Software

[montypython]

hi anyone know how to get microsoft office for free or have an activation key

[klazomaniac]

I can recommend 'Apache open office' which is freeware.

[youngmafbog]

You are aware that would be stealing?

If you must do it perhaps dont advertise the fact on a public website, in fact I think this could put AB in an awkward position.

[Buenchico]

Any free version of Microsoft Office is likely to be packed with loads of malware. So, as well as getting an illegal download, you're likely to end up with all sorts of nasties on your computer too.

There are plenty of freebies that are just as good, if not better than, Microsoft Office anyway . . .

Apache OpenOffice is one such alternative, that's used by many millions of people worldwide
https://www.openoffice.org/
but it's possibly getting a little long in the tooth these days.

LibreOffice has been spun off from OpenOffice though and is bang up to date:
https://www.libreoffice.org/

SoftMaker FreeOffice is less well-known but it's still cracking good software:
https://www.freeoffice.com/en/

[I've got all three of the above on my computer]

Another freebie, that consistently gets good reviews in the technical press, is WPS Office:
https://www.wps.com/

With so many high-quality freebies available, there's no need to use Microsoft Office at all.

[barry1010]

Libre Office is free and compatible with Microsoft Office documents and spreadsheets, no need to steal anything

[fourteen85]

Is there an alternative to Outlook included in these free versions please?

[Buenchico]

^^^ The free office suites above don't come with email clients but Thunderbird is just as good as, if not better than, Microsoft Outlook anyway:
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-GB/

[fourteen85]

Thanks once again Chris

[ToraToraTora]

FGS it's less that £60 a year for MS everything! Bargain! I have the latest office, onedrive, all automatic, all guaranteed. Talk about false economy!

[fourteen85]

TTT, ok thanks for that, if you would like to put your card details on here i will renew when it becomes due, cheers

[Buenchico]

TTT:
Microsoft is, and always has been, an appalling software company. (Their success has come about through their marketing skills, not through their software development). We're effectively forced to use their operating systems, simply because Linux still isn't quite as user-friendly for 'the man in the street' and because Microsoft apply pressure to the manufacturers of printers, etc, not to include Linux drivers in their packages. However actually paying to use their frequently inferior products is just plain daft!

Microsoft is staffed by developers who can only justify their existence, and thus keep their jobs, if they keep making 'improvements' to Microsoft products. However many (most?) of those 'improvements' are really backward steps, that actually make their software far less intuitive to use. The developers who voluntarily work on software such as LibreOffice and Thunderbird, on the other hand, stick to what they understand that the users of their software actually want to see.

[ToraToraTora]

chico, I'm no fan either but I use office and I like it. I like the auto cloud back up. I think it's a bargain for what I pay. In my experience trying to get some knock off ends up more expensive in the long run.