End of Office 2003 support

"Support" is non existent from Microsoft. Later versions of Word added functions like XML support and features that might be of interest to their corporate clients. Later versions are ways for Microsoft to get their corporate customers with thousands of desktops to upgrade. The reality is that Windows 2003 applications work perfectly on Windows 7 and Windows 8 and will work perfectly on Windows 9 when it arrives.

I follow the advice that if it ain't broke don't fix it. It definitely applies to Microsoft as much as anything else.

To the OP - your Office 2003 works for you now and does everything that you need it to do? Then stay with it? Why change? If you want a free alternative then Open Office or the spin off Libre Office (developed by the same developers as Open Office when they left Open Office) will do all that any MS Office will do with the exception of Outlook which doesn't much exist any more anyway. It is fully compatible, will read and write new MS Office file formats and when MS decides to change them again, the open source suite will be updated to read and write those too. Just because MS stops supporting something does not mean you have to fall in with the sheep and buy whatever they want to sell you next. It still works and will keep working.

Campfire Time wrote:

monkey44 wrote:

When I spend money on a product, I expect it to WORK, not need a series of fix-its or adaptations at more cost, no expensive or time-consuming training for one who is not tech-trained. That's pretty reasonable, don't you think?

It does work. With things are that are made to be compatible with it that is.

Especially when nothing on the purchase box tells you that you need to buy all new programs, or even SOME new programs, and doesn't state you can't use your old data management either, without new programs.

I feel your pain. But let me ask you this, do you expect that you'll be able to move your mods from your 15 year old truck over to that that nice new truck you just bought? Did your new truck come with a sticker that said 'May not be compatible with old mods'? Of course not. Some mods might, but some won't. Then why are you expecting a new operating system to work with software that was made for a 15 year old operating system?

Also you know yourself that when you buy a new tow vehicle or a new trailer, there are lots of expenses that go with it due to changes. Things like a different hitch height, trailer ride height, bed liner, etc. I just popped $120 for a new drop bar because my Sierra is two inches lower than my Trailblazer was. I wasn't happy about that, but I'm also realistic in that I knew I was going to be spending money on something. Same for operating systems. Some new software is inevitable. That's a given.

Look, it's apparent to me that you have some really OLD, special software. Most stuff I've installed on Win8 that's from within the last 5 years or so works just fine. Even some older stuff. But a lot of stuff that's 10 years old or more simply isn't going to work. IMO, it is an unreasonable expectation to think that old stuff is going to work on an new OS, or that a software developer would invest the R&D into making it compatible.

In effect, in parts of this, we are both right. However, my problem will forever be, it quits making the OS and forces me to buy new programs because the old programs will not work -- even some fairly new versions.

Likening this to the truck example - yup, my anti-sway bar won't fit, but my step-bars will fit :) ... BUT, when I have an older truck, I can still buy parts for it, usually. With this LT, I cannot buy parts to fix it. So, I'm "stuck" with buying a new LT. THEN, I buy the new LT, and expect the parts (programs) to work, and should not be forced to buy all new programs (new step-bar), nor should I need a new drivers training course to drive it.

BUT, I can fix my older truck, I chose not. I can't fix my older LT, and wish I could. The LT was only ONE year old, right after warranty and it failed completely. So, I had to buy a new LT ... and LEARN it, I could NOT buy/find a Windows7 laptop, believe me, I tried (well, wait weeks and order it, maybe?).

When I buy a new truck, brake pedal same place, steering wheel works same way, same place, accelerator same place, does the same job, and I don't need a new license, nor do I need new drivers training course. Seats same place, headlights same switch, turn signals on the stick. With new LT and OS, everything's different.

AND, I could choose to buy a older truck, and all would be same. Not with LT and OS ... can't buy it. (Yeah, I know, find old one on Amazon, or CL). Not a chance! - can't test drive old LT, and it's also obsolete immediately. Older truck is NOT obsolete.

It would be easy, but not profitable, for MS to allow older versions of programs you bought to run on new OS ... very easy. But it won't because it CAN FORCE you to buy new programs EVERY TIME the older laptop breaks - that's the unfair part, to me at least.

monkey44 wrote:

When I spend money on a product, I expect it to WORK, not need a series of fix-its or adaptations at more cost, no expensive or time-consuming training for one who is not tech-trained. That's pretty reasonable, don't you think?

It does work. With things are that are made to be compatible with it that is.

Especially when nothing on the purchase box tells you that you need to buy all new programs, or even SOME new programs, and doesn't state you can't use your old data management either, without new programs.

I feel your pain. But let me ask you this, do you expect that you'll be able to move your mods from your 15 year old truck over to that that nice new truck you just bought? Did your new truck come with a sticker that said 'May not be compatible with old mods'? Of course not. Some mods might, but some won't. Then why are you expecting a new operating system to work with software that was made for a 15 year old operating system?

Also you know yourself that when you buy a new tow vehicle or a new trailer, there are lots of expenses that go with it due to changes. Things like a different hitch height, trailer ride height, bed liner, etc. I just popped $120 for a new drop bar because my Sierra is two inches lower than my Trailblazer was. I wasn't happy about that, but I'm also realistic in that I knew I was going to be spending money on something. Same for operating systems. Some new software is inevitable. That's a given.

Look, it's apparent to me that you have some really OLD, special software. Most stuff I've installed on Win8 that's from within the last 5 years or so works just fine. Even some older stuff. But a lot of stuff that's 10 years old or more simply isn't going to work. IMO, it is an unreasonable expectation to think that old stuff is going to work on an new OS, or that a software developer would invest the R&D into making it compatible.

Campfire time Quote: "You know this for certain? You've tried them? Many older programs work just fine with Windows 8."

Some do, some don't - but it usually takes some amount of tech-training to actually make it transfer.

Yes, for certain, absolutely. You can search this site for all the hassles and advice we got trying to make my older programs work -- it corrupted many files, failed to load, many variables which finally made me revert ALL three LT back to Windows7 at no small cost.

Yes, of course, it was partly about learning (M44 = tech-stupid), but also about replacing every program, and still having some that would not load (PSE-12, for example - brand new, would not load or operate) and other major disruptions in my work load.

When I spend money on a product, I expect it to WORK, not need a series of fix-its or adaptations at more cost, no expensive or time-consuming training for one who is not tech-trained. That's pretty reasonable, don't you think?

Especially when nothing on the purchase box tells you that you need to buy all new programs, or even SOME new programs, and doesn't state you can't use your old data management either, without new programs. Rant over - :)

But to answer directly - yes, for sure, I tried it, numerous times and with a lot of tech-help. Very costly mistake, buying Win8.

Some like it -- but I'm guessing most that do have some amount or a lot of tech ability and can adapt it. Many do not - and as you can see, MS is certainly jumping on the wagon to 'obsolete' Windows8 pretty quickly. Wasn't out but a few months and already released an update 'Fix" ... Windows8.1, and still fixing it. IMO, W8 is junk for anyone not tech-smart.

monkey44 wrote:
QUOTE: "I just can't seem to move to the WIN 8 OS system as almost all of my programs will not work on it... Will be a big cost for me to move to WIN 8..."

And that's one of the major problems with the change W8 puts on us .. it's not just the cost of the OS (or even learning it), it's about quadruple the cost when you buy ALL new auxiliary programs to operate in the new OS. That's a lot bigger bite than a new OS.

You know this for certain? You've tried them? Many older programs work just fine with Windows 8.

downtheroad wrote:
I gave up Office and went to the free and fully functional LibreOffice a couple of years ago.
Never skipped a beat. Works great and works great with ALL Microsoft office docs, spreadsheets, etc.

x2

My old copy of Office 2003 loads on every computer I've had since 03. Newer editions are more restrictive. 2003 loads and runs well on Win 8.1. There is an add-on which allows it to read newer docX files. I see no need to worry about "support" for it, and will run with it as long as it suits my needs.

Staying with Win 7 Ultimate 64bit and Office 2007. Figure I'm good until I'm "pushing posies.":B

I gave up Office and went to the free and fully functional LibreOffice a couple of years ago.
Never skipped a beat. Works great and works great with ALL Microsoft office docs, spreadsheets, etc.

QUOTE: "I just can't seem to move to the WIN 8 OS system as almost all of my programs will not work on it... Will be a big cost for me to move to WIN 8..."

And that's one of the major problems with the change W8 puts on us .. it's not just the cost of the OS (or even learning it), it's about quadruple the cost when you buy ALL new auxiliary programs to operate in the new OS. That's a lot bigger bite than a new OS.