[ubuntu-in] Question about install software from source versus software from repos

[Ramnarayan.K]

Hi

am dual booting ubuntu 7.10 and 9.04. The former because when
broadbadn does not work (which is frequently the case) then i need to
use 7.10 because it allows me to use a device which does not work on
9.04.

Often i need to work on openoffice documents while on the net, so if
its a document on 9.04 ooo.org (version 3.x) it mostly crashes while
being accessed on 7.10 (ooo.org version 2.4x).

I don't want to upgrade 7.10 because the said internet access device
(a cdma wll phone) is very very finicky about what kernel it works on.
Secondly i find that if i partially upgrade software via apt /
synaptic then strange crashes happen in many related software.

So am wondering if i am better off installing such software that i
will dual use , from source ??

look forward to opinions and advise.

thanks
ram