MS Software Advise

[Ed in Tampa]

I use Libre Office and Open Office
Both are FREE to download and free to use.
YES to can open any MS Office file.
You can save back MS file if you have too.

I totally agree. Forget about Microsoft and all their license restrictions and aggravation getting it to run. Simply download LibreOffice and use it. It is free and you avoid all the pitfalls of Microsoft licensing.

I am no expert on LibreOffice or the other alternatives to MSOffice but fact is you get what you pay for. I tried a few of these freebe's and they worked 95% of the time. But that 5% was important to me. They have limitations, lack features, and simply can't do what Office users often require.

If you are reading or writing a simple document they work 100% but try using them to write a book or a college level reach paper that requires unique formatting styles. The other components like spreadsheets are also fine but they have limitations also.

I was not impressed and I removed the free stuff from my machine. While I'm not crazy about MSOffice I prefer WordPerfect. I do believe you get what you paid for with MSOffice.

[rjent]

I switched to Open Office many years ago and never looked back. I used Office in a corprorate environment (my own companies) and got tired of the MS BS of constantly obsoleting products and the expense of licensing. Open Office works just as well, yes there are differences, but they are subtle differences and very learn-able. After all, it is just Spreadsheet work and Word processing, not rocket science. Try Open Office, I think you will like it.

My software development dept did a lot of Office automation processes from our relational databases in the Visual Studio suite of developer tools. Since Open Office reads and writes MS BS, we never had a problem exchanging data between platforms.

As always, JMHO

[garys]

Microsoft is slowly figuring out how to handle open document formats in their software. Eventually they will get there as the free software has already done. Microsoft seems to run a few years behind the open source software.

[JPG]

As for 'me', I prefer plain old unformated text files. What you see/create is what you will always get. No hidden funkiness.

However it is not as 'pretty' and versatile as the fancy proprietary stuff.

Good for simply communicating 'data'.

PDF works for the fancy stuff !!!!!!

[garys]

As for 'me', I prefer plain old unformated text files. What you see/create is what you will always get. No hidden funkiness.

However it is not as 'pretty' and versatile as the fancy proprietary stuff.

Good for simply communicating 'data'.

PDF works for the fancy stuff !!!!!!

A lot of truth there. I seldom need anything fancier than a text document, and they are readable on anything that can read a digital file.

PDF is a standardized format that does the fancy stuff nicer than the bloated word processors, and the word processors struggle with file formats they don't recognize. Even the new MS Word fails to work right with the older Word files. So far, text and PDF dom't have that problem.

[roy_okc]

I've been using MS Office 2000 and decided to upgrade to 2013 and purchased this on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/282228277158 which states the following:

License Version Full Version
License Category Standard
License Quantity 1 PC/s
Package Type License Only
Package Quantity 1 Product
Distribution Media Download, Product Key Card
________________________________________

The seller goes on to state that this if for 2 PCs but his/her reply indicates it is for infinity PCs.

Following is an interchange from the seller with Q (me) and A (seller)
My research indicates that what he/she says is total BS and is a scam. Nowhere can I find that what I have been told works.

Please read this and give me your expert opinion. I have found that SS users have experts in every field - and many in IT.


Q- I just purchased MS Office Pro 2013. You offer help in installation. What is involved other than downloading the program and activating it with the product key?
_____________________________________


Q - Is the process any different when loading it on a second computer?

A - Rhis was supposed to be only for activation but i will install office and activate it

Q -I don't understand what you wrote. What is Rhis? How are you going to install office on my computers? If it is a complicated process I will need to cancel the order. Do not mail it until I clearly understand.

A - Sorry for my mispelling i will remotley install office 2013 fully activated and will leave all the files for you to use in other computers

Q - I don't know why you need to install this remotely. Your posting says the distribution media is "Download, Product Key Card". The way that is supposed to work is I get the product key and then download and activate using that key. It also states that this is for 1 pc although you state it is for 2. I'm not an IT guy so there is a lot you know about the process that I don't. Please explain why you need to install remotely and how that works. Sorry to bug you I just want some clarification. I note you have 100% satisfaction so you must be doing it right. (Note: only 2 reviews)

A - Yes i am sorry for this the activator program will let you activate Microsoft office 2013 on multiple pcs. The only you need to do is download the trial version of Microsoft Offcie 2013 and use the activator program

Q - I can get a 60 or 90 day trial version at no cost. Then if I want to keep using it I have to buy it. How is what you are selling different from this?

A - After u install the trial verison the activator will activate the full version of office and will be there forever.

Q - So far I have found that the Activator will only activate this for 60-90 days depending on where I download it. I can find nothing that says the activator is "forever'. If you have something to support this send it to me. Otherwise I need to research this more. DO NOT MAIL as I stated before. I will determine if this is something that is legitimate and I want it.

So far no reply to the last question.

DB5, the vast majority of software sold on ebay is a scam. Under no circumstances let the person in to "activate" or do anything else; you may well end up with malware or even ransomware. I would try to see if you can get your money back through ebay or paypal.

[db5]

I'm convinced this was a scam. After my last message to the seller eBay notified me that the seller had cancelled "out of stock". There seems to be no way you can report these scams to eBay. I don't think they want to know.

[Ed in Tampa]

Once again I repeat you get what you pay for. If something is being offered at an unbelievable price it is probably stolen, a scam, or some other way wrong.

Scammers work on our greed and desire to get something we really didn't pay for.

DO NOT FALL FOR THEIR SCHEME! And if you do don't compound the problem by telling everyone on the forum that you got taken!

To those that don't like MS office. When you get something done in MS office send it back to the sender and tell them you can not read it. That is exactly how MS office became the standard.

WordPerfect was on the scene and was very excellent but MicronSoft gave away word for free and everyone started using it. Instead of fighting for what was right everyone just got word. Now word charges an arm and a leg and people either buy it or fall for the same ploy all over again using stuff they don't have to pay for today but tomorrow will pay through their teeth.

[reible]

I personally never liked wordperfect but for those that do you can still get it but in a new offering. I've seen it at Sams Club for $60 I thought. Current version is X8, and the link here has it for a lot more $$ so perhaps I missed a digit or two on the price.

http://www.wordperfect.com/en/product/o ... AieT8P8HAQ

I have no idea what it is like now, we at work went with Office sometime back in the mid 1980's and that is the last time I ever tried it.

When I retired I lost access to Office update/upgrades so while I still have a copy of 2000 on one of my machines I don't use it anymore. The free suites work fine but of course the free costs drives that. I simply don't want to afford Office anymore especially since I found I don't need it.

The other thing I wanted to mention is that a version of Office is free on android, don't know if there is an ios version....

I think it is also stripped down but I haven't played with it. Big point is that it is free. Working on a tablet or phone for these sort of tasks in not something I do. But if that is how you want to work you are all set for free.

Ed

[jsburger]

I personally never liked wordperfect but for those that do you can still get it but in a new offering. I've seen it at Sams Club for $60 I thought. Current version is X8, and the link here has it for a lot more $$ so perhaps I missed a digit or two on the price.

http://www.wordperfect.com/en/product/o ... AieT8P8HAQ

I have no idea what it is like now, we at work went with Office sometime back in the mid 1980's and that is the last time I ever tried it.

When I retired I lost access to Office update/upgrades so while I still have a copy of 2000 on one of my machines I don't use it anymore. The free suites work fine but of course the free costs drives that. I simply don't want to afford Office anymore especially since I found I don't need it.

The other thing I wanted to mention is that a version of Office is free on android, don't know if there is an ios version....

I think it is also stripped down but I haven't played with it. Big point is that it is free. Working on a tablet or phone for these sort of tasks in not something I do. But if that is how you want to work you are all set for free.

Ed

I have never really used Wordperfest although I played with it years ago. Working for the Government for most of my life it was always Office. We have two registered copies of Office 2010 that my wife and I got through the Government purchase program for $10 each before we retired in 2012. I really don't use it except the picture viewer/editor. It is very easy to crop and resize pictures to post here. Of course it is also nice to have if you need to open an MS Office file. I use Open Office for my personal finance spread sheet.