Microsoft Office 365 -- does it require an internet connection to use.

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,976
We are getting pressured to use Office 365 for some things and I am hesitant to go that direction (in general I don't like upgrading software without a damn good reason and just because it's the latest and greatest doesn't qualify as a damn good reason, in my book, if the existing software meets my needs just fine).

The biggest concern I have is whether I will be able to use programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint under Office 365 even without an internet connection. I don't mind if I have to have an internet connection to install them, but when I'm at home and the internet's out for days at a time I want to be able to work on stuff. Does anyone know whether an internet connection is required in order to use any of the features (I'm not talking about features, such as e-mail or instant messaging, the fundamentally need such a connection to operate).

I'm also not too fond of the entire subscription model in which I have to continue to pay forever if I want to be able to edit things I created years ago. Is there still a non-subscription Office version?

Please don't spend a bunch of time telling me about all the shareware or Linux or IoS or Android alternatives.
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,976
No! Free Software != shareware.
For the purposes of this thread, the entire "shareware" versus "freeware" vs "free software" debate and distinction is completely irrelevant since the current Microsoft Office products are neither.

Please do not make suggestions about anything other than current Microsoft Office products. I am only interested in getting answers to these questions regarding current Microsoft Office products. That is why I asked specifically about current Microsoft Office products. Suggestions and information about products other than current Microsoft Office products do me absolutely ZERO good and will just clutter up the thread.
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,976
To answer your original question. Office 365 does not require an internet connection. You can save your work offline according to the following.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...internet/f3facf17-df53-49da-8e82-205c11d6e314

My nose got too sore from paying through it all the time a long time ago. Sorry for your continued pain.
Thanks. That was helpful. I couldn't read the WSJ article that was linked because I would have to buy a subscription, but some of the answers provided additional useful info. Apparently you have to be connected in order to have spell checking work. That's absurd since the dictionary files are sufficiently small that there is no good reason not to be able to store them locally. Plus, and somewhat even more to the point, if the dictionary files aren't stored locally, then the information that has to go back and forth between my computer and the server in order to spell check a document almost certainly leaks a huge amount of information about what is contained in that document. That's a huge security vulnerability, as far as I'm concerned.

As for paying through the nose for a long time, I've almost always gotten Office bundled with a machine, so I was paying for it whether I used it or not (and my understanding is that the bundling fee was very minimal and that conforms with the handful of times I looked at the same machine from the same vendor with and without the Office bundle -- the difference was usually about $19). Work environments (that I have been in) have always used Office products and there IS pain in trying to use LibreOffice or one of the others because they are never truly, seamlessly, compatible. I have spent too much time dealing with folks that couldn't open Office files or generate Office files that Office could open to want to impose that on myself (without a damn good reason -- and damn good reasons DO exist). But even this is irrelevant to the current inquiry because, as it stands now, I will HAVE to use one of these two suites in order to interact with certain services on the campus network. E-mail has been specifically mentioned (and the main one I am worried about right now) as they are claiming that webmail is going to be discontinued. So I am trying to get an understanding of the options and implications. The other option appears to be Office 2016. Until a few minutes ago I was concerned that this would force me to upgrade my O/S beyond Win7, but it appears that Office 2016 will still run on Win7 (SP1). So I think that is the direction I will probably go (and I can get it for free right now).
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
One thing to check is if 365 will require removal of other MS Office products. I took some music classes at a local community college and 365 came free for registered students but it did require uninstalling Office 2007. After a few years, the student license expired and the subscription kicked in. I politely declined.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I use the latest Office (Mac) and it does not require a net connection except for updates. I mostly only use Excel these days but I think the entire suite is quite functional offline. You DO have to tell it to not use the online stuff - that wants an account login - and I forget how you do that. Should be easy to find.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
Thanks. That was helpful. ...
I'm actually an agnostic on the subject of what people should or should not use. When I decided to switch to LO I decided that I no longer cared about not being able to open other people's Word documents. With MACROS enabled that can be a dangerous proposition. The flip side is having other people open my LO documents. I just convert them to PDF before sharing them. I don't share the modifiable files. That setup has worked for me for over a decade.

Yes I know LO is less than a decade old. It was OO that started the process in 2006.
 
Last edited:

markdem

Joined Jul 31, 2013
113
Just to answer you last question, yes you can still get a non subscription office. just get office 2016 and not office 365. They are the same product, just paid differently.
Just keep in mind if this is for business use it might workout better in the long tune to get o365 as it is a "leased" product and can be written off in the books. (subject to how your tax system works in your country).

Spell check will work offline too. What you will not get is any updates to the language. It actually have more to do with grammar checking anyway. You can turn the submitting off if you like.

Also, o365 will need a internet connection every 30 days (from memory, it might be 39) for reactivation. After this time, it will give you a message each time you start it, but it will keep working.
 
Last edited:

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
We are getting pressured to use Office 365 for some things and I am hesitant to go that direction (in general I don't like upgrading software without a damn good reason and just because it's the latest and greatest doesn't qualify as a damn good reason, in my book, if the existing software meets my needs just fine).
Office 365 is a web based version of MS Office. Cost range from $5.00 per user up to about $12.50 per user per month. Web version of Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for example are the low end package and this is strictly web based meaning you do not get the software to install. The advantage is you can access and work on your files from anywhere with an internet connection, for example using a laptop or tablet PC, even a smart phone. Anyway, absolutely it is all about internet access.

Ron
 

atferrari

Joined Jan 6, 2004
4,764
Office 365 is a web based version of MS Office. Cost range from $5.00 per user up to about $12.50 per user per month. Web version of Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for example are the low end package and this is strictly web based meaning you do not get the software to install. The advantage is you can access and work on your files from anywhere with an internet connection, for example using a laptop or tablet PC, even a smart phone. Anyway, absolutely it is all about internet access.

Ron
Sorry Ron if I do not understand this clearly: what if my internet connection is off for any reason? What could I do and I could not?
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Sorry Ron if I do not understand this clearly: what if my internet connection is off for any reason? What could I do and I could not?
Once you are fully installed and configured to not require the online services, you can use Office and never know the difference, connected or not. Obviously you can't do things that require access to remote data. No stock quotes, no following embedded links, etc.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
  • Once you are fully installed and configured to not require the online services, you can use Office and never know the difference, connected or not. Obviously you can't do things that require access to remote data. No stock quotes, no following embedded links, etc.
  • That about covers it. Office 365 is sort of like having MS Office in a cloud. You can use the software in what you subscribe to. It would be real useful for "team applications" in a business world. Here is the Microsoft link and note the $5.00 flavor does mention:

  • Business-class email hosting with 50 GB mailbox
  • Web version of Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (desktop version of apps not included)
  • One license covers 5 phones, 5 tablets, & 5 PCs or Macs per user
Ron
 

Thread Starter

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,976
I'm actually an agnostic on the subject of what people should or should not use. When I decided to switch to LO I decided that I no longer cared about not being able to open other people's Word documents. With MACROS enabled that can be a dangerous proposition. The flip side is having other people open my LO documents. I just convert them to PDF before sharing them. I don't share the modifiable files. That setup has worked for me for over a decade.

Yes I know LO is less than a decade old. It was OO that started the process in 2006.
I generate PDF files for sharing when I can. The problem is that I am in an environment that sometimes requires me to collaborate with the development and maintenance of Word documents, so refusing to share modifiable documents simply is not an option.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,158
I generate PDF files for sharing when I can. The problem is that I am in an environment that sometimes requires me to collaborate with the development and maintenance of Word documents, so refusing to share modifiable documents simply is not an option.
I understand. When you retire, you have a great deal more freedom to do as you wish. I hope I'm around to welcome you into the fraternity.
 
Top