https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2...-can-do-the-job
Why pay for Microsoft Office when other programs can do the job?
TECHNOLOGY
Saturday, 31 Oct 2020

10:00 AM MYT
By Sven-Hendrik Hahn


Whether at home or in the office, most people now need a word processor on their computer. — Microsoft/dpa

Whether you're talking about texts, tables or presentations, Microsoft dominates the market with its Office suite and the programs Word, Excel and PowerPoint. But there are plenty of good alternatives out there, and often, unlike Microsoft's offering, they're free.

Microsoft is increasingly switching its sales model from a one-off purchase to a subscription. For the user, that means ongoing costs.

Like any subscription, US$8 (RM33.26) per month for the complete Office package doesn't sound like much, but after five years, that's over US$450 (RM1,870.65) – for applications that you might only use occasionally, points out Patrick Hannemann of the German industry magazine Chip.

Microsoft argues that its subscription-based Office suites, such as Microsoft 365 Personal or Microsoft 365 Family, bring added value.

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"In Microsoft 365, we are further developing the known applications with cloud and AI technology, and adding solutions like Teams for video conferences or the task management Planner," says Microsoft's Bruno Daellenbach.

Hannemann isn't convinced: "As a private user or student, I don't need that. The free alternatives are completely sufficient for occasional office work."

More and more office work is happening in the cloud, and Microsoft has recognised that. Anyone who can live with using Office programmes only in their browser and not having them installed on their computer can use the company's Office Online, which is free and web-based.

In this market segment of cloud-based office services, there are also many other providers with free basic offers, such as Google Docs, Dropbox Paper or the data protection-focused Cryptpad.

Hannemann says that occasional users should be satisfied with Google Docs, which is well-connected with Google Drive for online storage and which also enables cooperative work.

If you use a Mac rather than a Windows machine, they come with the Pages text editor and the Numbers spreadsheet pre-installed. However, opinions differ when it comes to usability and compatibility.

The two best-known free Office suites are Open Office and Libre Office. Both are based on the same core software, look similar and are available for virtually all operating systems. Documents produced using them can be saved in the Microsoft Office formats, so it's generally no problem to move documents between the different suites.

Another option is FreeOffice from SoftMaker – the company promises the greatest possible compatibility with Microsoft programs.

FreeOffice is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux computers. – dpa

can't beat MS Excel for people that need advanced functions.

Microsoft office should be free of charge tbh and comes with the Windows.

I use Libre Office personally, and I know people who use Google Docs

Libre Docs is perfectly a okay except for some diff shortcut keys

Libre Sheets has some user unfriendly control issues, some very basic. Some advanced formulae not there. So I foresee difficulty if I have to use it

Also Libre in general is quite inefficient in memory use

I would use Google Docs except the offline mode a bit topkek

However the kicker is that my new laptop has free MS Word and Excel for life again, so I just switch back to MS in the end

I dunno. Just take it as it comes I guess.

Why pay people salary when can ask other cheap labors to do work at discount, you like this ar?

even MS Office still having bugs and issues

Google office because I don't use Excel much. RM30 per month is still too much when competitor is free.

Lol nobody forced you to use it.

Gomen staff use StarOffice / OpenOffice.

I paid not for Office but for OneDrive mostly. Sync data from all my 10 ThinkPads via 1 home PC is crucial and convenient.

my samseng come with micosop opis

Ikr
Why pay for office 365 for personal devices when you can just crack them.
Owai
Apart from onedrive.

Office 2019 standalone? Else I find it hard to believe can have free for life as Office 365 subscription based.

to save on frustrations

I use libre sheets on Linux laptop. Feels clunky compared to excel

Given their skill level as evidenced by COVID-19 announcements and charts, I guess that's fine.
After all, they can't even be bothered to hide the auto-correct red underlining in their presentation for almost a year now.

I am paying for a subscription because of the 1TB OneDrive only. Reaching 1TB soon so probably next year I’ll have to kick out one of my 5 shared members to get another 1TB.

Something something home edition yeah

Latest offering, 100% legit

Quite worth it!

Cool, most of the new laptops I see come with Office 365 with limited functionality.

genuine office 365 RM5 only

This is actually a result of one of the decisions taken during the Pak Lah era when the government came up with a Public Sector Open Source Software Masterplan, initially to reduce licensing fees by getting government departments, and even state departments, to use open source alternatives to commercial software.

Yeah only get Word Excel and PowerPoint albeit fully functioning version of these

Well heck what else you need amirite?

My read of it is that MSFT is feeling the pain from GOOG and AAPL so have to do this again. It's not their first time, last time they had similar Ms Office Basic or Introductory or whatever cock name, then they discontinued it because they wanted the money!!!

So my laptops previously ran:

2012 to 2017 - previous MS Office basic, free with laptop

2017 to now - no MS Office, use Libre

New laptop - MS Office Home edition again

But now feeling pressure so freebie again


Well we see how long it lasts

no one is stopping u. pundek

bought office pro 2019 early this year at RM70+ only
might use it for many years before buy next latest version
cheaper than RM140+ yearly 365 Personal subs

Free and libre, but totally dependent on community support = LibreOffice.

For company that die, die need commercial support yet still wants Free/OpenSource = CollaboraOffice

most comp using ms office. most of emp not familiar with other software coz they ar not user friendly and complicated

http://www.osdec.gov.my/

last time kms jer

now boing biznes kenot liao have to buy ori

Why buy ipong when you can use lagdroid at quarter the price?

Pen and paper > all

To me, I will still pay for Microsoft'service based on industry need.

I'm still using my original MS office 2013 home and student edition at home.
Rm233 only during year 2013.

This post has been edited by yushin: Oct 31 2020, 03:54 PM

over head projector ppt slide ?

cuz every microsoft office wannabe SUK

u ever tried openoffice? productivity -99%

i like to try hancom office since kpop is using him

Why pay? Because it's the best la deiiii

Paid few linggits from lapsapda for student version o365

calculator and notepad enough already. the rest are just garbage

The future is subscription thanks to greedy conglomerates milking their customers for all they're worth!

Ayam use wps office

Mehh.. legends use Wordstar and Lotus 123.

I use free WPS and save as MS file.

iPhone for me all the way. Prestige and spending is good contribute to economy.

Cheap mindset people mean they also deserve to be paid cheap and they just want to pay others cheaply.

Excel is a must for account, finance, supply chain or any dept that deal with large number of reports. If you are not using the excel advance formula or the built-in vba programming, you are missing the core value of excel.

I paid 150 for Microsoft office 365 and got 1TB onedrive. Before this used to pay RM9 per month for onedrive 100GB.

Better bought those prepaid Microsoft 365 from reseller. Can get 100 less than RRP.

Wps on mobile, hate that ads when open apps,
Tap back it close apps

My new laptop comes with free Office Home. Good enough for my daily use.

I use Kingoffice

I just use the free online version. Didn't even bother to install the licence I got back then for 50 bucks.

Proven third world country. RM 1 , RM 2..

Haiyaa, you poor. Not the software problem.

People spend money and time to develop, R&D, came up a solution, a product for your business and works.

You only know to pirate, and counterfeit. What mindset is this? Diu, worst than sohai you know?

You know how many smart people, time and money required to develop it? You dont even know how to use it.

they are following Adobe

apa pun semua chargeable after this

soon Apple will do the same. u pay for the hardware but need to pay monthly for the iOS

lol

If you cannot afford it. Time to write cheapskate news article just to get some attention.

That is how poor cheapskates are.

I dont agree
Later open with other pc
Format off
How about no

Microsoft 365 senang. Ada onedrive sekali

Nobody stopping you from using Vim

Skrg murah. Tmt jual 169setahun 6TB....

Not a bad idea ekceli.
In my industry we're using a cetain open source free simulation software, and it is widely used in the industry mind you.
But opcos not feasible for every industry lah.
But Microsoft office version 2010 oso more than enough to use for 99% of office work lel. Honestly at this point Microsoft office should just come pre-installed.

But tbh, software business model is following live-service trend subscription instead of perpetual licenses nowadays

Kek.
My office use Quick3270 terminal.

Subscribe for 1tb onedrive.

wah, how come got free for life subscription?

I agree, Microsoft Office should be free of charge

Free cloud storage like Dropbox have small storage.

One huge advantage for those needing 1T of cloud storage, you get it free with Office subscription. If you have a few people each wanting their own personal 1T storage, then Office subscription makes a lot of sense. Because you can get 5 x 1T for a RM200-300.

If you don't need the 1T storage, then I would say there is no need to pay for Office subscription

Hmmm
This business model reminds me of Air Asia
Need to pay even for a cup of water

Used to have Open Office suite, but now like no more liao

RM269 a year. That’s like RM22 bucks a month. If you can pay for expensive internet, coffee, steam games and etc but you don’t want to pay for original Microsoft office you clearly have wrong priorities.

If I didn't have any major research project etc. I just stick to openoffice, etc. But if I really need there's some cheap legit office 365 out there.

Google Docs is sufficient for many things. It can even do some advanced things that Excel cannot (eg. query, app script, DataStudio)

Haven't used MS Office for my personal documents for a very long time. Unfortunately still have to have MS Office to handle deal with documents from external parties.

Buy new laptop

Microsoft suffering now, kasi freebies

Wondering if the storage is for life, or they can take it away anytime.

Unless it's under your control, the terms can suddenly change.

I dont question why need to pay
I question for why kenot pay one off....why must yearly subscription

They are business entity.

You want one off, buy physical copy (more expensive than yearly subscription).

The advantage is you can easily reinstall it, if you have no internet connection (but of course you will need to activate it later)

I’ve been using office 365 since 2014.

Really gooding yo.

I find the 1TB cloud storage really useful indeed.

I don’t mind spending that yearly rm335 for 5 accounts (i also share with my 5 colleagues)

U like it because u have more secure document or simply got special feature with the product?

Sometimes you pay for Microsoft Office because enforcement people will fine you if you don't have it installed and are using another program (seen this issue already discussed on lowyat.net)

From YouTube can get free for life foc. They show step by step

Apesal dekat Shopee RM4 je Office 365.

Yes.
Secure & i can pretty much use it on my multiple devices seamlessly.

At home, i got my desktop.
At office, using laptop.
Then if i am on the move, i use my ipad pro to do work.

Libre office is meh. I'm gonna break out into a hive just thinking about those memories of using it

It's not linked to your email

For work yeah real gooding. And it comes with Teams plus Sharepoint.

For personal..ughhh... too expensive

Still using xxx version of ms office 2010

u can use office online for free with a microsoft account
so why switch to other online based office suites when microsoft does it for free too..
5 gb one drive for free

Pm where to buy. Thanks...

i want it sync... across 5 device...

good stuff no cheap, cheap stuff limited function..

I just use for free only. Used once in a while

https://mkbyte.com/
but they are under maintenance mode

Just use the free version of WPS Office.

saw this but never tried before, legit?

https://www.techpowerup.com/274023/goodoffe...enuine-software

SHOPEE RM7 OR BELOW SETTLED.

NO NEED LONG2 ARTICLE LA

who that, reliable??

There's actually office that is free, but ...

1)not latest version and/or
2)web-based only and/or
3)not Microsoft and/or
4)not open source

Real problem with not buying Microsoft Office is some of the enforcement people will fine you if you don't have the latest one. Or it's not Microsoft Office.

Already mentioned in lowyat forum before.

This post has been edited by AnimeSinceForever: Nov 1 2020, 12:38 PM

Yeah if you don't use it everyday outside of work, then really no need la.

I always purchased from some Lazada/shopee seller at less than RM200. And can always renew my subscription that way. The way I looked at this, paying RM40 per year per person for 1T each is cheap.

The ONLY complain I have with 365 is, the loading and saving are sooooooo much slower compared to the old version. I think because it takes a few seconds to hook up to servers and store to servers instead of instantaneous

Yes reliable... Hv 2 account. Before this subscription thru website. Rm349... Kira separuh...

cb now pay rm529 for 3 shit programs that rarely use

Not exactly, if Steam with regional pricing is so successful in 3rd world markets then you know Microsoft got some things wrong...