I live in a world where Word, Excel and Powerpoint are incredibly useful and used by everyone. Unfortunately that means Microsoft. I seem to be caught up in their password circus. There now have Skype, which I have had for years. Yesterday I wanted to make a call and somehow my password didn't work. You have to go thru a routine of establishing your cell phone to receive a text code, put that in and input a new password. Grabbing a password out of my mind, twice it said the new password was like one previously used and rejected it, so I had to do the whole thing over again. Third time out of frustration I put in Fuckyoumicro and it accepted it and I got to make my call. I've been thru that drill twice this year with other Microsoft products. I got a new laptop two months ago and am now getting notices that they are dropping support in Feb (I think) and please sign up.

When a company is repeatedly a distasteful experience, it is time to look for alternatives. Is there an alternative where I can still communicate with people using Word, etc.

Thanks.

You might want to look at Open Office. It can read and write most Microsoft generated files. I actually prefer the user interface of its "Calc" to that of "Excel." However I am too lazy to get off of "Word."

Arab Nights - I understand your frustration. Password "hell" is an apt description. A password manager like LastPass will help you keep better track, and avoid reusing them, or depending on your memory.

An internet search for " msword alternative" will give you things like https://www.techradar.com/best/free-office-software

TT

P.s. I’ve been using Linux for over 20 years, no Microsoft at my house at all. There are alternatives to MS.

open office is a good alternative to microsoft and can open microsft file sent to you.

Try libre office

if you need to ensure the format, you must use office.... There is no other option......

circumcised (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 28, 2019 8:19 am if you need to ensure the format, you must use office.... There is no other option......

In about 95% LibreOffice just works. MS Office sometimes is not compatible even between it's own versions.

So - unless you are working with a really complex documents or actively using macros in documents - it works.

You could always do what I did today - picked the laptop up, threw it across the room, then jumped up and down on it about six times. Damn thing had the balls to not even have the screen break, too. Really made me mad, so I threw it out the back door onto the parking lot and kicked it.

What was really sad was when I left to go home, it was sitting there, open, with a blue screen 'begging' for help. The damn thing had the NERVE to try and restart!

So I ran over it with my truck.

Haha....Paolo, I would never do that to my beloved devices. Let alone the surface pro 5 I want and install Linux on

Paolo wrote: Thu Nov 28, 2019 3:52 pm You could always do what I did today - picked the laptop up, threw it across the room, then jumped up and down on it about six times. Damn thing had the balls to not even have the screen break, too. Really made me mad, so I threw it out the back door onto the parking lot and kicked it.

What was really sad was when I left to go home, it was sitting there, open, with a blue screen 'begging' for help. The damn thing had the NERVE to try and restart!

So I ran over it with my truck.

Awww. I do not know if it self-deception, a "presence effect" or something else... but you treat your devices badly - and they ignore you. Treat them nicely - and they surprisingly work. Most of the time.

PS. Poor, poor laptop...