A cheaper Microsoft Office

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ISSUE 21.37 • 2024-09-09 MICROSOFT 365 By Peter Deegan Are you missing out on a less expensive edition of Microsoft 365? There are three Microsoft pro
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Bald Eagle, ibe98765, abbodi86, WSCape Sand, Norio, Casey S, lmacri, fisher75

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Are you missing out on a less expensive edition of Microsoft 365?

No.

In 56 years in IT with Mainframe computers, PCs at work and home I never used Microsoft Office and prevailed 🙂

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Mr. Austin

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Too bad that Softie did not offer this to veterans, especially those retired who don’t have the wherewithal to purchase a ‘supported’ system.

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To be clear … The Military discount does apply to US Veterans who have been Honorably Discharged.

See https://www.aafes.com/exchange-stores/patrons.htm under ‘Limited Privileges”.

It also applies to other people who may not think of themselves entitled like Coast Guard., including Auxiliary.  NOAA ships officers/crew both current and retired.

Peter Deegan

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rc primak

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I use Open Office which is free and better than the cheaper versions of 365. I also use Office 2007 which is more than I need. Neither requires a subscription or an online connection to work. I will never ever buy into any rip off program that requires a subscription.

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Same here. I have had Office 2010 Home and Student for at least a dozen years and have no need to switch or upgrade to anything else, and certainly not to anything requiring a monthly subscription. I’ve been retired for some time now and only use Word and Excel and the 2010 versions of those are just fine for me.

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I used to use OO but now use LibreOffice(forked in 2010 from (now) Apache OpenOffice)(some say more compatible w MS), Linux or Win11. There has never been anything I have needed to do that it can’t do. And FREE.

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rizzquery

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“Honorably Discharged Veterans when certified 100% disabled.”

MS has sooooo many exclusions and will change them all in a year and offer you a “low cost ” “upgrade”.

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“Limited Exchange Privileges generally exclude tobacco products, alcoholic beverages and military uniforms.”

Software is allowed, according to all the reports from readers I’ve heard over the years.

See https://www.aafes.com/exchange-stores/patrons.htm under ‘Limited Privileges”.

Peter Deegan

 

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What can Microsoft 365 offer me that my C2R Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019 on my Win 10 device does not offers me?

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If you don’t qualify for any of those, another option is to look at warehouse clubs and see what they offer.  Costco, for example, offers Office 365 Family plan with a 15-month subscription for $99, which works out to a similar savings per month ($6.67 vs. $5.83).  They may throw in additional offers (like a $10 eGift card), which brings the monthly costs even closer ($5.93 vs. $5.83).

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Peter Deegan

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Yes, good catch and that’s with online delivery so there’s no need to visit a store … just a Costco membership.

USA

As you say Microsoft 365 15-months for the price of 12 is a decent offer plus the $10 Visa card.

There’s also some discount on Office 2021 bundles in the form of egift Visa card rebates.

Though at this time, might as well wait for Office 2024, due out next month for the same prices as Office 2021.

CANADA

Above the 40th parallel, only M365 Family has the 15-month for 12 offer but not gift card rebate. https://www.costco.ca/microsoft-365-family-15-month-subscription-digital-download.product.100657668.html

 

Alas not available at Costco in the UK or Australia.

Peter Deegan

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Has Susan ever thought of setting herself up under this new version of the Home User Program, such that all the members of Ask Woody could qualify as employed, and thus get cheap Office 365 subscriptions?  <whimsical grin!>

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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NO… I purchased an enterprise edition of Microsoft Office 2003 back in 2005. It has been serving my needs just fine ever since – without the need to spend money periodically to update it.

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Was forced to use Office 365 when I was working a corporate job. Mallwaresoft has bad habits of making oddball changes without notice. Same with corporate IT making changes to Office 365 for official letterhead.

For my personal use, I purchased Office 2021 Pro (it has everything) for the whopping price of $30.00. And great thing about it, NO ANNUAL FEE.

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2 things:

1. You mention ‘many organizations  […] with an eligible Microsoft volume license agreement.’

   Am I wrong in my (limited) knowledge: I thought (at least for small businesses?) volume licenses were for office 20XX (and other MS products).  And so a company that has m365 licenses doesn’t deal with volume licenses?

   Or what type of volume licenses are eligible?

2. Yes!  All these older versions of Office work fine overall (don’t some of the older office versions not work with m365 mailboxes?).

   And googling older (and not so old) versions of office, there’s still LOADS of companies selling them at suspiciously low prices.

   It’s disappointing that MS lets all those exist. And when a client firm balks at my $250 for office 2021, I have to defend why those are bootleg… and MS allows them to exist.  At least with m365 licenses, I don’t have to play license enforcer for MS.

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Volume licences are available for Microsoft 365 or Office perpetual licence purchased, for want of a better term, ‘in bulk’.

(don’t some of the older office versions not work with m365 mailboxes?).

Connections to Microsoft Exchange mailboxes are not guaranteed for Office 2016 and Office 2019 in one of Microsoft’s more arrogant decisions.

https://office-watch.com/2023/office-2019-2016-lose-an-important-part-of-their-support/

Peter Deegan

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Awilliams

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If I already have a Microsoft 365 subscription, can I take advantage of the discounted price if I qualify?

Chris McWilliams

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