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Bob Weisner
05-30-2004, 10:32 AM
Hi:

Does anyone know if there is a free version of Microsoft's Excel software ?

Thanks,

Bob
Peter Stahl
05-30-2004, 10:44 AM
Bob,

Not that I know of but you can get a OEM version (one that doesn't have the manuals) a lot cheeper.

Pete
Ken Garlock
05-30-2004, 1:03 PM
Bob, AFAIK, Microsoft has never given anything away.

Let me suggest that you search Pricewatch (http://www.pricewatch.com) . It is a good site for finding good prices. If I were looking for Excel, I would start with an "Office 200x" suite. With Office you get Excel, Word, and Powerpoint. You probably don't need powerpoint, but it is almost a free-bee when you consider the cost of Excel and Word when bought individually. Look to spend about $60 for either Excel or Word, and about $120 and up for the Office suite of programs. These will be OEM versions and most likely not have manuals, but manuals are available at any major book store. Be sure to get a copy which has all the licensing keys with it.

As Milton Friedman likes to say, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Dan Mages
05-30-2004, 6:59 PM
Microsoft does offer a free viewer for Excel files. You can also download Suns Star Office for free which has a speadsheet program.

Dan
Bob Weisner
05-30-2004, 7:46 PM
Thanks for the replys! I should have also mentioned that I have Windows XP. I checked on the free version from Microsoft and it does'nt say that it can be used with Windows XP. Does anyone know of any free software that can open xls files?

Thanks,

Bob
Bob Johnson
05-30-2004, 9:09 PM
Try http://www.openoffice.org

Openoffice is a free equivalent to MS office. I've tried it, and it seems to handle my Excel spreadsheets ok.

Bob
Brian Hale
05-31-2004, 12:04 AM
Yep, Open Office is the ticket. Had for a couple years now and it's tuff to tell the differance once you get into it.

Brian
Jim Becker
05-31-2004, 2:52 PM
OpenOffice. Absolutely. I installed it on this new machine a month or so ago to avoid installing MS Office and ten thousand service packs and updates, nor did I want to spring for a few hundred bucks for the upgrade. OpenOffice is a great compatible alternative, downloadable for free (hopefully you have high speed access) and covers pretty much everthing normal humans will use with the exception of email. (No Outlook equivalent)