<p>Why are there so many different versions of MS Office? I can buy MS Office 2003 Teacher and Student version where I work for $160. But I see it on line various places for $135. Any reason I wouldn’t just buy it online? </p>
<p>(Forget about why I need this - it’s a long story. And it is 2003 that I want.)</p>
<p>Thanks for ideas.</p>
<p>Easiest way is to have your college student pick a copy up for you really cheaply ;)</p>
<p>Many schools offer much better discounts than that offered online!</p>
<p>Go with MS Office if you have to have it, but I’ve been using Lotus SmartSuite for years (although I am no expert when it comes to spreadsheets). The typically price of SmartSuite is a very small fraction of the retail price for any version of MS Office.</p>
<p>I use OpenOffice, which is free and just as good as Office… if not better… and the programs are pretty much identical. (and the files are 100% compatible. You can even save as an office file.)</p>
<p>weenie:</p>
<p>I imagine you might be seeing 2003 offered online at a more discounted price because Office 2007 is out now. Meanwhile, the place you buy your teacher’s edition may not have adjusted prices based on the actual market - i.e. they’re stuck at the same price as when 2003 was the current Office product.</p>
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<p>Open office is lovely. Same blessed difference as MS Office. And, the equation editor type of thing on Open Office is wonderful!</p>
<p>I am still using Office 95 at home. I really don’t see much difference between the old version and my newer version at work.</p>
<p><a href=“http://download.openoffice.org/2.2.0/index.html[/url]”>http://download.openoffice.org/2.2.0/index.html</a> <– download open office for free. It’s only 90 MB and you save yourself $135 :)</p>
<p>If you’re just into typing, working standard spreadsheet, doing powerpoint presentation, open office is more than enough for you.</p>
<p>edad, the only difference is they added a lot of ‘fluff’ to make you think you need a new computer to support their massive program :)</p>
<p>I’m on the fence about Office. For one, I think it’s too fluffy. However, I do see some advantages to Excel that no other spreadsheet programs seem to offer. The “solver” and “goal seek” functions are not quite duplicated in other spreadsheet programs, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Though I hear that the newer versions of OpenOffice.org may have mitigated that problem. I should check it out.</p>
<p>This is actually for my sister, who has young kids. She wants them to have the same programs that they use in school. (They are in grades K - 6th grade.)</p>
<p>Actually Fendergirl the files aren’t always 100% compatible. I had a complicated Word file sent to me. (Price quote for windows that included charts and prices.) I download it into Open Office. There was a pop-up box with something about links. I downloaded once clicking “yes” on the box another time “no”. One way I was missing two pages, the other way I was missing the prices. I went to the computer that had real Office on it, and it opened just fine. The Open Office version of Excel, has some functions that are very hard to find and don’t appear to be able to be put in the tool bar where I want them. Still, for the price, OO is great.</p>
<p>sorry, i didn’t know that. i’ve never had any type of problems with my files… going from office 03 at work to openoffice here at my house. i guess it just depends what you’re doing.</p>
<p>This week is the very first time I’ve had a problem, but did feel I ought to mention it. 
There might even be a newer version of OO I haven’t downloaded yet that would take care of it, or it might be in the works.</p>