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Which 'office' software is best?


Sha

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I have been using an old version of office but this last year have been getting problems.

I keep getting pop ups from Microsoft asking if I want to upgrade to Microsoft 10, I just close the box but not long after my computer shuts down completely and I have to reset everything and re download windows, my printer, office, etc.

I'm sure it's linked to the Microsoft message as it's happened too often to be a coincidence. I think it's a way to get people to upgrade and think it will just keep on happening until I do!

Just after I get everything up and running again I'm inundated with messages offering a free trial for Office 365 (or 356 whatever).

I would rather buy one that I could pay outright for rather than a continual subscription. Also I need to be able to use it without being connected to the internet.

 

I've got a few questions if anyone would help.

I was thinking of having the free trial of Office 365 whilst I decide which one to buy but if I agree to the free trial will this be like AOL, something that I could never properly wipe off my computer?

Someone suggested 'Home and Student' - (the one that can be bought and used forever).

Any suggestions?

  

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Why buy Microsoft Office ?

 

Libre Office and Open Office will do anything Microsoft Office will do and is Open Source so you have no need to spend money !

It will open and save in Microsofts various formats so there are no compatibility issues.

I understand some government departments have changed over as have some enlightened local councils as part of their cost reduction exercises.

 

Those using Linux based operating systems (instead of Windows) have had this software for years so there is nothing new or untried in them,

 

Another option worth trying if internet access is not a problem is the various Google options such as Docs, Sheet etc this gives

even more flexibilty (again with MS compatibilty) as apart from being available on your PC or Mac you can find them on your Tablet or Mobile Phone.

 

Regarding the question on Windows 10.

I have been running the Preview Version since last November with no problems on releases since about February this year.   

We upgraded the PC along with another with the final version on its release. Neither of these PCs are latest spec offerings.  Two laptops also upgraded a 10 year old Dell and a reasonably new Acer none have presented any problems.

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Sha re: Windows 10 I have NOT upgraded and I simply ignored all the reminders that popped up saying I could upgrade for free and ingnoring it has NOT caused any issues with my PC.

I am still running Windows 7 but my reason for not wanting to upgrade is that I know my website design software and a few other things I have wont run on Windows 10, nor were they compatable with Windows 8 (the reason why I trawled the shops looking for a system that still had Windows 7 a few years ago)

We use Microsoft 365 but only because we got a deal on it when we bought out two computers but we do have to pay every year to renew the licence.  It's about £70 per year so quite expensive but we have 3 computers in the house and the license covers up to 5 installations.   

I much preferred Office 2007 though which we had used for many years but unfortunately we didn't have a disk to re-install on our 3 new machines when we got them.  Maybe there are copies available to buy on ebay   

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to get rid of that annoying pop up us ethe method that somebody put on here a while back when i had a similar problem with it.

 

1 open control panel.

 

2 go to programmes and features.

 

3 select view installed updates.

 

4 find the windows update section and search it for udate 3035583

 

5 select the updtae and uninstall. once restarted the windows ten pop up should be gone.

 

to stop it installing again select the option to install updates manually and make a note not to install that particular update if it does appear again hide it in the updates menu.

 

as for office i use 2007 and have done for years. runs fine on windows 7 and never had a problem with it. (if you know somebody that knows somebody who can lay their hands of an "official copy" of 2007 then it might be worth having a word.) nudge nudge wink wink. not that i would advocate pirating it or anything so dodgy. 8) :cool:

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I'm using windows 10 and love it. It has never crashed and runs so much faster than the windows 7 and 8 it replaced.

 

As for office, I subscribe to office 365. £75 a year and it allows me to install it onto 5 machines and so my son has it and I have it on my ipad, Mac Book air and laptop as well as my main computer. Free updates throughout the year automatically installs when required

 

I was always the one who tried to get away from buying the latest software and trying to make do, but sometimes you just have to spend a bit of money and invest

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Well i don't like windows ten because it totally locked up my laptop after just three days. luckily i hd a boot disk to start it up in windows and then uninstalled it. pointless for my laptop as well as i do not have a touch screen one ditto the desktop. I also prefer to be able to choose what updates i install as well which is not an option on windows ten.

 

In fact quite happy with what i have it does what i need it to do and when i need it to do it.

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Except when you don't install the update that allows someone access to your computer Sid

 

I am always of the opinion that there are far cleverer people out there than me who decide what updates I need. Most software companies will only support operating systems for a certain length of time after they are upgraded plus some anti-virus programmes (proper ones not the free ones off the internet) base their updates on the updates added by Microsoft etc. so if your updates from MS are not fully up to date, an anti-virus update may not fully install or be guaranteed to work.

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access to my computer will be a waste of their resources as i don't do internet banking or have any personal details on it. well apart from dominoe fixtures an dthe bowls results for our team for the current season.

 

all picture files are backed up to the external drive when they are put on the main drive and to the spare backup drive once a week if required.

 

from complete format to up and running with all my software installed again takes about three hours (i know have had to do that a couple of times when running xp)

 

and for the conspiracy theorists most of the security software updates are to let microsoft know who is running what and if any are non legal versions or cracked versions of their software as well as your browsing habits so that yopu can be targetted by ads and cold callers. 8) :cool: :lol:

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I was speaking to a technician from PC World while he was helping me get my laptop back into working order, and he suggested waiting until March or April of next year before upgrading to Windows 10. After spending all day yesterday trying to get things working again I think I'll take his advice!

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Maybe Baz is just testing them so he can find as many faults as possible and report back to you at a later date Lt K :lol:

PS nice to see you back on here, have you been to the future and come back for good now ?  Any idea when macs will come down in price so I can get one too 8)

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I can't believe Baz has so many apple devices, he's slagged them off your years on here :lol:

 

Welcome to the future Baz 8)

 

Kije... I have to say that although they look nice, and have their place for things like PJ's photo editing and stuff, they are massively over priced for what they are and as has been shown recently (and despite your bragging to the contrary) They can be affected by viruses 

 

I have an iPhone that the company pays for, an ipad that the wife bought me as a present and a macbook air which cost me next to nothing so I wasn't about to turn that down considering they cost over a grand!!

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Kije... I have to say that although they look nice, and have their place for things like PJ's photo editing and stuff, they are massively over priced for what they are and as has been shown recently (and despite your bragging to the contrary) They can be affected by viruses 

 

I have an iPhone that the company pays for, an ipad that the wife bought me as a present and a macbook air which cost me next to nothing so I wasn't about to turn that down considering they cost over a grand!!

I wonder , do you apply the same principals when buying other items such as cars or your home etc.?  For example any car is designed to get you from a to b but some people like the looks, performance and safety that comes with higher spec expensive vehicles.  Their choice and if they can afford it who am I to criticise them. :wink:  What I will say is that I own a PC, a high spec lap top (both Windows) and a Mac.  I very rarely, if ever, use anything but the Mac.  It is good.  I use Office 365 on each of them

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Baz,

 

I bought my Daughter a Mac first, when I kept having to take here PC to the shop, MSN messenger was all the rage then, but the bloody thing blew holes in any anti virus soft where, so after many trips to get the hard drive cleaned at £50.00 a go, I bought her a second hand Mac laptop, off the back of that when I updated I went to an IMac, yes they are over priced, but I think you will agree they are a lot more stable. They just work

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