# Microsoft Office renewal now up to $129.! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 6, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700 "2025-04-06T15:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/21 "2025-04-06T20:58:14Z")
Though 2003 Excel still has the 65,536 rows and 256 columns limits. 2007 went up 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns. And Excel 2010 was 64bit. It sounds like you don’t like the Ribbon bar, but that should only take a week to get over. Nothing was lost. No major changes in VBA, but the Excel Formulas are more robust, especially the Randbetween function. But it all depends on what you do with Excel. The complexity of my game uses greatly exceed my tracking of household stuff or SDMB moderators notes. If MS finds a way to completely break Office 2010 on me, I’ll probably jump to Google. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/22 "2025-04-06T21:13:59Z")
I prefer LibreOffice Writer over Word, and MS Excel over LibreOffice Calc. Though Calc is fine for most purposes and I use that as well. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/23 "2025-04-06T23:25:32Z")
I have used LibreOffice for several years now. It works fine for the stuff I do, and I have no problem exchanging documents & spreadsheets with many others. I still have my copy of Office 2007 installed on my machine, but I only use it for mass merging form letters. I could probably do that in Libre too, but I just haven’t bothered to learn how to use it there. And most of the time I’m starting from previous mass mailings and changing them. ---
**Author:** ![pezworld](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bb73d2/32.png) [@pezworld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezworld)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/24 "2025-04-07T00:09:31Z")
I agree that the Google versions are fine and will read/write for most uses to Excel/Word. But I think they still sell non-subscription versions of Office. > **[Microsoft Office 2024 is finally available, no subscription needed](https://www.pcworld.com/article/2475992/microsoft-office-2024-is-finally-available-no-subscription-needed.html)** > > Pay a single flat fee and get the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook forever. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/25 "2025-04-07T00:51:30Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > If it’s anything like Open Office was, it should work fine I think - though I may be wrong - Libre Office is a fork of Open Office. In either case, I strongly recommend Libre, if you must have an offline desktop app. ETA… note to self: read entire thread before posting. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/26 "2025-04-07T01:11:35Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Libre Office is a fork of Open Office. It is? I thought Open Office was defunct now. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/27 "2025-04-07T01:16:12Z")
It seems I was correct… > [@](#): > > LibreOffice is a private, free and open source office suite – the successor project to OpenOffice. > **[Home | LibreOffice - Free and private office suite - Based on OpenOffice -...](https://www.libreoffice.org/)** > > Free office suite – the evolution of OpenOffice. Compatible with Microsoft .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx. Updated regularly, community powered. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/28 "2025-04-07T01:16:19Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I thought Open Office was defunct now. It is, Libre is one of a couple of successors (the more successful one AFAIK). I believe it was based off the original code. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/29 "2025-04-07T01:30:41Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I thought Open Office was defunct now. It’s not _completely_ gone, just _mostly_ abandoned… technically you can actually still download “recent-ish” versions from the last few years at [https://www.openoffice.org/](https://www.openoffice.org/), but the project overall is much, much less active than LibreOffice. Both LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice were forks of [OpenOffice.org](http://OpenOffice.org). The short history is what I [said above](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/18). The entire community abandoned OpenOffice once Oracle bought it, and by the time Apache received its remains, it was far too late — the world had already moved onto LibreOffice. The [full history is on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org#History). Concise timeline: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/StarOffice_timeline.svg/2560px-StarOffice_timeline.svg.png) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/StarOffice_timeline.svg/2560px-StarOffice_timeline.svg.png) Full timeline that shows how far ahead LibreOffice (light green) is compared to Apache OpenOffice (light blue): [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/StarOffice_major_derivatives.svg/2560px-StarOffice_major_derivatives.svg.png) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/StarOffice_major_derivatives.svg/2560px-StarOffice_major_derivatives.svg.png) They’re all just successors/forks of the original StarOffice… continuing a 40-year-old legacy. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/30 "2025-04-07T01:37:36Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > It’s not _completely_ gone, just _mostly_ abandoned… technically you can actually still download “recent-ish” versions from the last few years at [https://www.openoffice.org/](https://www.openoffice.org/), but the project overall is much, much less active than LibreOffice. Yeah, it hasn’t had significant activity since 2015. It’s not that it hasn’t had **any** , but very little. But barely any real updates for a decade, and a decade is forever in software terms. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/31 "2025-04-07T02:19:04Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Yeah, it hasn’t had significant activity since 2015. It’s not that it hasn’t had **any** , but very little. Yeah, it’s kinda funny/sad looking at the projects’ respective contributions. LibreOffice has more than 1300 contributors, and [in the last 2 years, they’ve seen thousands of changes from about two dozen core developers](https://github.com/LibreOffice/core/graphs/contributors?from=4%2F1%2F2023). In contrast, Apache OpenOffice has 24 contributors total, of which [only two have been active in the couple years…](https://github.com/apache/openoffice/graphs/contributors?from=4%2F1%2F2023) and they’re mostly making minor spelling corrections and adding or deleting spaces… it’s dead for all intents and purposes. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/32 "2025-04-07T04:26:14Z")
I have not used Word or Excel for literally decades— I am not a businessperson and do not fit the use case for Office-type programs. The OP said they were familiar with it, though, nothing wrong with that, and there _are_ free alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/33 "2025-04-07T04:53:33Z")
> [@Fir\_na\_tine](#): > > This entire renewal process for software that you formerly could buy and use forever sucks. What alternatives exist for Word and Excel that are free or low cost? I assume you’re talking about Office 365, which Microsoft is pushing with the implication that this is the only Office software that exists. It isn’t. When my friend who runs a home-based business needed a new computer and had to move to Windows 11, I recommended the standalone non-subscription version of Office Professional, which at that time was Office 2021 – Office 2024 was released just a few months later. I don’t remember what it cost – it was obviously a lot more than $129 – but I think it will be a good value in the long run. Microsoft’s subscription model is a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/34 "2025-04-07T04:56:42Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Microsoft’s subscription model is a scam. IIRC a 365 subscription gets you something like five licenses. If it is just you then not so great but shared among a family the value proposition isn’t terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/35 "2025-04-07T06:00:15Z")
I’m a heavy Word user, writing articles, book chapters etc., and documenting multiple lines of inquiry with it daily. To slap Microsoft’s grabby hands and to save money I installed LibreOffice. It didn’t work out. LibreOffice would crash repeatedly, when Word managing the same files (up to 5 000 pages apiece) never did or does. This was the big issue. The compatibility wasn’t near 100%, with many stylings simply not transferring, or freezing up - ie., breaks done with LibreOffice could not be removed with Word etc. While the basics are there in LibreOffice, when you start using it, you realize many pretty basic things are a little harder / more laborious on it to perform, compared to Word, which adds up to quite a bit of extra work that impedes the creative flow. Of course, many functions aren’t there at all. It’s a bare-ass option, after all. In the end, I had to get back to Word. It costs dearly but there are no real alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/36 "2025-04-07T06:06:02Z")
I have a subscription to Microsoft 365 mostly for the OneDrive backups. All the files I care about are stored in the cloud and synchronized across multiple devices. The fact that it comes with Office to install on multiple computers is a bonus. I get discounts though, both through work and because I have a Microsoft credit card (which gives me bonus points for all Microsoft and Xbox store purchases as well as streaming services I pay with it, and it gets autopaid every month from my checking account so zero interest or annual fees). It’s not a scam at all if you really take advantage of it. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/37 "2025-04-07T12:04:58Z")
This thread is fantastic. I simply can not justify paying Microsoft $130 annually for my basic Excel uses. If I were to save an Excel file into a Calc document, would basic functions (like SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, VLOOKUPS) convert automatically or would I need to re-write the functions manually? Also, how about its handling of basic macros for repetitive tasks? Thanks again for this informative thread. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/38 "2025-04-07T19:23:55Z")
Well, I cancelled the renewal of my subscription. Be trying out LibreOffice. Most of the replies that point out issues or problems are from much heavier users than myself. Thanks for all the great replies and advice. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/39 "2025-04-07T19:27:55Z")
The 365 subscription hasn’t gone up to $129. What’s happened is that they have upgraded you without asking, to a tier that includes Copilot and some ‘free AI credits’. If you go to cancel your subscription, you will be offered ‘365 Classic’ which doesn’t have Copilot - i.e. the plan you had before, at the same price you had before. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700/40 "2025-04-07T20:25:43Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > If I were to save an Excel file into a Calc document, would basic functions (like SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, VLOOKUPS) convert automatically or would I need to re-write the functions manually? Also, how about its handling of basic macros for repetitive tasks? If you open an `xlsx` file in LibreOffice Calc, it will probably work exactly the same as you’d expect in Excel. I’m sure there are exceptions, but for the basic things I do, such as sum cells and manipulate text, I can move back and forth between Calc, Excel, and Excel Online without any issues. When I’m using Calc and trying to figure out what functions to use in a formula to accomplish something, the Excel examples I find almost always work without any changes. I suspect much of the syntax goes back to VisiCalc. > [@Mangetout](#): > > What’s happened is that they have upgraded you without asking, to a tier that includes Copilot and some ‘free AI credits’. If you go to cancel your subscription, you will be offered ‘365 Classic’ which doesn’t have Copilot Here is a link to the Microsoft instructions for ~~downgrading~~ saving money by jettisoning the Copilot stuff. > **[Switching to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family Classic Plans - Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/switching-to-microsoft-365-personal-and-family-classic-plans-58342e83-38e7-4cda-b63b-88604a8fb7ef)** > > Learn how to switch to a Microsoft 365 subscription plan without AI features, which include Microsoft 365 Basic, Microsoft 365 Personal Classic and Microsoft 365 Family Classic. If you want a non-subscription based version of MS Office, that is available for $149, and never expires (but expect it to stop working when you are forced to upgrade to Windows 16 in 2038). Here is a link directly to Microsoft, but it can often be found on sale at other stores. [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/office-home-2024/CFQ7TTC0PQVJ](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/office-home-2024/CFQ7TTC0PQVJ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-renewal-now-up-to-129/1016700.md?page=3)