

I've submitted an isue, already: http://qa.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=89930

Plese register at the OpenOffice.org bug tracking system at http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join, then vote on this issue.

[Sfor]

The OpenOffice bug tracking system is a bit complicated. So, posting some sort of a voting guide could be a help.

1) If you do not have the OpenOffice.org account, you have to register in order to be able to vote: http://www.openoffice.org/servlets/Join

2) The next step is logging in to the OpenOffice.org. So please go to the http://www.openoffice.org then click "Log in" link at the right top of the page. After entering user name and password the "My start page" opens.

3) Now how to go to our issue page. At the top of the right column there is an "Issue" field. Please enter the issue number there (this particular issue has a number of 89930) then click "Jump to Issue No." button right under the field.

4) The issue screen is opened, now. There is a line described as "Votes for issue 89930:". The current amount of votes is printed there, and there is the "Vote for this issue" link as well. Click the link, please.

5) You are on "Show votes" screen now. It is possible to put just 2 votes on an issue. The maximum amount of votes for multiple issues in the same component is 5. Please scroll down to the porting component (porting is not a component but it is listed as one). Then enter 2 points for the issue 89930. Then click the "Submit" button at the bottom of the list.

Your votes should appear on the issue page, now.

[Sfor]

It's quite possible the OpenOffice 3 will be able to work in Windows 98 as is,

without additional changes. Still, I'm unable to test it, as the setup

procedure reports a proper version of Microsoft Installer missing.

I know no way of tricking the Microsoft Installer 3 based setup procedure to

work on Windows 98. A change in the setup system can give the ability to setup

and test the compatibility of KernelEx and OpenOffice 3.

Perhaps, by voting on some minimal Windows 98 support on the OpenOffice.org it will be possible to persuade the creators to use a different setup procedure than Microsoft Installer 3.0 related.

--------------------------

I do not get it. According to the Setup.ini file, just the Microsoft Installer 2 is required. I have the MSI 2 in my system, as far as I know. Still the same message is displayed as MSI 3 would be missing.

Edited June 11, 2008 by Sfor

[SlugFiller]

OO is such bloatware, rivaled only by the real office. I see no more reason to want it to support 98 than I do to simply upgrade to XP (thus making the discussion academic).

Just use LaTeX. It's better, smaller, faster, and free for all OSs (even DOS).

[Sfor]

It's much too late to get rid of the OpenOffice, I'm afraid. The Open Document Format is an accepted form of communication with Polish Govermental facilities.

LaTeX is not something a common worker can use. I had an opportunity to work a bit with TEX many years ago. Now the most common editor is Word from Microsoft and Write from OpenOffice. The general knowledge about the actual document structure is very weak among workers. They are using the text editors just like improved type writers. Still the most important feature of the text editors is possibility to use different document formats to both opening and saving documents. Open Office is very good according to those terms. So, getting rid of the OpenOffice is out of the question, I'm afraid.

[SlugFiller]

The Open Document Format is an accepted form of communication with Polish Govermental facilities.

That sounds quite impressive (read: commendable). Over here it's, as far as I know, MS .doc format. At least it seems to be the most commonly used.

Still, I always opt for PDF. I can have that done in OO, but having associated .tex with pdflatex.exe, I simply find the latter solution far more comfortable. And, AFAIK, PDF is still globally recognized.

As for people who need their WYSIWYG fix, with the latest support for GTK in KEx, LyX may soon be a viable option on 98 (If it is not so already).

[BenoitRen]

Without OpenOffice I would never be able to open Word, Excel and PowerPoint(less) files. It's quite important in this regard.

I would vote, but

1) They're the same people who say Windows 95 users should use 1.1.4 when it works just fine if they would get rid of the IsDebuggerPresent API call.

2) I need to register at yet another site just to vote. Bah.

[Sfor]

I was able to install OpenOffice 3 by running the openofficeorg30.msi file directly.

Sadly, the application does not work. Trying to run any .EXE brings up an "Parameter is invalid" (translated from Polish)error message. There seeting in the kxever.ini do not influence the issue.

[SlugFiller]

Without OpenOffice I would never be able to open Word, Excel and PowerPoint(less) files. It's quite important in this regard.

There is a free Word viewer provided by Microsoft.

[Mijzelf]

There is a free Word viewer provided by Microsoft.

System Requirements:

               Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; Windows Server 2003; Windows XP

[SlugFiller]

Just because 98 isn't there, doesn't mean it won't run on it. I've recently noticed similar requirements on the MSDN entry of MultibyteToWideChar, a Win32 API available since 95, if not earlier. I think Microsoft are now denying the system even exists.

[Sfor]

The OpenOffice team is simplyfying the code to use the newer API functions. Still there is a possibility to keep the OpenOffice 3 able to work with the KernelEx extension.

Here are the posts from the OpenOffice.org:

------- Additional comments from sb Thu Jun 12 07:57:54 +0000 2008 -------

At least some (but strategically important) code now uses the Unicode (...W)
versions of Windows functions, which, AFAIK, are not available on Windows 98/ME,
and the emulation code we used before has either been removed or is no longer
reachable (due to the distribution of code to three layers).  It is IMO a
fruitless (and even counterproductive) effort to try and get OOo running on
Windows 98/ME, after it has been decided to drop support for that platform, and
developers started to take advantage of that in their code
additions/modifications (read: simplifications).

------- Additional comments from mh Fri Jun 13 08:13:59 +0000 2008 -------

mark issue as unassigned, since I will not work on that issue.

If there are people volunteering for this effort, I recommend to create an
childworkspace (cws) for these efforts to collect necessary changes for keep
this run on Win98 and to have the impossibly to keep those efforts in sync with
latest OOo relaseses. 

@sb,hro: I recommend not to "simplify" the code not to fast, to raise not too
high hurdles for people who want to volunteer for this effort.

@forsoft: Simplifying code is quite important for maintainability and code
quality, so I think we have to find volunteers for this effort quite fast
otherwise we need to continue "simplification".

I believe, the first step would be to collect the informations about the API functions implemented in the KernelEx, and the Windows 98 incompatible API functions used in the OpenOffice 3.

The OpenOffice 3 code simplification is progressing just as we speak. It would be good to stop the OpenOffice team from using the KernelEx unavailable functions, if they did not do it, already.

[Mijzelf]

Just because 98 isn't there, doesn't mean it won't run on it.

It rejects to install on my 98SE system. Just installing pops a 'A newer version of Windows is required'. Using the msi file in the temp directory gives 'You need at least W2000'. So maybe it can run on W98, but it's not easy to install.

[Sfor]

I had to run the openofficeorg30.msi file directly. There were no wrong windows version communicate, in my case. The Setup.exe will not finish, even with the kexver.ini forcing a newer OS version for the Setup.exe.

Still, the OpenOffice does not start after the installation. I think it is doing some unusual check (or something) when running.

I was using OOo_3.0.0beta_20080429_Win32Intel_install_wJRE_en-US.exe

Edited June 15, 2008 by Sfor

[Mijzelf]

Still, the OpenOffice does not start after the installation.

You can use the profile modus of Dependency walker to find out which dlls/functions it's trying to use before it quits. Sometimes it gives a clue what's the problem.