ChatterBank5 mins ago
Microsoft Office/word Problem
12 Answers
A couple of months ago I bought a new laptop and Microsoft Office, which I downloaded onto it as per instructions. Now when I try to access Word documents, or write a new one I get a message saying "unable to verify subscription" and nearly all the functions of Word have been turned off, so docs are 'read only'; and at the top it says 'unlicensed'. What on earth is happening? So frustrating!
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New Windows computers (whether they be desktop or laptops) are normally sold without any version of Microsoft Office on them. (There was a period when Microsoft provided a 'Starter' version of Microsoft Office programs with some versions of Windows but, to the best of my knowledge, that no longer happens).
So you have to pay to get Microsoft Office. To muddy the waters further though, Microsoft have switched their business model so that, instead of actually buying Microsoft Office as a one-off purchase, users are now encouraged to subscribe to 'Microsoft Office 365' for £59.99 per year (or £5.99 per month) if they're only using it on one computer.
From what you've written, I strongly suspect that you accepted a free trial of Microsoft Office 365, with the trial period now having expired. (That's why you're seeing 'unable to verify subscription').
You can actually still buy Microsoft Office as a one-off purchase (even though Microsoft don't actually go out of their way to promote it) but it will cost you £119.99
http://
The solution, of course, is to ditch Microsoft Office altogether and switch to a compatible freebie. There are three main contenders, all of which are excellent products. LibreOffice and Kingsoft Office Free are both well worth considering but by far the most popular alternative to Microsoft Office is the wonderful OpenOffice:
https:/
If you download and install OpenOffice you'll be able to do everything that you can with Microsoft Office and (possibly unless you want to open and edit incredibly complex files that someone has created with Microsoft Office) you'll find it fully compatible with all Microsoft Office formats.
A useful hint though:
By default, OpenOffice saves files into its own format, rather than using a Microsoft format. You can change that by remembering to use 'Save As' (and then choosing a Microsoft format), instead of 'Save', whenever you save a document but it's far better to change the default setting so that OpenOffice automatically uses Microsoft formats (so that people whom you might email files to can open them with Microsoft Word). The instructions are under 'Default file formats' here:
https:/
So you have to pay to get Microsoft Office. To muddy the waters further though, Microsoft have switched their business model so that, instead of actually buying Microsoft Office as a one-off purchase, users are now encouraged to subscribe to 'Microsoft Office 365' for £59.99 per year (or £5.99 per month) if they're only using it on one computer.
From what you've written, I strongly suspect that you accepted a free trial of Microsoft Office 365, with the trial period now having expired. (That's why you're seeing 'unable to verify subscription').
You can actually still buy Microsoft Office as a one-off purchase (even though Microsoft don't actually go out of their way to promote it) but it will cost you £119.99
http://
The solution, of course, is to ditch Microsoft Office altogether and switch to a compatible freebie. There are three main contenders, all of which are excellent products. LibreOffice and Kingsoft Office Free are both well worth considering but by far the most popular alternative to Microsoft Office is the wonderful OpenOffice:
https:/
If you download and install OpenOffice you'll be able to do everything that you can with Microsoft Office and (possibly unless you want to open and edit incredibly complex files that someone has created with Microsoft Office) you'll find it fully compatible with all Microsoft Office formats.
A useful hint though:
By default, OpenOffice saves files into its own format, rather than using a Microsoft format. You can change that by remembering to use 'Save As' (and then choosing a Microsoft format), instead of 'Save', whenever you save a document but it's far better to change the default setting so that OpenOffice automatically uses Microsoft formats (so that people whom you might email files to can open them with Microsoft Word). The instructions are under 'Default file formats' here:
https:/
Hi Tuvok, thanks for the response. Def not a trial version of Microsoft Office - it was £40 when bought with the laptop (Also stupid me thought that it would be permanently on my laptop, not just a *** year's subscription!) I already had OpenOffice on my laptop, which works absolutely fine, but often people say they can't open attachments written with it, and I needed Word so all recipients of a new newsletter I'm responsible for can open them. Methinks it's back to Currys (again)
The file format you need for word processor documents (created with OpenOffice Writer) is 'Microsoft Word 2000/97/XP (.doc)'.
For spreadsheets, created in OpenOffice Calc, use 'Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (.xls)'. You could also use 'Microsoft Excel 2003 XML (.xml) ' but the.xls format will enable people using old versions of Microsoft Office to open your files.
For presentations, created in OpenOffice Impress, use 'Microsoft PowerPoint 97/2000/XP (.ppt)'.
If you're using OpenOffice Draw, there's no Microsoft compatible format available from the 'Save' menu but, by choosing 'Export' instead, you can choose to use jpeg (or other graphics formats) for your masterpiece.
For spreadsheets, created in OpenOffice Calc, use 'Microsoft Excel 97/2000/XP (.xls)'. You could also use 'Microsoft Excel 2003 XML (.xml) ' but the.xls format will enable people using old versions of Microsoft Office to open your files.
For presentations, created in OpenOffice Impress, use 'Microsoft PowerPoint 97/2000/XP (.ppt)'.
If you're using OpenOffice Draw, there's no Microsoft compatible format available from the 'Save' menu but, by choosing 'Export' instead, you can choose to use jpeg (or other graphics formats) for your masterpiece.
Many thanks, Buen (and you've helped me before) Had a little trial, and saved a letter I'd written in OpenOffice (.odt) as .doc. But then when I tried to open it (this is a different laptop than the one I mentioned earlier, and does not have Word on it though you can see a 'read-only' version) and the read-only version I saw was fully pilcrowed - though of course I had not saved it like that! Anyhoo, I'm going back to Currys, as I'm severely miffed at spending £40 on something that has not been 'a year's subscription'.
I had a similar experience a while ago I purchased the latest Office at a preferential rate as I work for large employer that uses office a few months later I had to reinstall my PC as it needed a new hard drive and when I tried to install Office it stated I had to pay all over again --- I haven't used it since Open Office is best for me --- let us know how you get on
OpenOffice can open all and edit any Microsoft Word document, both in .doc and .docx formats.
I use OpenOffice and I send and receive reports and documents to the company that I contract for (who are using a recent version of Microsoft Word). They've never had a problem opening my documents and I've never had a problem with theirs either. (It would be unusual for either of us to need to edit the other's documents but I've just tried a random one, sent to me in .docx format, and it's fully editable).
I use OpenOffice and I send and receive reports and documents to the company that I contract for (who are using a recent version of Microsoft Word). They've never had a problem opening my documents and I've never had a problem with theirs either. (It would be unusual for either of us to need to edit the other's documents but I've just tried a random one, sent to me in .docx format, and it's fully editable).
>>>and I needed Word so all recipients of a new newsletter I'm responsible for can open them.
You don't need to send out documents in Word format.
Just convert them to pdf format (easy to do) then send them out and anyone can ready them by using Adobe Reader which is free.
In fact this is better because as a pdf file people cant edit them or change them, they are viewed as you sent it out.
You don't need to send out documents in Word format.
Just convert them to pdf format (easy to do) then send them out and anyone can ready them by using Adobe Reader which is free.
In fact this is better because as a pdf file people cant edit them or change them, they are viewed as you sent it out.
As VHG says, pdf is probably the best format to use for a newsletter.
OpenOffice Writer can export directly to pdf:
https:/
However I'm at a loss as why anyone would actually want to have Adobe Reader on their computer! It's clunky, cumbersome and presents certain security risks. (It can also take an age to open large pdf files, which other readers can open instantly).
The most popular alternative is Foxit:
https:/
although I'm a great fan of Sumatra PDF:
http://
However almost every computer in office (or 'home office') use has got at least one suitable program on it, so pdf might indeed be your best way forward.
OpenOffice Writer can export directly to pdf:
https:/
However I'm at a loss as why anyone would actually want to have Adobe Reader on their computer! It's clunky, cumbersome and presents certain security risks. (It can also take an age to open large pdf files, which other readers can open instantly).
The most popular alternative is Foxit:
https:/
although I'm a great fan of Sumatra PDF:
http://
However almost every computer in office (or 'home office') use has got at least one suitable program on it, so pdf might indeed be your best way forward.
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