Is Open Office Safe

[iloveglee]

My granddaughter has just bought a laptop (windows) and needless to say cannot afford the overpriced Microsoft office programmes she is likely to need for creating documents for her school work. I had been recommended open office in the past, but when I tried to download it, I ended up with some kind of browser hacker which was hellish to get rid of. I ended up have to buy an expensive spyware programme to get rid of it. is there an infallible, safe way to get this.

[RATTER15]

It is safe if you get it from here, www.openoffice.org/ Or try and get an old version of MS office on ebay, I am still using MS office 2000, works perfectly.

[RATTER15]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microsoft-Office-2000-Small-Business-/201313959834?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2edf3f3f9a

[VHG]

The important thing when downloading any program is to go to the official site.

Many dodgy web sites post links to genuine software, but also links to dodgy programs as well, and you probably selected one of those.

I believe Open Office is now called Libre Office

You can get it from here

https://www.libreoffice.org/

[RATTER15]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R1.TR2.TRC1.A0.H0.XMicrosoft+Office+2000.TRS0&_nkw=microsoft+office+2000&_sacat=0

[hc4361]

Open Office is a great suite, safe and compatible with Office. Another excellent free alternative is Libre
https://www.libreoffice.org/

[VHG]

The other option is to install Google Drive which not only allows you to store personal files in the "cloud" (as backup) but also comes with a word processor, spreadsheet etc (all free)

Using Google Drive you can also share files amongst your other computers and also share files to smartphones and tablets etc.

So a spreadsheet created in Google Drive on a PC can also be looked at or updated on a smartphone or tablet.

You can get it from here

https://www.google.com/drive/

[iloveglee]

that's all very useful thank you. when I got open office a while ago, I thought I was on the official site. some of the dodgy ones are very convincing. never thought of google drive actually, although a relative who is an IT manager favours it.

[Jackdaw33]

There is also Kingsoft Office which is free.

[iloveglee]

well it would seem that the school subscribe to something called Microsoft 365 which I admit I haven't heard of. It looks like there is something relating to this installed on the laptop, and she can log in to it through her school password. I think the idea seems to be that she can access her work anywhere, doesn't have to have her laptop with her, but after logging in, she was not able to create any documents. she was not using her own laptop at the time. am I right in thinking that this 'cloud' based programme has to have something installed on the laptop in order to use it. I admit im not good with these cloud things, although I do access my e-mails online which I assume is a similar thing.

[hc4361]

Stage 2 here is 'install'.

http://www.microsoft.com/education/ww/StudentAdvantage/Pages/hed-install.aspx

[AlwaysConfused]

i use libre office, very good for what i need. And free!

[beso]

Being able to use cloud solutions seem like a good thing but they must be understood.

I work in IT and sometimes get calls to help staff who have received what were supposed to be attached documents on emails. Instead of a document is done as a link to cloud based document.

Receiving a resume like this doesn't often help advance the person quickly through the selection process. Be sure to send a real file when you attach a document.

[iloveglee]

it seems that the laptop she has bought, has Microsoft office installed already, for free use for 12 months. the school allow her to have it installed on more than one device, so if she wanted to have it on another one she could do. once her own one has run out, she can then go ahead and download it from the school system to use until she leaves. she can learn to understand the cloud system for herself, I find it a bit difficult to get a grip of. I get the principle but actually using it, I don't do it. I like my documents where I can see them, on my hard drive!!!

[TTG]

Office 365 allows you to save files to your hard drive. It's safe using cloud storage though as these will be backed up.