Software For A Laptop

[mesmerred]

I need to get Word or similar software for a new laptop. I wondered about Home and Student Word 2016, but not sure if it will meet my needs or be easy to use.

As part of a group I have to send and receive minutes, agendas, spreadsheets etc The members' computor skills vary and there is equal variety in the software they use to read my documents and send theirs out. Some members use a free software and I have also been advised to use Google Docs. What I really don't want is software like 365 as I could not get on with that at all.
Can someone give me some guidance please?

[goodgoalie]

I've been using OpenOffice for many years without any problems. It's very easy to use (without all the unnecessary fancy stuff on Word) and has equivalents of Excel and Powerpoint. Easy and safe to download:
https://www.openoffice.org/

[Buenchico]

Many, many people here (including me) agree with GoodGoalie and use OpenOffice. It's just as good as Microsoft Word but, because it avoids some of the annoying 'improvements' that Microsoft keep making, far easier to use. (I wrote a consultancy report last night, where it was important that the company I was presenting it to saw it as well-presented. Although I've got a starter edition of Microsoft Office on this computer, I didn't even consider using it; I went straight to OpenOffice Writer instead).

Just one tip for OpenOffice though:
By default, OpenOffice saves documents into non-Microsoft formats. That means that people you send them to (who've only got Microsoft Office) might have trouble opening them. You can get around that easily by remembering to use 'Save As' (rather than just 'Save') and selecting a Microsoft format but it's probably better to change the way that OpenOffice saves documents by default (so that it uses Microsoft formats automatically). Instructions here:
http://helpdeskgeek.com/office-tips/set-openof%EF%AC%81ce-org-to-save-in-microsoft-of%EF%AC%81ce-format-by-default/

[goodgoalie]

Knew you'd agree, Chris :)
My next-door-neighbour has spent a fortune having Word etc installed and it drives her nuts - she wouldn't listen to me!

[TheChair]

Agree entirely with gg and bc. Because of my work in tech support I get all MS software for free, but I still use OpenOffice by preference.

[Guilbert53]

Get everyone to convert their various documents to PDF format (this is easy to do) before they send them to each other.

Then everyone will be able to read everyone else's documents.

Note the word is "computer". It comes from the word "compute" (to add up).

[gl556tr]

I agree! I wouldn't touch MS Office, haven't done so for years

I now use LO = LibreOffice, which, like OO, has such an intuitive window to create anything that MS does. But, it is much less stress!

As has been pointed out, LO uses internationally-recognised document standards, which MS does not. Being the first one on the stage, MS obviously dictated all the 'rules'. But one can Save documents, spreadsheets, etc as .odt, ods or as .pdf - with Save As for MS formatting.
--It is a blessed relief to have UK English menus & commands with UK spelling checks!

Once you have used LO or OO for a while, you will wonder why you didn't do so earlier. **This is free** But the world-wide LO-programmers earn an occasional donation.

[SamVimes]

I switched to LO too, which is like OO in that it has a very easy-to-use window for generating anything that Microsoft does. It's also less stressful! LO uses internationally recognized document formats, which MS does not. Being the first one on the scene, it's clear that Microsoft set all of the "standards." However, one may Save documents, spreadsheets, and other files as. odt, odt, or.pdf - with Save As for MS formatting - thanks to Save As forIt's great to be able to use UK English menus and commands with UK spelling checks! You'll be wondering why you didn't use LO or OO sooner once you've used them for a while. The world-wide LO-programmers, on the other hand, occasionally donate money.