Office users, we know you're out there. As recently asaccording to a survey published by IT marketplace SpiceworksOffice was being used in 83 percent of the companies surveyed.
But your time's up on October 13, when Microsoft officially ends support for the Office productivity suite. That means no more technical support, no more patches, and no more security updates. As you prepare to switch, the good news is, most of the options are reasonably priced. The bad news is, each new version gets closer and closer to subscription-based products.
In fact, the latest standalone version, Officeexists only because enough customers complained that Microsoft relented. The writing's on the wall: Eventually, subscriptions will be the only Office option available. Because Microsoft will no longer be supporting it with bugs and patches, you will need thorough and aggressive virus protection software.
Another roadblock you may face is incompatibility with some of the newer programs and file formats. However, keep in mind that almost all Windows products can be exported regardless of one-to-one compatibility. You have one free option from Microsoft: Office on the web. All it requires is a Microsoft account. Unless your needs are very basic you probably wouldn't want to run does microsoft office home and student 2010 work on windows 10 free download business off these online applications. Office comes with many caveats.
Unlike Officewhich is updated regularly with new features, Office is not. You get the features that came with the original version that was released in October ofand no more. Does microsoft office home and student 2010 work on windows 10 free download the next desktop version is released, you must purchase it again if you want new features. In addition, is not supported by Windows 7 or Windows 8.
Here's the real kicker: You must have Internet access to install and use this product, unlikewhich functions offline. Microsoft would love it if you upgraded to an Office subscription. Obviously, instead of shelling out some money once for standalone Office, a subscription requires a monthly or yearly cash outlay.
Microsoft comes in many versionscovering a wide variety of users. We'll summarize the versions below. If you need Microsoft for a businessyou have a longer list of packages:. If the whole Microsoft thing is getting too complicated or too expensive for your pocketbook, we've reviewed the major alternative programs to Officeincluding Google's online application, LibreOffice, FreeOffice and more.
Because they're all free, there's little risk to trying them. JD Sartain is a technology journalist from Boston. Table of Contents What happens if I stay with Office ? Should I switch to Office on the web for free? Should I upgrade to Office ? Should I upgrade to an Office subscription?
What are my alternatives to Office? Show More. With a scant 30 days left, you do have some options. We'll go over them below. Related stories: How to upgrade from Office to Office Office vs. Microsoft Microsoft Office plans compared Does microsoft office home and student 2010 work on windows 10 free download to get Microsoft Office for cheap Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.
