Desktop is still Win 7 Pro, with Office 2007 Pro.
Laptop is Win 10 Pro with Office 2007 Pro. So far, no issues with the laptop combo. Have also used the free ones, and found them quite good. Our church uses LibreOffice due to multiple PC’s and not wanting to license Office for all. They do license Win 10 Pro on all.

The subscription based software, which does allow you to always have the up to date version, is the latest strategy to gain an income stream from user like you (and most of us) who buy software and don't update to the new version each year because the software continues to work fine.

Your 2003 version might work in compatibility mode. If you don't want to mess with trying it you can buy the one time versions. And if you don't need the latest version you can look for an older version like office 2016.

Also, if you buy a new version, verify how it is delivered. If itis a download you will need to create a microsoft account to download it. I always get it on a disk.

If you are at a larger company you may find they sell it for $10 (downloaded version) or if you have a .edu address (you're a student) or know someone who does...

My company offer the MS Pro Suite for $10 (includes MS Project) plus another $10 for Visio Pro. If you want the hard disc version (because you know, in case you do not work there and get a new computer), it was an additional $15 per ($50 for everything.)

That plus Acrobat Pro for $110 (with an .edu address) and you have about all you need.

I have a new Win10 machine bought this summer and I installed my old copy of Office 2003 on it and it works fine.

Just make sure to install fileformatconverter so it will recognize newer format stuff.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-u...etails.aspx?id=33298

All our stuff at work is Office 2016? or 2010 and it works fine when I bring stuff home to work on with my 2003.

I bought a new computer this year and fell into the same nonsense. "Subscription" and "cloud" base. WTF!!?? I want to own the software outright, not pay $100/year for it. What in blazing hell is this nonsense???!!

So I bought a likely pirated copy of Office Pro 2013 or 2016 on eBay for $9.95. Has all functionality and works perfect.

The subscription model in nothing more than a way to rob you by forcing unnecessary upgrades for a monthly fee.

Intuit is doing this now with Quickbooks. I recently upgraded to QB Mac 2016 after four years on QB2012. The software cost me $199.99. A four year subscription will cost $1200 for a single user license. Five times more for zero more utility for me. Yea, ok. Now Intuit has announced that QB2016 Mac is the final version, and the future will be subscription only. Looks like I’ll be using the current version until I retire. I’ll even buy older hardware if I have to before I’ll pay a sub.

Same with Microsoft. I switched to NeoOffice (Libreoffice) several years ago. Other than the programming language, it has been no problem at all. I wish I could use Visual Basic, but that’s not very often a problem.

These companies will rue the day they forced this model. They are incentivizing alternatives, and I predict they will eventually fracture their near monopoly. We are already seeing some very capable alternatives to Photoshop and Lightroom coming on the market. If these alternatives make the corporate jump, Microsoft, Adobe, et al will look back with regret at this business decision.

I too recommend Libre Office. It is a fork from the older Apache Open Office and in my view is the much better of the two. And FWIW Apache isn't doing anything any more with Open Office but there is a thriving active community, including folks formerly with Apache, supporting and refining Libre Office.

I had been a Word Perfect user for years and years at home, with Microsoft Office at work. This goes back to my Visicalc and Netscape days as well.

Anyhow, now as a retiree, I couldn't see paying to upgrade my Word Perfect Suite, so I did a lot of research settling on Libre Office. FWIW both my old WP and new Libre Office are compatible with MS Office, so that has never been an issue.

Para, check it out. I think you may be surprised.



As an aside I REFUSE to get involved in any of these subscription schemes. Quicken, Photoshop, Microsoft, et all, can eat my shorts!

+1 on Libre Office. Been using it for years now. In truth, maybe not as polished as MS, but for what it costs, it's beyond fine.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by KenS:

Apache office is also another freeware office suite that is comparible with microsoft office documents. I believe it is an offshoot of the Libreoffice group and the used the same core open source code.

True. I would go with LibreOffice though, as I believe it is the most popular version and therefore likely to be the best supported, current updates, etc.

This is how I understand it to be.

Many moons ago I had a boss who locked an excel spreadsheet that I wanted to modify to better suit me. Nothing sensitive. One of the free office apps at the time (Open Office?) unlocked it, allowed me to modify, then save the changes.

Boss must not have cared as I sent him daily updates of the spreadsheet to him and he never even blinked.

It's interesting that 2003 can work. I'll have to find my discs and keys.

quote:

Intuit is doing this now with Quickbooks.

Same with Quicken. I'm still using the 2017 version which will work until 2020. They they cut it off from bank updates.

But their support is non-existence and the software is loaded with bugs. they seem to have zero interest in correcting it. I'm thinking since they sold it off they are running it from someone's basement.

Very cool, and I found my discs.

A look at running older versions of Microsoft Office on Windows 10

Office 2010 will work with WIN 10 Pro.
One only needs to install it, no tricks or gimmicks required.
Although I note you found your 2003 discs.

LibreOffice, as others have mentioned, is what I use most often with Calc (spreadsheet) used daily.
Great product, great price (MPL licensed) good compatibility w/Office.
Only requires a minimal learning curve, as it is similar to Office but not exactly the same.
If for some reason 2003 doesn't work, you might give it a try.

Although I have 2010 installed on my Win10 game machine, I haven't used it in several years.

Can't go wrong with LibreOffice. Simple, efficient and no stupid Microsoft updates. Now if you want to buy MS Office, please do. I own a shit-load of MS stock.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
It's interesting that 2003 can work. I'll have to find my discs and keys.

For what it's worth: I'm still running Office 2000 on my Win10 machine. It works just fine for me.

There is another workaround. You could emulate a copy of XP in a virtualbox on your Win10 machine, and run your older copy of Office natively on the old OS. Don’t let the old OS see the Internet, and you’re perfectly safe. You’ll only be using the old Windows version as a sort-of hypervisor. This is, ironically, how I’ve been able to keep some of my older games going on the Mac. I emulate a Windows machine and install the Windows version of the game.

I also do the same thing for 680x0 and PPC (<= OS9) based Mac programs, like WordPerfect 3.5 and TimeValue. It’s a great way to keep legacy applications alive when there aren’t any modern versions, or a way to keep from purchasing a new version if there is.

In fact, I’d probably just pull your whole older laptop into a virtual machine and have it available on your new laptop.

Don't have Win10 but, I am running Win 8.1 on a new built pc that it's not supposed to work on AND I am still using Office XP along with it.

I don't really use most of the "features" in office but it still works just fine for every thing I ever need it for.

I would say as others have, office 03 should work no problem.

Boss, don´t forget to add the file format converter update so your 2003 Office will be able to read slightly newer version of Office documents. And the SP3 (Service Pack)

It´s a small file and quick install for the first one, the SP3 depends...


0-0

Well, I'll be damned. It works. I installed Office 2003, no errors and I've got Outlook configured and sending/receiving. Excel works, Word works. And it all looks so familiar.

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:
Boss, don´t forget to add the file format converter update so your 2003 Office will be able to read slightly newer version of Office documents. And the SP3 (Service Pack)

Thank you. Yes, I just installed SP3, but I'm having a bt of trouble finding Microsoft's convertor.

Glad that worked. The only reason I upgrade Office is because I can get a copy cheap thru work. Otherwise, for the way I use it, my needs are met with any version I can get.