[2b3a51]

"...their UI feels dated"

How do you define dated in this context?

Personally, I quite like being able to use the CUA keyboard shortcuts to access menu items. I like consistency over decades but I appreciate that there are other ways of looking at this.

[Flavius]

Take a look at these screenshots: https://libreoffice.en.uptodown.com/mac

It looks ancient, worse than office apps from 20 years ago.

[yason]

That looks exactly like an office app should look like. Basic interface patterns, clear distinctive visual areas and borders, all in the tradition of a classical graphical user interface. And yes, classical GUI more or less peaked in the early 2000's and it has generally been a downhill from there because the irresistible need of the industry for offering "something new" every few years.

[gerdesj]

"You are running version 7.0" - why not try some screenshots from this decade?

I have version 25.8.4.2 running here. It looks rather better and most importantly offers me the choice of a ribbon or not and many other choices rather than enforcing a single "opinionated" interface.

[barnabee]

Office apps from 20 years ago looked better than office apps now.

[jamesnorden]

Maybe try installing a current version and seeing for yourself, there's multiple UI styles to chose from now, even one that is meant to mimic the MS "ribbon".

[slyfox125]

It looks great using Plasma. If the comparison and "problem" is the lack of a "ribbon" menu, etc., then you are missing the whole point of Office alternatives: they are free, open source, but most importantly, they are usable. That is, they do not eschew usability and function for the sake of change, pure aesthetics, or a company's latest foray into some new gimmick.

Ultimately, the "classic" approach taken is because many users feel that the classic style is more usable and makes them more productive irrespective of their learned habits of the past 20-30 years.

[2b3a51]

Well 'ancient' to me in the context of computer interaction means punched cards (mechanical punches!) and a card reader, upper case only, so these terms are relative I suppose.

I think this is a matter of choice and it is nice that there are choices. As other posters in this little sub-tree have suggested, there are people who value continuity over a period of time.

[mikkupikku]

Looks like a completely normal office application to me. Do you have an example of what you think they should look like?

[maxloh]

LibreOffice on Windows still uses native Win32 controls. While you could call that a stylistic choice, even Microsoft has abandoned it for new apps.

This kind of UI is a dealbreaker for many new users, especially Gen Zers. How could open source conquer the world without attracting our youngest generations?

They should have bundled GTK like GIMP does. That would make the experience feel much less like it is from the XP era.

(I know these types of comments often get downvoted, but I challenge you to explain why you disagree.)

[dijit]

> even Microsoft has abandoned it for new apps.

Ok, all other things being equal: Microsoft is no longer a good arbiter of UI/UX design.

This is extremely well documented.

Old doesn't automatically mean worse, though I understand that people feel that way on an emotional level when they see old "ugly" UI.

[GoblinSlayer]

Microsoft is doing cloud services, not apps. Old apps are the only decent thing left in windows.