General Discussion

sofa king

(10,857 posts)

87. I ditched Office years ago.

Reply to politicaljunkie41910 (Original post)

Wed Nov 22, 2017, 01:34 PM

Nov 2017

There are two excellent free alternatives now:

LibreOffice, forked from OpenOffice when it looked like Apache was trying to buy-and-kill OO: https://www.libreoffice.org/

OpenOffice, the original free office suite: https://www.openoffice.org/download/

And if you're in the legal field there is also a free trial version of WordPerfect, as well as outdated free versions.

I have only one major gripe about LO, which is that it defaults to open-source fonts like Libre Serif instead of Times New Roman. Then MS has a little freak-out over it and switches it to something else if I have forgotten to change it before I submit. Would you trust Microsoft to correctly change your font and formatting? I don't. I'm sure that can be changed with minimal effort.

I don't even tell my work relations that I don't have Office, and submit all of my LibreOffice-created spreadsheets, powerpoints, and texts in MS formats (e.g., .docx). They've never once noticed.

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I need a new computer. Mine is dyng and I don't want to invest any more money into it. I need help. [View all] politicaljunkie41910 Nov 2017 OP

K & R so people might see this. n/t pnwmom Nov 2017 #1

At that price, no way is it legitimate. Kleveland Nov 2017 #2

Macs are way over priced for the average user. n/t USALiberal Nov 2017 #9

Something to think about PJMcK Nov 2017 #26

Go to gainsaver.com for reconditoned Macs and save half and even more. brush Nov 2017 #51

Longevity. I'm running '09 Mac w latest Mac OS. I buy refurbished or used. emulatorloo Nov 2017 #53

I would not get a Windows 7 machine at this point VMA131Marine Nov 2017 #3

Just what I was thinking. Although I love my win7. 10's not too bad, I've heard. lindysalsagal Nov 2017 #13

I presume you've checked out the cost of Office 365 Personal yearly subscription ? OnDoutside Nov 2017 #4

I did which is why I concluded that buying was more cost effective than renewing each year. politicaljunkie41910 Nov 2017 #33

It was my constant fear of losing all my photos/videos/documents that got me to sign up. I use OnDoutside Nov 2017 #83

I use open office. It's free and works great. shraby Nov 2017 #5

Me, too. My wife has been using it for years. dchill Nov 2017 #30

Same here. Jim Beard Nov 2017 #63

K&R Same here. It works exceptionally well and is very reliable. n/t RKP5637 Nov 2017 #77

If you're looking for a computer, look for a nearby University, if there is one htuttle Nov 2017 #6

Valid point UnTied Nov 2017 #15

Or build it yourself. Initech Nov 2017 #55

Yep, that's what I do too! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2017 #78

Absolutely, I'll never buy big box PCs anymore! Initech Nov 2017 #88

pcpartpicker, interesting site, thanks! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2017 #89

I bought an HP with 8 cores and a video processor for $700 Kolesar Nov 2017 #91

Alternative UnTied Nov 2017 #7

Kick for visibility. NCTraveler Nov 2017 #8

I just had to go thru this Bayard Nov 2017 #10

Avoid Chromebooks. You will be sorely disappointed JDC Nov 2017 #11

Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2017 #42

I love my Chromebook. I hate babysitting expensive laptops. hunter Nov 2017 #64

You left out your early work on assembly language. JDC Nov 2017 #68

I've used Chromebooks at work crazycatlady Nov 2017 #66

What makes it a "paperweight" when it's offline, any more than other computers? hunter Nov 2017 #72

It is not a traditional computer crazycatlady Nov 2017 #73

That's not true. I don't use the "cloud" for anything. hunter Nov 2017 #74

Used to be true but not anymore Egnever Nov 2017 #76

I last used one in 2014 crazycatlady Nov 2017 #97

They're getting better. sl8 Nov 2017 #85

If you live in the mac world nothing is compatible Egnever Nov 2017 #75

They do well in education because they are dirt cheap JDC Nov 2017 #98

It's much more than dirt cheap Egnever Nov 2017 #100

Is there some reason you need MS Office over a free version like Open Office? blogslut Nov 2017 #12

No. I just had no knowledge of it and am not familliar with it since in the past,I've always bought politicaljunkie41910 Nov 2017 #22

Here's their page blogslut Nov 2017 #27

Libre Office is excellent neeksgeek Nov 2017 #37

I use LibreOffice. No need for MS Office. FarCenter Nov 2017 #56

Unfortunately IT at my work is 100% Windows neeksgeek Nov 2017 #57

I have LibreOffice on a Windows 10 laptop and a Linux Mint desktop - works equally well FarCenter Nov 2017 #65

Theres a reason they wont give me an admin password. neeksgeek Nov 2017 #70

K&R!!!! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2017 #82

Open Office is great if you need don't need a professional product. LeftInTX Nov 2017 #49

You could also use Mint (Linux) for an OS and get out of the whole Microsoft thing. RKP5637 Nov 2017 #81

Go LINUX. Or if you must have Windows, use LibreOffice, the free MS Office clone. nt Binkie The Clown Nov 2017 #14

+1,673,285 TheBlackAdder Nov 2017 #29

Another vote for Open Office here.... Cal Carpenter Nov 2017 #16

It's definitely worth trying OpenOffice and LibreOffice before making a decision. eppur_se_muova Nov 2017 #17

+1 I've used both and I prefer Libre now. lagomorph777 Nov 2017 #80

is there an org lie this near you? mopinko Nov 2017 #18

Windows 10 is good DavidDvorkin Nov 2017 #19

Having come from Win7, I absolutely detest Win10. If I could have gone back to win7, I would. OnDoutside Nov 2017 #84

I liked Windows 7 a lot DavidDvorkin Nov 2017 #92

Well that's a hopeful story, thanks. I am also having problems with Microsoft Edge OnDoutside Nov 2017 #94

Edge sucks DavidDvorkin Nov 2017 #95

Completely agree. I used to love being able to right click on OnDoutside Nov 2017 #99

Look at possibly switching to Linux Mint and running LibreOffice, detach from Micro$oft. TheBlackAdder Nov 2017 #20

Be careful with deals on MS Office crazycatlady Nov 2017 #21

I once got scammed on an eBay Windows 7 Pro, a Trial packaged as a Full Version. TheBlackAdder Nov 2017 #28

I found a good deal on Amazon crazycatlady Nov 2017 #32

I don't use Amazon because they are now suffering the same fate eBay did a couple of years ago. TheBlackAdder Nov 2017 #59

No, every transaction is protected at ebay. They just don't get to run away with your cash. Kirk Lover Nov 2017 #38

Not several years ago. When I contacted Customer Support, I was told to eat the loss. TheBlackAdder Nov 2017 #58

Did you pay with paypal? I'm shocked. Are you sure the listing didn't have that info in there? Kirk Lover Nov 2017 #60

I think it was PayPal. I was told since it was over 30 days, there was nothing that could be done. TheBlackAdder Nov 2017 #61

Just an FYI about downloadinstant.com teach1st Nov 2017 #23

Thank you for that information. I was just reading some other responses about things bought on politicaljunkie41910 Nov 2017 #41

It could be...I got a professional for very little money...let me see if I can remember where I Demsrule86 Nov 2017 #24

While I don't like Amazon, they have some software for download csziggy Nov 2017 #25

Every time I need a new machine customerserviceguy Nov 2017 #31

I dig referbs. Only way to go IMHO. fleabiscuit Nov 2017 #35

Yep, that means somebody checked it out twice customerserviceguy Nov 2017 #50

I cant offer much about Windows software and the various box venders. Sorry. fleabiscuit Nov 2017 #34

I'd vote for the option of Microsoft Office the way I got it RandomAccess Nov 2017 #36

Open Office is free and seems to work with everything I try. The Wielding Truth Nov 2017 #101

I've never been happy with Open Office myself RandomAccess Nov 2017 #102

I don't use mine that much, but when I do it does the job. The Wielding Truth Nov 2017 #103

I downloaded MS office years ago via a bit torrent site and it's come in Kirk Lover Nov 2017 #39

OpenOffice jberryhill Nov 2017 #40

Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2017 #43

Libreoffice Progressive dog Nov 2017 #44

+1 dalton99a Nov 2017 #67

You can buy a permanent Office 2016 from Microsoft brooklynite Nov 2017 #45

That was my thought when I read the OP. Blue_true Nov 2017 #104

Wow. Everytime I shopped, I could only find Office as a "subscription" Kolesar Nov 2017 #108

Hubby is a computer tech. He says the Windows deal is GreenPartyVoter Nov 2017 #46

Yep! Exactly!!! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2017 #86

This message was self-deleted by its author brooklynite Nov 2017 #47

newegg ornotna Nov 2017 #48

Thats always my route KTM Nov 2017 #62

You should get the most recent versions that you can afford as Microsoft stops supporting... brush Nov 2017 #52

That is in no way, shape, or form legitimate. Initech Nov 2017 #54

Bought full office download for kids computer for under 50 bucks very happy dembotoz Nov 2017 #69

You can use your old Office 7 license on a new machine ucrdem Nov 2017 #71

p.s. for $88 you can buy a new Intel-Atom 9" tablet + keyboard with Win10 installed ucrdem Nov 2017 #106

Open Office is a great site for those programs SummerSnow Nov 2017 #79

I ditched Office years ago. sofa king Nov 2017 #87

Some thoughts matt819 Nov 2017 #90

I would get a refurbished PC from New Egg. LuvLoogie Nov 2017 #93

I did the same about a year ago through Tiger Direct. bullwinkle428 Nov 2017 #107

Ditch MS Office and get Open Office Downtown Hound Nov 2017 #96

Overstock.com has some refurburished computers you can get for under $200 and they have windows kimbutgar Nov 2017 #105