Does Microsoft Office really need to be installed?

[lovehungryman]

Hello fellow forum members!
I have a question:
What do you think about Microsoft Office, I mean is it really needed to be installed on my pc? I have searched about possible alternatives but I am afraid if I uninstall it I would break something. Now since I hardly use it why to have it using resources and space... what are your thoughts about it and what you suggest?
Thanks again!

 

[vishwa]

Its completely depends on you. If you like you can use Microsoft office otherwise you can use any alternatives. The majority of people using Microsoft Office. May I know why you don't want to use it? any specific reason?

 

[LabZero]

If you're not going to buy the license you can safely uninstall Office.
A good alternative is LibreOffice.
It is a suite of personal productivity open source and free and includes six applications: a word processor (Writer), spreadsheet (Calc), a software for creating presentations (Impress), a program for managing databases (Base), a vector graphics program (Draw) and a program for the development of mathematical formulas (Math).

 

[Cats-4_Owners-2]

Hello @lovehungryman. vishwa stated it well, it depends upon what you like.
If you choose to lighten your system, you can easily find a compatible open source free alternative. (I see @Klipsh jogged my memory as far as Libre!) I did a search as when it gets close, or more like past, my bedtime I find it challenging to remember some of the names! Here's the link:

• Strapped for cash? Here are 5 of the best Microsoft Office alternatives

 

[jamescv7]

Microsoft Office is totally a superb product however prices makes it wonder to go on alternatives due to no lifetime license.

Go to alternatives like WPS Office which the interface is same as MS Office but you may try older version called Kingsoft Office which not contains watermark for printing document.

 

[Ink]

I mean is it really needed to be installed on my pc?

Is Microsoft Office a requirement for any PC? The answer is No. However, it is argued to be one of the best paid Office Productivity suites.

Microsoft Office is free for a limited type of devices and platforms:
- Office Online - (Web-based) - Microsoft Account required to save to OneDrive (15GB Standard up to 30GB Free*) - If you use OneDrive on PC, it will be synced to your PC. Android, Windows 10 Mobile and iOS can use the OneDrive app.
- Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint - (Android and iOS) - Screen size less than 10.1-inches.

Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition - Get Word and Excel for Free, with limited functionality.
- Not compatible with Windows 8 or later.

It's main competitors Google (ie. giant vs giant), are online-based, known as Google Docs which require an Internet connection to by synced with Google Drive (contains 15GB Standard of Free Online Storage). However, it can be used Offline - More information

 

[hjlbx]

No. It certainly does not. Kingsoft WPS is better... and it is freeware...

 

[vivid]

It's the format that's popular. People are forced to use it since the format is required by many (eg education domain). Compatibility between products is not guaranteed. Then again, compatibility between Microsoft Office versions is not guaranteed either (from experience).

 

[XhenEd]

No, it is not required. Your PC will run fine even if you uninstall MS Office.

 

[BoraMurdar]

Well my answer would be yes and no. Microsoft Office has become a standard in creating documents and sooner or later you will across a document created in MS Office which will not be properly opened with some alternative program. Especially in non Germanic languages.
I have used Open Office, Libre Office, Kingsoft Office and Softmaker Office and some documents created in MS Office are properly opened with them, but sometimes each of the program messed up with formatting of the text, position, slides, columns or margins.

So if you are working with documents, in Libre Office for example, and you are surrounded by your coworkers using MS Office, I am sure you will encounter a document which will not be properly opened => opened in the exact same way it was created in MS Office.
I am using Microsoft Office 2016 Technical Preview and it's working perfectly for me.

 

[SkyJP]

It's the industry standard for office suites in many companies and educational organisations.

I use it not only because it has full compatibility with other Microsoft products, but because it's free for me as a student.

Nonetheless, if I need to distribute a document, then I save it as a .pdf anyway.

 

[frogboy]

If you do not use just uninstall it and all will be OK.

 

[hjlbx]

Kingsoft WPS compatibility with MS Office documents is very good in my experience.

The only time I have had issues is with custom formatted Word documents with tables, graphs, etc; the formatting was not preserved In its entirety when opened with Kingsoft W - but I was still able to make the document look exactly as it did using MS Word.

Same to a certain extent with Kingsoft S...

Kingsoft WPS is terrific soft for freeware. That's been my experience with it...

 

[SpartacusSystem]

I absolutely rely on MS Office as I'm a student for report writing and presentations. My school also use MS Office as well. Before I used to use LibreOffice and I was sick and tired of my work looking different the moment I would submit it for marking. I would have to spend another half hour in school trying to make it look presentable using MS Office, so I decided to purchase MS Office Pro Plus 2013 (costed a LOT). But if you don't have any requirements such as mine? There's no need for MS Office. There are much better open-source alternatives like LibreOffice, OpenOffice etc.

 

[Purshu_Pro]

@BoraMurdar how long will the technical preview last? In future we need to purchase it after its official release right? I have been searching for office alternative too. Still unsettled with it. Is office 2007 with sp3 can be used even now?

 

[BoraMurdar]

@BoraMurdar how long will the technical preview last? In future we need to purchase it after its official release right? I have been searching for office alternative too. Still unsettled with it. Is office 2007 with sp3 can be used even now?

My Technical Preview will expire in 82 days. I have a free subscription for Office 2010 through my University after TP expires. Office 2007 SP3 is totally ok

 

[Purshu_Pro]

My Technical Preview will expire in 82 days. I have a free subscription for Office 2010 through my University after TP expires. Office 2007 SP3 is totally ok

Is it necessary to update after installing SP3 ? And should I install compatibility pack for it?

 

[Deleted member 178]

You need an office application for your job or study = MS office required , other suite will not be compatible at 100% with your coworkers even WPS has some issue in the formatting compatibility

You need an office application just for you (write letters , calculate your taxes, etc...) = MS office , not needed.

 

[BoraMurdar]

Is it necessary to update after installing SP3 ? And should I install compatibility pack for it?

All necessities will go through Windows Update

 

[LabZero]

It's the industry standard for office suites in many companies and educational organisations.

I use it not only because it has full compatibility with other Microsoft products, but because it's free for me as a student.

Nonetheless, if I need to distribute a document, then I save it as a .pdf anyway.

@SkyJP Do you have a DreamSpark account ?