Computer question
 

I've got a computer question for the experts. I recently bought a new Dell workstation. It came pre-loaded with Microsoft 365. I didn't realize Office came with a montly fee. My old computer had Microsoft Office 2013, which I bought outright.

I don't like monthly subscriptions. I checked Amazon, and I find there is a one-Time purchase of Microsoft Home and Business 2024 for $140. I read some reviews about the one-time purchase, and it appears that if you have computer issues and have to re-load your computer, you have to buy it again.

When I go to Google shopping, I see various companies selling a digital license for Microsoft Office for one-time activation for under $100. There are some companies selling digital licenses very cheap ($25). I've read some reviews, some say it works fine but others have run into installation issues and lost their money.

There also appear to be a number of Office type products that say they're compatible with Microsoft office. The applications I use most are Word and Excel.

I don't need the latest/greatest Office. I would like a word processor and spreadsheet program that can open and modify existing Excel and Word documents. What are my options?

Thanks.

First of all, are you sure your Office 2013 won't run on your new computer?

Log into your Microsoft Account, look at "Subscriptions", and find the "Products you've Purchased". When I look at mine, I still see Office 2013 and it appears it can still be downloaded:

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1740968512

I'm NOT an expert, but every license I've ever purchased from MSFT has been tied to my MSFT account and totally recoverable. I don't think you can even activate a license without having it tied to a MSFT account...

And I think you found the closest thing to the "old" Office suite that is available as a one-time purchase vs a subscription. Here is what I see on the MSFT site:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/micr...e6179912a66b8f

I'm not sure Office app licenses are "transferrable", which these may be suggesting. Personally, I would investigate with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Mike

Microsoft Office was pre-installed on the computer I bought from Dell back in 2014.

Not sure how to point you, but you own that license and should be able to use it on any PC.

Easiest path is if they were still providing software on discs and you can find it!

If you are like me, I have no reason to update Office or any other program until I'm forced.

If you don't have a disc, do check your Microsoft Account and see if it got registered. I think it's unlikely you have Windows without having a Microsoft Account.

https://account.microsoft.com/account

I switched to 365 so I'm guessing, but open any office app (like Excel), click on "File" and see if there is an "Account" option. This will give you details on the license and maybe a link to your Microsoft Account??

Even if you could move your Office installation it is not recommended as it is end of life:

Support for Office 2013 ended on April 11, 2023 and there will be no extension and no extended security updates. All of your Office 2013 apps will continue to function. However, you could expose yourself to serious and potentially harmful security risks.

You could purchase a newer supported stand-alone version of office but an O365 subscription comes with so many more benefits.

- Sign in to five devices at once
- Use on PCs, Macs, phones, and tablets
- 1 TB of secure cloud storage
- Productivity apps with Microsoft CopilotFootnote1
- Data and device security
- Ad-free secure email

It is also transferrable when you replace your device of course.

The web version of office is free and they just announced a new ad-supported flree version a couple weeks ago but I haven't tried it:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/micr...ownload-office

I have purchased windows keys from tird party sites with success but not office specifically:

https://www.stacksocial.com/

It's been a while since I had to load or re-load Windows or the Office applications. I have been buying Dell workstations since about 2005 and every system came with Windows and Office pre-loaded. I have only had to re-load software once during that time. I want to say that I logged into the Dell website and it detected my computer ID and I downloaded directly from Dell. I could be wrong, but I thought the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office were tied to the computer ID.

As for security, I have Norton Internet Security. I know it is possible to imbed viruses in Excel and probably other applications, but I always thought the browser and operating system were most vulnerable to viruses.

Does anybody have any of the Office competitors? I don't use Outlook, I primarily use Word and Excel. I use Brave as my browser.

Mike

I hate the current business model;
Subscriptions
So, I get it.

In my opinion "end of life" ect isn't a concern - and I've gone as far as having programs installed on a computer to be used for offline use only.

I like 365 fine and don't find the cost to be excessive...it's all relative! The apps run on the machine and the cloud- based features like sharing across devices is great. Plus I'm a fan of cloud storage.

Apps running in the cloud, however, are cumbersome for me, even if they are free.

I'm too locked in to try any look-alike alternatives to Office.

One-Note is a blessing for me...and having it sync across multiple devices adds a lot of value.

I found my Microsoft account. It was apparently activated when I purchased a laptop from Dell in 2019. It shows the new computer I recently bought and the laptop, but neither of the two previous Dell computers. So it doesn't show my Office 2013.

Darn... they were probably still installing off discs back then and I have this vague memory of not getting them all the time.

So apparently the laptop didn't come with Office 2019 pre-installed? I think that's the last version of a standalone Office suite I bought. That one is probably still supported, but if it is, it won't be for too long.

Maybe try the cloud-based free stuff if you're still against the subscription?

I was not a fan but have learned to like 365 more than the old model. Yes, it's hammering the web and the cloud, but the benefits are useful and what isn't? I suspect every smart little device is being tracked! I am visiting my sister and my BIL was just telling us he bought a smart water heater without realizing it.

The manufacturer gets a little kick-back from microshaft if they pre-load anything. Office is typically tied to your microsoft ID and windows is tied to the computer if it is an oem like dell. It has a built in activation system that ties it to yer processor, hard drive and other components.

Office is deeply integrated with many other programs and anti-virus is almost completely vulernable these days as they can't keep up with the online threats. Best to use up-to-date software and remember to be cautious.

I only use Oriface but some people like Gooble.

Good luck!

I wish it were that ez except the spagetti code written by this type of software has many attack vectors.

If your device is on the internets, best to use up-to-date (supported) code or move to a submarine.

Agreed, the family subscription isn't much more than the Starbucks monthly budget and they get 1TB storage (each).

If the wife lost all her photos my funeral costs would be egregious! 🥀

Agreed, I use OneNote every damn day and also ToDo or CoPilot.

They just announced an advertising based flree version a couple of weeks ago...fyi

At the end of the day its about who you trust and how they make their revenue.

In general, I don't want my information in the cloud. I have encrypted backup drives and I back up once a month. My current computer is a Dell T7600 workstation that has hot-swappable hard drives. I keep my tax information on a separate drive and only engage it when I need to update something.

My Dell Desktop workstations came with Microsoft Office, but the laptop didn't come with Microsoft Office installed. I never liked the laptop, gave it to my wife for web surfing and never bothered to load any of the Microsoft Office products.

I understand why companies want the subscription model, but I don't like it. I prefer to buy a license for use on one computer and be done with it.

Mike

As long as you have multiple copies of what is impotent to you is all that counts. And a copy offsite in case yer house burns down or what have you...

You can't really blame them as they have to support the software for ten years after release and multiple versions/years for multiple platforms - gets expensive.

I with GM would still support my beloved Pontipig but that ain't gonna happen...lol

Having all of my information on the cloud scares me. I saw a news article the other day where a quantum computer cracked an encryption algorithym that should have taken years to crack in just a few days.

I've got a hard copy of Office 2007 "Enterprise Edition" meaning it can be installed as many times, on as many machines as you want. Still using it on Windows 10, still works except for any function that references links (dictionary lookups etc). I've been installing it and using it since XP I think.

My next move will be to free open source word processor and spreadsheet. These days they are almost as good as any commercial product.

I get that.

There are two types of encryption, at rest and in transit. Yes, it I theoretically possible to crack at rest encryption. Personally I would trust the cloud datacenter security protected by thousands of security teams vs my personal computer that I type this post on.

I also have nothing worth stealing. Worse case scenario they put money in my account lol

Wow 2007...that's called 'security by obscurity' lol

If you read the eula (license) I don't think you are licensed but don't worry...nobody reads it lol