Cheapest Way to get MS Office?

macman

Unless you are using obscure functions in Excel or Word (some macros, for example), then Libre Office is completely compatible. You just need to set it to save in .docx or .xlsx by default, rather than in the Libre default format.
The user interface is somewhat clunkier than Office though. Why not try it first and see? It'll cost you nothing.

Langtang

Thanks to everyone for their responses, and the links that people gave me. They've raised a question (or two).

I may be completely out of the loop on how software is distributed, or I'm reading the info on the links incorrectly. The prices on those links are only for activation keys, and not the software?

If you buy the key, you've got no software to activate & If you've got the software, you'd automatically have the key, no?

If I've got office 2019 on HUP, and I want to upgrade to Office 2021 then I'd have to buy the software, to which I'd also get a key but If I bought an Office 21 key, I'd have no office 21 software to activate...

Unless If I have Office 2019 on HUP, can I use one of these keys to change it from HUP to personal ownership without having to uninstall/install new software?

Phew... it's 06:00, I'm just off a nightshift. Apologies if this doesn't make sense....

Moss5

JGB1955 said:

I have always gone for a slightly older version - e.g. Microsoft Office 2016 rather than 2019,  currently available for £17.84 from Microsoft Office 2016 Professional Plus (mssoftware.co.uk).  No problems whatsoever.

Be warned, this software must be activated within 7-days of delivery.
I ordered a laptop from John Lewis with a 5-day delivery and paid for the software on the same day.
Now hoping there is no delay in receipt of the laptop.

Jon_01

Langtang said:

Thanks to everyone for their responses, and the links that people gave me. They've raised a question (or two).


If you buy the key, you've got no software to activate & If you've got the software, you'd automatically have the key, no?



Phew... it's 06:00, I'm just off a nightshift. Apologies if this doesn't make sense....

When you buy a key it's supplied with a link to MS to download the iso (around 2gb for Office 2019).

J_B

CoastingHatbox said:

The keys that are sold on ebay etc. are OEM keys which are licensed to a piece of hardware rather than an individual.

They may work, and they might not be illegal in the context of criminal law, but using them breaches Microsoft's End User License Agreement.

I've bought two keys for a 'lifetime 365 five user subscription' on Ebay

Neither cost much over a fiver

Both are set to receive MS updates which they do just fine - if I was breaking the MS license then surely, they wouldn't update them and would cut them off???

dogmaryxx

I've bought two keys for a 'lifetime 365 five user subscription' on Ebay

          Not possible--- no such version exists.

CoastingHatbox

J_B said:

CoastingHatbox said:

The keys that are sold on ebay etc. are OEM keys which are licensed to a piece of hardware rather than an individual.

They may work, and they might not be illegal in the context of criminal law, but using them breaches Microsoft's End User License Agreement.

I've bought two keys for a 'lifetime 365 five user subscription' on Ebay

Neither cost much over a fiver

Both are set to receive MS updates which they do just fine - if I was breaking the MS license then surely, they wouldn't update them and would cut them off???

Microsoft don't know whether the license key is being used legitimately by the OEM user or by someone who has subsequently obtained the key. So updates will work, unless of course the key is distributed multiple times.

A relative of mine "borrowed" another relatives Microsoft Windows license key. I went to reinstall Windows on the latter relatives PC and found, subsequently, it wouldn't activate. I believe the a key (excepting volume license keys) are capped at 10 or some other arbitrary number of activations. You can usually still activate a key over the phone, and I've had to do this where I've obtained 'second hand' keys before.

It's not something I do these days, however, as I'm more inclined to use free and open source software.

molerat

dogmaryxx said:

I've bought two keys for a 'lifetime 365 five user subscription' on Ebay

          Not possible--- no such version exists.

Likely this https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/1136447534

Microsoft Office 365 Pro Plus 2019 Lifetime Licenses for 5 Users and 5x5tb Cloud

A bit of keyword abuse in the listing title to get hits

jamesd

J_B said:

I've bought two keys for a 'lifetime 365 five user subscription' on Ebay

Neither cost much over a fiver

Both are set to receive MS updates which they do just fine - if I was breaking the MS license then surely, they wouldn't update them and would cut them off???

Two keys or two accounts? The common factor seems to be selling accounts on academic or business versions instead of keys, with limitations in part described here. However they are doing it, there's no such thing as a real Office 365lifetime subscription because Microsoft doesn't sell one. But academic or business licences last as long as there's a business around to say they are there and authenticate your account as one of theirs. Except that you don't really have a relationship to the business or academic institution so it's not genuine.

Lifetime licenses for non-365 Microsoft Office are fine, at least potentially, because those products don't expire until operating system changes break them.

Many people will find that the open source alternatives to Microsoft Office are fine for them. Not all and not 100% compatible with the MS product but things like Google Sheets are pretty good for cross-platform access from anywhere on any device access. 

TELLIT01

Just carry on using the HUP version you have installed.  I never even considered that it may no longer be 'legit' when I retired.  The problem only arose when my old computer died and I couldn't get the key to unlock because I no longer have a work e-mail address for the key to be sent to.