Windows 11 Office 365 Question

[deserteagle71]

Are you actually doing any thing that Libra, or, Free Office, or, Open Office can also do. I don't understand how MS even sells this stuff any more.

Again, its about compatibility. I maintain documents on my laptop in LibreOffice but there are formatting differences that cause problems because Microsoft Office is the default program that everything seems to be geared to. For instance, if I try to print a document created in LibreOffice on either my HP or my Brother printers, there are always formatting problems - spaces that are not in the original document, odd page breaks, etc. In some cases I'll get a message asking if I want to reformat to a Microsoft Office version.

 

[Oaktree]

I've had a copy of Microsoft Office (don't recall which version) on my desktop computer for a few years now. And I've been using Outlook (part of Microsoft Office) for my email. A few months ago I began getting messages that I needed to change from the "old" Outlook to the "new" version. Since I was having no problems with the "old" version I ignored the messages. Then one day when I opened Outlook it told me I had to log in (which I had never had to do before). But despite entering the correct log-in credentials it would not let me in - the log-in screen would immediately reappear. Researching on-line I found this to be a common problem. Turns out the "old" version is "incompatible" with the newest Windows updates. So reluctantly I went ahead and downloaded the "new" Outlook. AND immediately began receiving emails that in fact were ads. When I clicked on the "Delete" button to get rid of the ad I would get a Windows message that they would get rid of the ads for me....for a $4.99 a month subscription! So money is what this is all about. I believe Microsoft deliberately did updates to disable using the old Outlook so people are forced to update to the new version and either put up with ads or pay a monthly subscription.

I have Office 2010 on this computer (Win 10), and have had no Windows compatibility issues. The only part that doesn't work anymore is Outlook. Google changed something a couple years ago, and when they did Outlook wouldn't work with my Gmail account. Some protocol changed, they cited "security" as the reason. Went with some freeware called Thunderbird which works just fine with Gmail.

I've never used Onedrive, and have never had the issue the OP mentioned so I can't comment on that. Maybe it was something I'd turned off a while ago, don't remember.

You might want to check out a utility called Winaerotweaker. It allows you to change settings that MS makes difficult for users to access. Normally, I avoid these programs, but it was recommended by someone whose opinions I trust.

Again, its about compatibility. I maintain documents on my laptop in LibreOffice but there are formatting differences that cause problems because Microsoft Office is the default program that everything seems to be geared to. For instance, if I try to print a document created in LibreOffice on either my HP or my Brother printers, there are always formatting problems - spaces that are not in the original document, odd page breaks, etc. In some cases I'll get a message asking if I want to reformat to a Microsoft Office version.

I'm running that on my laptop, haven't noticed any incompatibilities between it and Office, but I don't use the laptop that much. I'm sure there are some proprietary codes that the freeware coders weren't able to reverse-engineer.

 

[Arky217]

Don't understand why you Windows users put up with this garbage.
Been using Linux 15 years; it was better than Windows 15 years ago.

Today, Linux is so much superior.

Why pay for an inferior product that tells you when and how to operate
your computer, not to mention compromises your privacy and subjects your
computer to malicious malware.

 

[lman]

Don't understand why you Windows users put up with this garbage.
Been using Linux 15 years; it was better than Windows 15 years ago.

Today, Linux is so much superior.

Why pay for an inferior product that tells you when and how to operate
your computer, not to mention compromises your privacy and subjects your
computer to malicious malware.

I have a windows pc but I don't use any of the MS programs. I never have. I use LibreOffice for my documents and Firefox browser.
My computer has never told me when and how to operate it and I've never had a problem with malware or virus.
I haven't gone to Windows 11 yet since my office desktop is not compatible so I've just kept my laptops on 10. I don't know if I want to rebuild another desktop to make it compatible to Windows 11.
We use Android devices to monitor our weather station, dog tracker and other devices so Windows isn't used as much.

 

[Oaktree]

Don't understand why you Windows users put up with this garbage.
Been using Linux 15 years; it was better than Windows 15 years ago.

Today, Linux is so much superior.

Why pay for an inferior product that tells you when and how to operate
your computer, not to mention compromises your privacy and subjects your
computer to malicious malware.

On more than one occasion I've played around with linux, and every time came away with the same conclusion that you get what you pay for. Pretty steep learning curve if you want to do more than surf the web, and I've found that if you have a newbie question, more often than not linux forum members are very condescending.
More trouble than it's worth IMHO. YMMV

 

[duffer]

I also have an older version of Office that I supposedly own vs. an annual subscription. I don't use Office that much anymore, and I will look for an alternative if/when they break it.

I got a renovated "new" PC with win 11 on it recently. My MS Office won't work on it. (it was an "upgrade" only version). Anyway, I installed "Open Office" from Apache, and it is fully compatible with my Word and Excel files. Didn't have to do anything to convert them. There are just a couple of minute changes from Office to Open Office, but pretty intuitive. And the help feature is very good on Open Office.

And it's free.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Also don't use office 365, first, because it's billed yearly, 2nd, you can still buy normal version that you don't have to pay every year. disable one drive. I'm real close to disabling windows all together.

 

[Silvic]

Also don't use office 365, first, because it's billed yearly, 2nd, you can still buy normal version that you don't have to pay every year. disable one drive. I'm real close to disabling windows all together.

Where can you buy the normal version anymore? I agree that office 365 sucks , but the whole subscription model that all these companies are going to suck and are designed to ripoff the consumer,

 

[kenmbz]

Stacksocial sells office install pretty cheap, not the subscription.
I need office unfortunately for some more complex macros and formatting.

 

[Richard]

We are all slowly being assimilated....you WILL (ultimately) comply ...