Downloading Microsoft Word?

[HappyHippyDad]

Hello all..

A little bit fed up with my current word 'compatible' programme and tempted to go for the real thing, but I was a bit stunned by the price.

There seems to be a couple of free download options for 'Microsoft Word 2010' from Softonic or cnet, has anyone used either of these internet sites to download 'Word' for free?

Cheers all..

 

[Tidy Max]

don't do it

 

[HappyHippyDad]

don't do it

Come on Tidy, expand a bit with some of your experience you've had of it?

 

[ian.settle1]

Hello all..

A little bit fed up with my current word 'compatible' programme and tempted to go for the real thing, but I was a bit stunned by the price.

There seems to be a couple of free download options for 'Microsoft Word 2010' from Softonic or cnet, has anyone used either of these internet sites to download 'Word' for free?

Cheers all..

You'll find that it will be a 30-day trial with limited facilities then you will have to buy it.

 

[Tidy Max]

Apologies for the short reply. I had to get that in quickly before you downloaded something from softonic or whatever it is. They are usually bundled with all sorts of crap virus scanner trials and annoying search bars.

You have a couple of alternatives really, the legal and then the not so legal. You could download OpenOffice, which isn't Microsoft. However is pretty damn close. I used it for a while and liked it, it saves docs as Word format and also opens word docs.

The other option is to use a torrent. Which discussing may be frowned upon!

 

[Marvo]

As far as I know Softonic and Cnet have legitimate software which means it will probably be a one month or maybe three month trial version that will cease working after that time and require that you purchase an extortionately priced license to reactivate it.

Have you tried Open Office or Libra Office?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Thanks both,

I was pretty sceptical about the free download anyway, so thanks, will not be downloading it. Do you really find 'Open office' ok? How about 'Libre'? Never heard of Torrent?

 

[johnboy6083]

The other option is to google 'software for students'

if you have a student in your household, then you get massive discounts. This isn't checked though.
you could always say you are studying in your own time, from freely available sources.
Isnt the definition of a student: somebody who studies?
read the small print.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

No Marvo, What do you think of them? I use Ability write at the moment and have had problems which made me a bit sceptical of 'compatible' microsoft software.

 

[Tidy Max]

As far as I know Softonic and Cnet have legitimate software which means it will probably be a one month or maybe three month trial version that will cease working after that time and require that you purchase an extortionately priced license to reactivate it.

Have you tried Open Office or Libra Office?

Oh it is legitimate software but 9 times out of 10 you can download the exact same software direct off the developers website without it being bundled with loads of crap! I have download off cnet before, made sure the 'Install Task Bar', 'Free Norton Trial' tick boxes are unchecked. Only to find its bloody installed them anyway!

 

[Marvo]

The other option is to use a torrent. Which discussing may be frowned upon!

Yeah, torrenting isn't great for the inexperienced. Some torrents might be distributing software that's been cracked to remove the licensing protection. Depending what country you're in this may or may not be illegal. The other problem is if you download cracked programs there's a high chance of viruses and rootkits being bundled with them so it can make for an unpleasant user experience.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Thanks both,

I was pretty sceptical about the free download anyway, so thanks, will not be downloading it. Do you really find 'Open office' ok? How about 'Libre'? Never heard of Torrent?

I've used Openoffice for a long time now and like it.

I object to stuffing money into Bill Gates' pocket.

I'm currently thinking about dumping Windows (again) and going back to Linux.

 

[Octopus]

If you have an NHS employee in the house you can get Office 2010 for the cost of the freight of the discs

 

[neon]

What prices have you seen for MS office? There is an "Enterprise" version on eBay for £30. Says its the same. Might be worth investigating?

 

[cmac70]

I use king soft office on android not sure if they do one for windows and it is like using ms office. The best part it is free.

 

[Geordie Spark]

The other option is to google 'software for students'

if you have a student in your household, then you get massive discounts. This isn't checked though.
you could always say you are studying in your own time, from freely available sources.
Isnt the definition of a student: somebody who studies?
read the small print.

Years ago, I was on a course to learn to use AutoCad and I got myself a Student edition of AutoCad Release 13 which was the newest at the time.

It cost £160 (ish) which was a LOT cheaper then the"proper" price. It was fully functional, but if I printed a drawing out it had a watermark that read "STUDENT VERSION - NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE"

I'm not sure if this would also be the case for a Student Edition of Microsoft Office or Word though.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

If you have an NHS employee in the house you can get Office 2010 for the cost of the freight of the discs

I certainly do have an NHS employee in the household! Me.. :smiley2: Do I just contact the NHS and ask for Word? Sounds a bit too simple Murdoch. Are you saying they offer free Microsoft to all NHS employees?

 

[Marvo]

I'd also be wary of buying software on EBay, there's a few entrepreneurs around who take pirate versions and redistribute supposedly as being legitimate.

Both Open Office and Libra Office share swathes of the same open source code and both office suites are fairly similar and both are very usable with a very small learning curve if you're already familiar with M$ Office.

 

[cmac70]

Have just looked on kingsoft office web site they do it for windows to. Some you pay for others you don't.

 

[Marvo]

If you have an NHS employee in the house you can get Office 2010 for the cost of the freight of the discs

I'm not even going to ask how that works. Please don't advocate anything illegal.

 

[Octopus]

I certainly do have an NHS employee in the household! Me.. :smiley2: Do I just contact the NHS and ask for Word? Sounds a bit too simple Murdoch. Are you saying they offer free Microsoft to all NHS employees?

My misses is a midwife and that's how we licence the family and kids PC's

I bought a cheap copy of 2007 off ebay just after 2010 was released, it was sealed and when I registered it with Microsoft it worked. Still using it now!

 

[Geordie Spark]

I certainly do have an NHS employee in the household! Me.. :smiley2: Do I just contact the NHS and ask for Word? Sounds a bit too simple Murdoch. Are you saying they offer free Microsoft to all NHS employees?

Not sure how it works for software but for curry you go into a curry house in Ocean Road (South Shields) show your NHS card and you get a discount (5% I think)

 

[Octopus]

I'm not even going to ask how that works. Please don't advocate anything illegal.

I can assure you its all above board. The NHS in the UK has an "enterprise" agreement with MS and it allows NHS staff to purchase the discs and register against their NHS email accounts.

my "work" laptop uses a legite copy of MS office I bought seperately.

 

[neon]

I'd also be wary of buying software on EBay, there's a few entrepreneurs around who take pirate versions and redistribute supposedly as being legitimate.

I purchased office for my mac very cheap off eBay. The software key provided worked as I downloaded it from MS website.
Obviously you don't always get what you pay for on eBay!

 

[Marvo]

I'm sure there are legitimate versions for sale but I'd certainly want to have a handle on the risk with this kinda thing as an EBay purchase.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I'm not even going to ask how that works. Please don't advocate anything illegal.

I kind of thought Murdoch meant NHS employees are offered it free because they are employees. Perhaps I'm being naive.. Come on Murdoch explain a little? I think he's offering a legimate suggestion as his posts are nearly always in line with the regs and frown upon shortcuts and the like :smiley2:

 

[Marvo]

He says it's legit so I take his word for it.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I can assure you its all above board. The NHS in the UK has an "enterprise" agreement with MS and it allows NHS staff to purchase the discs and register against their NHS email accounts.

my "work" laptop uses a legite copy of MS office I bought seperately.

Thanks Murdoch, I never doubted you :smiley2:

I'll look into that tomorrow at work. Have to sleep now as a 12-13 hr shift tomorrow.

Good night all....

 

[shanky887614]

Oh it is legitimate software but 9 times out of 10 you can download the exact same software direct off the developers website without it being bundled with loads of crap! I have download off cnet before, made sure the 'Install Task Bar', 'Free Norton Trial' tick boxes are unchecked. Only to find its bloody installed them anyway!

Read it carefully quite a few have changed them so you tick them to not install them.


Why not buy an old version off ebay?

Its expensive because not many people buy it as there are that many ilegal copies out there that some people wouldnt buy it for £15/20

 

[Octopus]

Thanks Murdoch, I never doubted you :smiley2:

I'll look into that tomorrow at work. Have to sleep now as a 12-13 hr shift tomorrow.

Good night all....

This may help but I can't say of its still be in place:

http://www.uhs.nhs.uk/Media/suhtide...ning/DiscountedMicrosoftOfficeforNHSstaff.pdf

 

[Robotstar5]

We have a similar offer with MS HUP (home user proram) at work, I had to register with works e-mail address and they send a link that allows me to download MS Office 2013 professional plus for £8.65 (cost of licence key) so NHS is probably similar?.

 

[amlu]

open office does the job. i`m using for last 10 years no problems whatsoever.
and its free.

 

[Electricalsuppl]

use a torrent agent!

 

[infpdwl]

amlu is right... Open Office actually comes with the mac and it's compatible with MS Word/Office files. Recommended. Mac is just as underrated as it is overrated imho haha.

 

[Earthstore]

I found open office fine too...