Microsoft Removing Standalone Office Features to Force Users Towards Office 365

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by itman, Apr 23, 2017.

  1. itman

    itman Registered Member

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    Greedy Microsoft doing what they do best.
    https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...e-features-to-force-users-towards-office-365/
     
  2. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    More blackmail from Microsoft.

    So much for a "perpetual license."
     
  3. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    This is one of the reasons I will never trust Microsoft. They change the terms as they see fit.
     
  4. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Use LibreOffice and stop caring.
     
  5. Antarctica

    Antarctica Registered Member

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    Shareholders wants more money. :(
     
  6. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    I have to say I get tired of people saying that. Libra office might be good, but as a Microsoft Office replacement it doesn't come close.
     
  7. ArchiveX

    ArchiveX Registered Member

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    My opinion, too. :thumb:
     
  8. HAN

    HAN Registered Member

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    For home use, I've found Libre to be all I need. In fact, it's way more!

    However, at the office, that's not my feeling. MS has that one pretty well sewed up...
     
  9. TairikuOkami

    TairikuOkami Registered Member

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    Indeed, we are forced to use OpenOffice at work, but it reads MO documents scrabbled (LO is the same). I edit documents for my boss in WPS, then save it and then OO can read it, simple. :rolleyes:
     
  10. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    $99 a year for 5 users. It is a fraction of the price of buying the license I was previously buying and is always current. I'm more than happy to pay that vs. the $350+ per version for a 1 user license I bought for Office 97/2000/2002/2003/2007/2010/2013. For what I spent on those I could get 25 years of 365. If you don't want to pay for software (not directed at anyone) then don't, but nobody works for free.
     
  11. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    This isn't such a big deal, though.
    Mrk
     
  12. MisterB

    MisterB Registered Member

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    No it isn't a big deal. I would never use either Skype for business or Onedrive. I think the 3 seat license I have for Office 2010 will be fine without them.

    I recently set up MS Office on Android Lollipop for a Remix Mini. It was in the Remix app store free of charge. I had to set up a Microsoft account for it to run and it works just like any other version of Office but I don't trust it at all. It does do local storage but I don't like it being tethered to a cloud account all the time. It has built in offers to upgrade to Office 365 for 7 or 10 Euros a month. No thanks, I prefer perpetual licenses that aren't tied to a cloud account. For those who don't know, a Remix Mini is a low power Arm computer that is similar to a Rasberry Pi but runs Remix OS, a version of Android tweaked to function as a desktop OS. There are also PC versions of Remix OS that can be downloaded and installed on standard PC hardware.
     
  13. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    at least there exist no alternative to MSO. but if some dont need VBA/VBS or other proprietary stuff it is possible to leave.
    KingSoft Office is the only me known which offers VBA ind the paid pro version. me currently got stuck on softmaker office 2012 pro. i started with v2008 because it was the most compatible product for MSO word files here. and it is pretty small, smaller than LO or OO/AO - i dont know how capable those are today.

    office 365 - no sorry, i wont pay a dime for it..
    about the news - it only announce that online activity is revoked.
    Office 2016 EOL is 2025 with extended support -> http://www.allyncs.com/docs/lifecyclesupport.html
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2017
  14. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    The people that try to justify this to themselves are the funniest. Almost like Stockholm syndrome.

    It's a stretch paying for Adobe every year considering how little changes, and now people try to rationalize paying for an 'office suite' every year.

    Meanwhile, all MS needs to do is change the look of a few things every year to give the impression of change and rake in the money.

    Well, whatever floats your boat. Everyone will try to rationalize and justify their purchases as a good idea so I won't argue it.

    It doesn't match, ok. But the idea that "it doesn't come close"? Nonsense. Hyperbole.

    Every update brings it closer and closer.
    There are multiple updates a year.
    The updates are free.
    There's an easy way to report problems and you get a swift response.
     
  15. boredog

    boredog Registered Member

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    I have an business office 2016 that I got from my old job. It has been borked for months now and it was setup through a web site where we were alloed to install it on 5 home computers. I used on lic at work and one for home. I can not remember my login info to go back and get another copy to install fresh.:thumbd:
    Might have to go with something else.
     
  16. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Okay, where in Libra can I go to my contract list and map out a route. Etc. That's just one huge short coming for me.
     
  17. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    Wellalrightythen.
    And as for the other part (not addressed at me) if it comes close where is my Outlook equivalent? That's what I thought. :p
     
  18. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    Free office suites still lack a note-taking client and an e-mail suite.

    People despise Microsoft's in your face business tactics but nothing comes close to MSO.

    People can buy an old version on eBay and get all the functionality of the online suite.

    As for Skype, its a minor inconvenience because people usually have a personal account with it anyway.
     
  19. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    I hate to sound like a fanboy, as I honestly wish there were other options, but...
    If someone feels the older versions provide adequate functionality, by all means keep it, but my reason for moving to 2016 were Outlook (it handles IMAP accounts way better than any older versions) and Word for its ability to edit PDF files. I know older versions of Word can open PDF files, but it is a joke compared to the way 2016 handles them. I don't even need Acrobat.
     
  20. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    Things have changed: I got the volume license for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 off eBay for a ridiculous sum.

    Only two years after it debuted. Microsoft is giving its standalone office suite away practically for free. Why the change?

    I believe its because Microsoft is making the big money through its online Office 365. Yeah, why compete with LibreOffice when their online suite is nowhere as good as Office 365.
     
  21. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    I did the same until the account expired. Then I noticed my university email is still active. Free Office again, hurray!
     
  22. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    Funny. Only Pro Plus has One Drive For Business and Skype for Business. No biggie. Your volume license isn't affected in the meantime and if Microsoft should come out with another standalone office suite - time to buy a new volume license. Which would be cheaper than subscribing to Office 365.

    And the rest of it should still run (plus you still have Windows One Drive and Windows Skype still installed) no matter what cloud access Microsoft might revoke after 2020.
     
  23. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    I am not sure how this at all relates to what I saido_O?
     
  24. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

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    You may not trust Microsoft but you can still run Office after 2020.
     
  25. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Yep. I am still running Office 2010 and I don't see any reason to change. Security isn't a problem for me.
     
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