Chromebook

[DD716TED]

My trusty Dell Windows laptop was given last rites and is now headed for recycling graveyard.. My friend wants to give me his new seldom used Chromebook but I have reservations about it.. Surfing the Web would be no problem with the Chromebook, but most of my documents / spreadsheets that I have created and use regularly are done with MS Excel, MS Word and PowerPoint and stored in the cloud. Can these programs be installed on a Chromebook.. From what I have read, I must have a MS Account to do anything, but the my Office Suites on my home and shop computers were purchased outright and never had an account.. Just asking before I ask him to bring the Chromebook over.. Thanks

[2oldman]

He's gone

[Gdetrailer]

dieseltruckdriver wrote:
There is a lot of partial information posted do far. I have been using Chromebooks for many years and Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are very good replacements for Word, Excel, and PPT. They will download .xlsx, .pdf, .csv etc. format so there are no issues not being able to access your documents.

There is also a "work offline" mode to allow working with and saving your files without being connected to the internet.

I should put a caveat up that I almost never use either Power Point or Slides, so that might not be as good as Docs or Sheets.

Chromebook is an Android based OS which is also based on Linux.. Not exactly 100% substitute for a Windows based PC.

In a pinch, a Chromebook can give some useful access to workaround substitute programs and if you have online access you can use the online web based MS Office suite.. But with some caveats and limitations..

But once again, it isn't not for everyone..

In the OPs case, if someone is giving you a Chromebook for free, try it, might work for you, might not.. But free is free.

If you were buying one, doesn't make sense to pay $100-$200 for a Chromebook when for a bit more you get much more in a real OS..

A new basic Windows based laptop can be had for $300-$400 and doesn't have the limitations of Chromebook..

[dieseltruckdriv]

There is a lot of partial information posted do far. I have been using Chromebooks for many years and Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are very good replacements for Word, Excel, and PPT. They will download .xlsx, .pdf, .csv etc. format so there are no issues not being able to access your documents.

There is also a "work offline" mode to allow working with and saving your files without being connected to the internet.

I should put a caveat up that I almost never use either Power Point or Slides, so that might not be as good as Docs or Sheets.

[wa8yxm]

Some Chromebooks do support Open Office Though I'm not sure how well. Some can run a LINIX terminal as well.. (But I've had issues with Graphic programs)

GOOGLE DOCS A "Cloud" application.. Will work with Chromebooks.. however some files may lose formatting as you go.

[Horsedoc]

I am on an Acer Chromebook right now that I bought on a whim when my other computer had to have a heart replacement. I don't like it. Well, some features are all right but give me what little computer savy I have developed with my old style laptops

[2oldman]

I googled 'excel on Chromebook' and got some info. Yeah, I know, nobody wants that answer. I use a thumb drive for my documents, but I don't use the programs you mentioned.