Office..........for life

AubreyMac

I got a new laptop.


Previously I've had my desktop which lasted about 9 years, it ran on vista. I kept it until it totally died as my computer/internet usage is minimal so it wasn't worth me getting a new one until I really had to, and now is the time.


My new laptop only has a Office 365 trial. I've looked into buying it but the options are for 1/3/5/10 devices for a year. Now what happen to buying it once and it lasting forever (or at least until you're ready to keep with the times)?


If I buy office for a year, what happens after the year? does it just stop?


My desktop had office 2010 I think and it didn't ask me to re-buy each year.

wongataa

You can still but perpetual licences of MS Office. Office 2016 is the current version. If there is a year designation it is a perpetual licence. Office 365 is the subscription version.

NineDeuce

Office 2016 and Office 365 are two different things.

Office 365 is a subscription and when that ends, it ends.

Buying Office 2016 is what you want to have a permanent version.

Microsoft try and sell 365 to make more money by saying you get 'all the updates when you need them' but how great can that really be?

JJ_Egan

Consider .
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/262-5966403-3088235?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=+Microsoft+Office+2016+Professional+Plus+for+Windows+PC+

Neil_Jones

Office 365 is a rolling subscription model, as the updates and new features get pushed to it first - plus you'd get a free upgrade to the next version when it comes out. so if you bought the subscription to Office 2013 for example - you could upgrade that at no extra charge to 2016. that and the ability to load it on up to five computers at a time.

When your licence runs out you can view but not save new changes to your documents.

Compare to the one-off purchase you don't get the upgrade option and MS's site suggests you don't get new features either. You'd probably get the security updates through Windows Update but beyond that, that's it, the program is static and it is what it is.

dunroving

It's the way technology is going these days - definitely not "money saving"!

When you consider technology like cars, washing machines, toilets, etc., "modern technology" has built-in obsolescence.

Office 365 is a gimmick that allows MS to make it appear that you "need" to renew or change things. Most software doesn't need all the upgrades that are forced on us (e.g., how often does a typical person compose a Word document that needs more than commas, tabs, headers, etc.?)

Debbie_Savard

OP's options are -

1) Install an open-source ('free') office suite that will do the basics and is somewhat compatible with MS Office
2) Purchase a perpetually licensed version of MS Office 2016, inc. considering the super-cheap versions on Amazon which are corporate licenses being sold off
3) Subscribe to Office 365, which includes rights to d/l Office 2016 on up to 5 devices per sub.

DoaM

You forgot ...

4) See if your company is signed up to the Home Use Program, whereby you can get Office 2016 Professional Plus for £9.95.

I got Office 2013 a couple of years ago using HUP.

dunroving

DoaM wrote: »

You forgot ...

4) See if your company is signed up to the Home Use Program, whereby you can get Office 2016 Professional Plus for £9.95.

I got Office 2013 a couple of years ago using HUP.

Out of interest, if you leave their employment, are you expected to uninstall it?

DELLBOY_2

download open office its free forever

DigForVictory

Having not quite student sons, I've got one PC with a full & licensed copy (I think in perpetuity or until he totals the hard disk). Not sure how that works if he does need to replace the disk.
Still, more sons, so issue sort-of moot.