Office 365 about to run out.

[HappyHippyDad]

My free years subscription to Microsoft Office 365 is about to run out. I was happily set to take the laptop to the coffee shop this weekend to get some paperwork done and now I may not be able to do it!

I only use Word, nothing else. It runs out on the 8th and says 'Most features of word will be disabled'.

Is there a way of using MS word for free if you are not using any of the other stuff?

It says 'most features', will I still be able to write word documents and save them?

I know open office is a possibility, but I tried that before and it didn't seem to be compatible with Word.

Lastly, when browsing the web it says something about being able to use Word for free but calls it 'online word', does this mean I have to be online to use word? That would be a pain.

Cheers all.

 

[NDG Elecs]

Pay out you skinflint!!

I think it costs me around £4.50 a month. Well worth it to have instant access to all my certs and quotes etc whilst out and about.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Well I've just downloaded open office and it seems to be fine. I sent an open office document to myself and opened it in Word and it looks fine!
Happy days

 

[Squid]

It is web based so you can use it on ....anything. MS Windows, Apple OS even Android. Personally, I tried it and kept loosing files. Goole Docs is a similar web based system. A stripped down Word Excel et-ctera.

IMHO forget hacked and illegal software. You're running a business - if money is tight get on to Ebay and buy a legally licenced but earlier version of MS Office - Simples.

I wonder if Pete999 would be offended if you tried to tell him how to wire up a plug top............. as after being a Eletrikery Genius I spent 25 years in IT doing support as well as moves and changes, office moves and relocations and rollouts of hardware.

;o))))

 

[Squid]

Well I've just downloaded open office and it seems to be fine. I sent an open office document to myself and opened it in Word and it looks fine!
Happy days

Just been on to your comp and retrieved the document, are you sure it's working fine?

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

Lookup WPS Office. Basically a free version of MS office.. its bad boy.

 

[Squid]

Lookup WPS Office. Basically a free version of MS office.. its bad boy.

Chinese based, hmmmmmmm

 

[Jim_e_Jib]

I wonder if Pete999 would be offended if you tried to tell him how to wire up a plug top............. as after being a Eletrikery Genius I spent 25 years in IT doing support as well as moves and changes, office moves and relocations and rollouts of hardware.

;o))))

 

[Squid]

I have a better one, whilst working at Virgin Records on the early shift back in the day I get a call from the girl that did the work for the NOW series of CD's, she says to me that her mouse isn't working, I ask her "has Fergus been in the office" she says nope we always shut the door, (Fergus was the company cat) anyways I did tell her to reboot the PC, 10 minutes later she phones back and says "you must think I am really stupid" my answer was "Yep" ;o))))

 

[Fitzy]

Office 365 personal is only £59.99 per year & home is only £79.99 per year.

 

[pirate]

£79.99/year and that's 5 users and 5 devices, so me, wife, daughter and guest...kinda cheap really when you realise you can run your whole life and business on it.

It's the best, so just pay for it...

 

[Squid]

£79.99/year and that's 5 users and 5 devices, so me, wife, daughter and guest...kinda cheap really when you realise you can run your whole life and business on it.

It's the best, so just pay for it...

Buzz LightYear needs to find out how to turn on the spell check option.

 

[Asinrute]

I bought a lifetime 365 subscription on an auction site for less than £10. I was very sceptical but that was nearly 2 years ago and it’s still working fine. It also downloaded a 2016 version of office on my PC which I will have even if the subscription stops

 

[jcs8215248]

Open Office has been mentioned several times in this thread. Support for this product does not seem to be very good and it is danger of being "abandonware". There is a lot of comparisons on the Internet.

The free product you should be considering is LibreOffice. It "forked" from Open Office several years ago and unlike Open Office is being actively developed. It is fully inter-operable with Microsoft Word and Excel (all versions) for normal document use. You can create Microsoft compatible documents and read/edit Microsoft compatible documents. Link is here Home | LibreOffice - Free Office Suite - Fun Project - Fantastic People - https://www.libreoffice.org/

I have used both Microsoft and LibreOffice suites extensively over many years with only minor issues. Until I retired last year my day job included documentation of complex computer systems (hundreds of documents) and I had very few compatibility issues (and any that were found have since been fixed).

There is a minor caveat - if you need to use any "Macros" then there is limited compatibility - these are typically complex Excel spreadsheets and Libre Office can often CONVERT Microsoft Excel macros to the LibreOffice equivalent but it is a one way trip.

 

[123]

The Google version I find very good, Sheets/Docs/Slides etc also free. I use a Chromebook mainly though, Windows Laptop is just for test certs.

 

[Marti]

A vote here for the alternative to MS Office - which really is Libre Office. Open office is fading and Libre Office is properly supported; it's only neg for me personally, was a slightly clunky interface. Down loaded as part of the Ubuntu operating system it's not perfect but hard to beat if you have your own reasons for not going MS Windows & Office. Make sure you spend a few minutes setting useful defaults before you use it.