Free Microsoft Office alternative

bertiewhite

unforeseen wrote: »

Why not use their existing Office on the new machine?

This ^^^^^

How was it installed on the original machine? I'm sure the license will cover you re-installing it on another machine. I got MS Office through work for £10 and it was downloaded - I'm sure I can re-install it in the future if necessary.

unforeseen

If it complains about the licence, a quick call to MS on an 0800 number soon fixes that.

StockportGerbil

bertiewhite wrote: »

This ^^^^^

How was it installed on the original machine? I'm sure the license will cover you re-installing it on another machine. I got MS Office through work for £10 and it was downloaded - I'm sure I can re-install it in the future if necessary.

In answer to the question Microsoft are stopping providing security fixes for Office 2007 and already have done for 2003. So I think something newer is called for. (See https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/3198497/office-2007-approaching-end-of-extended-support)

Thanks for the interest though.

Frozen_up_north

Undervalued wrote: »

This crops up regularly!

Yes, Libra office etc are fine if you only create your own documents or have only the most basic requirements.

However if you need to be able to interact with other people using the genuine Microsoft Office, particularly with more complex documents / templates etc it is hopeless.

Libre Office (and Open Office, it’s predecessor) use the Government mandated open document format for maximum compatibility. Incidentally, try using pivoting tables on Libre Office Calc, then try the same on Microsoft Excel...

The OP wasn’t looking for a company wide solution, just a free home use solution, every one of my retired friends use Libre Office... nothing wrong with it, unless you are a Microsoft reseller.

unforeseen

StockportGerbil wrote: »

In answer to the question Microsoft are stopping providing security fixes for Office 2007 and already have done for 2003. So I think something newer is called for. (See https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/3198497/office-2007-approaching-end-of-extended-support)

Thanks for the interest though.

And stopped support for Vista (apart from extended support to businesses) in 2012.
Don't want to run a word processor without support but runs an OS for 5 years without it.

unforeseen

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

Libre Office (and Open Office, it’s predecessor) .............. nothing wrong with it, unless you are a Microsoft reseller.

Or you only want to do things that built in Wordpad is capable of

wongataa

StockportGerbil wrote: »

I thought that's only for a years licence? What happens after the year? Thanks

Office with a specified year, such as Office 2016, is a perpetual licence and you don't get updates to the software. Office 365 is a subscription licence and you always have the latest version as long as you keep paying.

alanq

Does it matter that LibreOffice is slow to load if it is only going to be used as described?

"They write the odd letter possibly look at the odd spreadsheet / presentation,...".

Have you considered Microsoft's free Office Online? It may be acceptable for limited use.
https://products.office.com/en-gb/office-online/documents-spreadsheets-presentations-office-online

StockportGerbil

unforeseen wrote: »

And stopped support for Vista (apart from extended support to businesses) in 2012.
Don't want to run a word processor without support but runs an OS for 5 years without it.

Fair point about Vista, but I want to at least start with a supported platform! :-)

A.Penny.Saved

Stick the OS on a SSD and Libre Office should start pretty quickly. I have tried MS Office and disliked it, it choked on some spreadsheets that Libre opened without a problem. I have an intense dislike for the new interface.

Libre Office is updated fairly regularly unlike Open Office.