News - Microsoft Office 2013 now available in the UK

[brasco]

Been using the preview for a few months, hate to say it but it's awesome.
Horrible going back to 2010/2007. Think I'll go subscription but need to read the small print first.

[Kirano]

Btw, why does Student and Teacher Edition no longer have Outlook ?
Plus, why is Access never included in this edition ? I used Access when I was in High School !

Better than the student and teacher edition is this one...

http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/university/

It includes Outlook and Access, gives you a 4 year subscription which can be installed on two different PC's, Macs, or mobile devices.

Then again, I think the student and teacher edition is more widely accessible. University edition requires you to be either a university or college student (i.e. in higher education) or a member of said university or colleges staff/faculty.

Personally I'd still go for the 2010 version (this is the edition that I have, on my home desktop and current work laptop) which can still be bought from amazon, under the same caveats as above...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Of...9537711&sr=1-2

[Hicks12]

I dont think its a bad price at all given how many licenses you get. Been using the preview for awhile now and cant really fault it everything is awesome and Microsoft has done a great job on this version .

365 University package is the one I am about to buy, bloody bargain having 2 licenses for 4 years that will always be the latest office ( can only think there will be a new one within 4 years ) and its only £60 which is £15 a year for everything, dont like the open source alternatives but if they work for you credit to you I would like to save money but I feel MS still offers the best solution.

[tickedon]

Not appearing on my technet account yet...hmmm....

Although TBH, the last few versions haven't added anything that I've needed to use......

It's been available through TechNet for months, so not sure why you can't see it:

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-offic...et-7000006335/

Personally, I like the improvements in 2013. I think Office has got steadily better through 2007 and 2010 releases.

[abaxas]

Does it do anything different to office 2000 for 99.999% of people?

1) no
2) no

Please vote now.

[tickedon]

Does it do anything different to office 2000 for 99.999% of people?

1) no
2) no

Please vote now.

Yes. Differences are too numerous to count... but importantly, it works with Office365 (hosted exchange) which doesn't work with 2000 or 2003 iirc.

I also far prefer the ribbon interface, 2010 and 2013 really improved on what was in 2007

IMHO, it's a bit like asking would I prefer still to be using a Sony minidisc walkman rather than an iPod. Which has a very obvious answer

[f3nc3po5t]

Just bought 2010 professional for £299 (retail box) and will have the option of upgrading free - saving me £90!

Might not bother upgrading though if Office 2013 has the look and feel of Windows 8 - it's simply awful for non-touch devices!

Was skeptical at first. Hate Windows 8 with a passion. Glad i only paid the £20 or so when it was released. Uninstalled it a few weeks later and reverted back to Windows 7. Can imagine its great on a touch screen but for a normal desktop keyboard and mouse type person. Could not get used to it.

Mind you am preparing to buy a Surface Pro when it gets released in the UK. Could be pretty awesome on that.

However back to Office 2013. I like it, looks ok (with Dark Grey Theme ), Similar to Office 2010 IMHO. Still seems to work great, I went for the Office 365 - Price isn't really an issue for me and £80 a year doesn't touch the sides for me and you get the full suite. Mainly for me was the inclusion of Outlook. Always used it. Ends up with whether you are happy to pay for Office with Home and Student as someone else said being more expensive then 2010. Whether you are happy paying for that, I mean Google Docs is pretty good as well.

[abaxas]

Yes. Differences are too numerous to count... but importantly, it works with Office365 (hosted exchange) which doesn't work with 2000 or 2003 iirc.

I also far prefer the ribbon interface, 2010 and 2013 really improved on what was in 2007

IMHO, it's a bit like asking would I prefer still to be using a Sony minidisc walkman rather than an iPod. Which has a very obvious answer

I would beg to differ. For almost all 'users' of the software, almost everything from 2000 onwards has not improved the core functionality. You could give someone lotus 123 from the 80's and they could still do what they do now.

The only added function people use is larger length spreadsheets. Or as people in IT call them, unsupportable spreadsheets.

[Kumagoro]

I think it depends on the definition of users. Does just having it installed count, or if you on occasion calculate a few numbers or make a chart.

I think for people who do actually use it often and do more than just the basics you learn at school the new functions are more likely to be useful.

I think the problem is people say they know how to use Microsoft office but in reality they mean I know the basics.

[abaxas]

I think it depends on the definition of users. Does just having it installed count, or if you on occasion calculate a few numbers or make a chart.

I think for people who do actually use it often and do more than just the basics you learn at school the new functions are more likely to be useful.

I think the problem is people say they know how to use Microsoft office but in reality they mean I know the basics.

That is the exact problem. People develop complicated 'applications' in excel that have no change control and are unsupportable. The simpler the product the easier it is to support, when all these 'advanced features' leave huge holes in the business and effect continuity.

The problem is how do we get people off the excel drug? It's killing business dead.

[crossy]

I also far prefer the ribbon interface, 2010 and 2013 really improved on what was in 2007

Hmm, I agree ... in so much as it's unusable in 2007 and now actually heading towards something "reasonable" perhaps.

However back to Office 2013. I like it, looks ok (with Dark Grey Theme ), Similar to Office 2010 IMHO. Still seems to work great, I went for the Office 365 - Price isn't really an issue for me and £80 a year doesn't touch the sides for me and you get the full suite. Mainly for me was the inclusion of Outlook. Always used it. Ends up with whether you are happy to pay for Office with Home and Student as someone else said being more expensive then 2010. Whether you are happy paying for that, I mean Google Docs is pretty good as well.

Don't know why they didn't make the Dark Grey theme the default to be honest - it's the only decent looking one. As to £80/year that's way too much for me - having paid £90 for a three user license of the old one in December. If I can get an upgrade to 2013 or 365 under the same terms (i.e. 90 rather than 240) then I'm interested.

That is the exact problem. People develop complicated 'applications' in excel that have no change control and are unsupportable. The simpler the product the easier it is to support, when all these 'advanced features' leave huge holes in the business and effect continuity. The problem is how do we get people off the excel drug? It's killing business dead.

Problem with Excel is down to management I'd suggest - I've been in places where they've used GIT etc to control their Excel "apps" and it's been fine. As the manager at the last one said "they're all programs, whether done in C or Excel makes no difference."

Actually Excel's a bit of a bugbear of mine - it's the only program where LibreOffice's equivalent won't do, (or Thunderbird if you're looking at Outlook). If LibreCalc was up to even Excel 2007 capabilities then I'd be happy to go Microsoft-free.

[Chadders87]

Im still quite happy using 2007. No need to upgrade to 2010 or 2013 since it does what I need perfectly.