Avoiding Microsoft 365 price rise

[HareBrain]

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you've probably had a recent email announcing a hefty price rise. Mine went from £59.99 to £84.99. Their justification for this seems to be that henceforth their standard 365 product will include their AI, Copilot.

If you don't want Copilot, though, there is a hidden way to revert to the existing product and price. Go into your Microsoft account and cancel auto-renewal. You will then be given the option to buy 365 "Classic" at your existing subscription.

 

[wazz]

And for those not aware, openoffice and libreoffice are both freeware and arguably better than microsoft office.

Copilot+ is available as standard, afaik. It's only available with on W11 that have NPUs (AI chip) on their CPU (that's only I believe very latest gen AMD & intel i.e. 9000 range and new core naming scheme). All modern GPUs also have NPUs, as do our phones, but for some reason Copilot+ needs them on the CPU. Without those NPUs, you still have access to Copilot, which I've found to be a reasonably useful research tool, but I really resent its sycophantic chat.

 

[farntfar]

Thanks, Harebrain.
I just paid my yearly subscription in December, at the old rate.
I don't know if that means I haven't the right to use Copilot. I ain't rushing to find out.
But I'll try to remember your advice next December.

 

[Matteo]

And for those not aware, openoffice and libreoffice are both freeware and arguably better than microsoft office.

Copilot+ is available as standard, afaik. It's only available with on W11 that have NPUs (AI chip) on their CPU (that's only I believe very latest gen AMD & intel i.e. 9000 range and new core naming scheme). All modern GPUs also have NPUs, as do our phones, but for some reason Copilot+ needs them on the CPU. Without those NPUs, you still have access to Copilot, which I've found to be a reasonably useful research tool, but I really resent its sycophantic chat.

Bearing in mind that as I was reading your post I could feel my eyes glazing over and my brain shutting down...

Can you explain "openoffice"? My wife just bought a new laptop and, through some misunderstanding, discovered that we would have to buy an annual subscription to Microsoft office in order to, well...use the bloody thing.

She needs "Word", "Excel", and "Powerpoint" for her work - which suggests MS Office. But if this can be avoided with the same functionality that would be great.

Thanks!

 

[wazz]

Bearing in mind that as I was reading your post I could feel my eyes glazing over and my brain shutting down...

Can you explain "openoffice"? My wife just bought a new laptop and, through some misunderstanding, discovered that we would have to buy an annual subscription to Microsoft office in order to, well...use the bloody thing.

She needs "Word", "Excel", and "Powerpoint" for her work - which suggests MS Office. But if this can be avoided with the same functionality that would be great.

Thanks!

Apache OpenOffice - Official Site - The Free and Open Productivity Suite

The official home page of the Apache OpenOffice open source project, home of OpenOffice Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw and Base.

www.openoffice.org

Does all the same basic things, has word, excel and powerpoint. Free and open source.

 

[wazz]

Thanks, Harebrain.
I just paid my yearly subscription in December, at the old rate.
I don't know if that means I haven't the right to use Copilot. I ain't rushing to find out.
But I'll try to remember your advice next December.

if you use windows 11, you already at least have the right to copilot if not copilot+

 

[Matteo]

Apache OpenOffice - Official Site - The Free and Open Productivity Suite

The official home page of the Apache OpenOffice open source project, home of OpenOffice Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw and Base.

www.openoffice.org

Does all the same basic things, has word, excel and powerpoint. Free and open source.

Thanks, but how? Those are MS software only, no? Do you mean it has similar programs? And are they compatible with MS? The "explanation" on the link you posted is a little vague on that.

 

[wazz]

Yes, fully compatible. No, not MS software only. Effectively the same programs, very similar layout and functionality. They probably even have some rudimentary cloud services or you could get those cloud services to work the same way the MS software does.

 

[Matteo]

OK. Thanks again. Will try this.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Try OpenOffice or LibreOffice. They are both open-source and free. I work with Linux Mint, which comes standard with LibreOffice, the whole set; Write, Calc, Draw, Impress, Base and Math.
LibreOffice does have a better file-compatibility with Microsoft Office file formats, like docx and xlsx. If you work with macros's, LibreOffice has a Option VBASupport which let you program in MS VBA code.

 

[CupofJoe]

I prefer LibreOffice. For me it has a slightly nicer feel.
Via work I am luck enough to get a personal copy of Office365, and aside from Outlook and OneDrive I prefer to use LibreOffice.

 

[wazz]

I have a full version of 365 but at the moment I'm preferring openoffice. Used to use libre, can't remember why i switched to or from them tbh

 

[farntfar]

Nice to know Libreoffice supports VBA.
I've always kept to Microsoft, because I've written lots of VBA macros, and didn't think the free ones would process them.

 

[Matteo]

Try OpenOffice or LibreOffice. They are both open-source and free. I work with Linux Mint, which comes standard with LibreOffice, the whole set; Write, Calc, Draw, Impress, Base and Math.
LibreOffice does have a better file-compatibility with Microsoft Office file formats, like docx and xlsx. If you work with macros's, LibreOffice has a Option VBASupport which let you program in MS VBA code.

Thanks - although programming is way beyond either of our capabilities! And I've no idea what "macros" are

It will just be for writing, and ppt presentations. With some "excel" stuff. So what you say about it being more compatible is interesting.

I have a work laptop with MS Office so not a problem for me.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Really, 80% of the people use only 20% of all the functions MS Office has to offer. You could work with any alternative, but sadly 95% of the world is addicted to MS Windows and think they are stuck to that. Especially in work-related surroundings people expect you to supply info by Word or Excel files, preferably the most recent version, because oh oh oh you might miss the benefit of the latest added new function!
It is sad because MS Office cost a lot of money you could do better things with. Every new PC you buy is including the price for Windows, unless you go for a build your own and select no or other OS.

And I've no idea what "macros" are

A language by which you can automate processes in MS Office products like Excel or Word.

It will just be for writing, and ppt presentations. With some "excel" stuff. So what you say about it being more compatible is interesting.

You can save your LibreOffice files as an Excel or Word file with the proper extensions. No conversions needed.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Nice to know Libreoffice supports VBA.
I've always kept to Microsoft, because I've written lots of VBA macros, and didn't think the free ones would process them.

It was... eh liberating to discover LibreOffice had this possibility. Like you I did and still do a lot with VBA macros.

 

[mosaix]

One of the advantages of 365 is that documents and spreadsheets created on a PC can be accessed and edited on a mobile. I don't do a lot of editing on my mobile but it's great for making instant changes when I think of them rather than trying to remember and making edits when I get back home.

My update is due at the end of February but the label on the 365 app on my mobile was updated yesterday to read M365 Copilot.

Thanks for the heads-up @HareBrain.

 

[mosaix]

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you've probably had a recent email announcing a hefty price rise. Mine went from £59.99 to £84.99. Their justification for this seems to be that henceforth their standard 365 product will include their AI, Copilot.

If you don't want Copilot, though, there is a hidden way to revert to the existing product and price. Go into your Microsoft account and cancel auto-renewal. You will then be given the option to buy 365 "Classic" at your existing subscription.

@HareBrain was it a simple change to your account or something more complex?

 

[HareBrain]

@HareBrain was it a simple change to your account or something more complex?

Sorry, not quite sure what you're asking. If you go into your MS account and click on "manage subscription" (or something like) for 365, it then gives you the option to cancel auto-renewal. That's when the option to choose Classic is given you. You then have to go through the card payment again, and you're done.

 

[mosaix]

Thanks, @HareBrain. It's not my account. My daughter has 365 with a three user subscription of which I'm one. So this is a three way conversation with me having no visibility of a 'microsoft account'.

Thanks, again.