Lesson 25: 4 Free Alternatives to Microsoft Office
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4 free alternatives to Microsoft Office
Microsoft Word 2010, and its predecessor, Microsoft Word 2007 brought a radical new appearance to the Microsoft Word product. Along with all other Microsoft Office 2007 applications, Word was overhauled, with the classic toolbar replaced with a ribbon approach which grouped certain items together. Office 2010 includes applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. They’re available as a one-time purchase for use on a single PC. Microsoft 365 plans include premium versions of these applications plus other services that are enabled over the Internet, including online storage with OneDrive and Skype minutes 2 for home use. Before you can start using Microsoft Office 2010, you will be required to activate your product via the Internet or telephone. If you do not activate Office 2010, you may have limited access to features when attempting to use the product.
Thankfully, there are programs like Google Docs, Office Online, OpenOffice, and LibreOffice. They don't have as many features as Microsoft Office (think of them as Office lite), but they're free, easy to use, and readily available online. They're a great alternative if you're looking for something simple or if you can't stomach the price of. Word 2010 allows for more customization of the work space and creates an easier work flow when creating more complex documents.
Microsoft Office is one of the most popular programs on the market, with more than 1 billion users worldwide. But at $139.99 for just the basic package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote only), it's also a little expensive. What if you can't afford it?
Word Online 2010 Free
Thankfully, there are programs like Google Docs, Office Online, OpenOffice, and LibreOffice. They don't have as many features as Microsoft Office (think of them as Office lite), but they're free, easy to use, and readily available online. They're a great alternative if you're looking for something simple or if you can't stomach the price of Microsoft Office.
We wanted to share these programs with you just in case you hadn't heard of them before. We hope you find them useful at home, at work, or at school.
Google Docs
Google Docs is a web-based program you can access directly from your browser. This means there's nothing to download or install—all you have to do is sign in to your Google account and navigate to Google Drive (where Google Docs is housed), and you can create and store files online.
Google Docs comes with all types of useful features, like the ability to share your files with other people so you can work on them at the same time. You can also access your files on any device, including your phone, tablet, or a different computer.
To learn more, visit our Google Drive and Docs tutorials:
Office Online
Microsoft's Office Online is also a web-based program. All you need is a free account—this time, a Microsoft account—and you can access your files almost anywhere. You can also share your files online and collaborate with other users.
The coolest thing about Office Online is how similar it is to Microsoft Office (after all, both products are made by Microsoft). It offers many of the same tools and features, just in a simpler, more web-friendly package. The interface should be a breeze if you have any experience with the desktop version of Office.
Learn more about it with our tutorial:
Microsoft Word 2010 online, free download
OpenOffice and LibreOffice
Looking for a more traditional alternative to Microsoft Office? Something that you can actually download and install on your computer? You might want to check out OpenOffice or LibreOffice.
These programs may not be as slick as Google Docs or Office Online, but they come with a few extra features, including a tool for creating and managing databases. You can use them for almost all of your home and office needs, and the environment is remarkably similar to older versions of Microsoft Office.
We don't have any current tutorials on these programs, but you can learn more below:
Microsoft Word Documents online, free
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