Legal software in English, where to find?

Life Technology
1

Many eons ago, when I bought my computer, I also bought the corresponding software, meaning operating system and office kit and kaboole. They came in aCD which you plugged in and loade up. hence, when the inevitable virus plagued your ssytem, and you had to wipe the whole hard disk clean, you had your files in backup and your software in discs to reload.

Nowadays, they tell me you get a “key” and download stuff. The price for this key is ridiculous, about 120 ntd, which makes me feel quite uneasy about the legality of the stuff. Moreover, getting a CD version has become quite a task, with most people staring at me as if I came from outer space.

Now, please do not tell me to go into some other free softwares. First of all, I already chose a computer with Microsoft operating system, negotiable in English. I just need my Word for translations. Give me the ol stuff I am used to. I am not a programmer and I just want something to write speeches and news bits on. Which leads to be bigger reason: most free software lacks Spanish stuff. I mean beyond a simple keyboard package. No dictionary, for example.

2

LibreOffice suite for Windows is free and should take care of most needs.

https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download/

3

MS Office is fully usable now without paying, they just show a reminder to register.

4

That is the thing. It is only in one language. Can’t handle two or more at a time. Libre we tried for a while. It cannot fulfill the needs.

5

Ehem and where do we get the software in the first place?

6

Uh, Microsoft.com?

7

What is in one language? The OS, Office’s interface or the language input?

8

Input. Smart typing. Stuff like thst.

9

If you got some virus (probably browsing porn sites :D) doesn’t mean that you need to reisntall. You need some virus/malware removal tools and that’s it (although some are a bit stubborn).

Also if you had a legal OS with s.n., just download an ISO from Microsoft and reinstall / recover the system.

Hope that helps.

10

The days of a physical copy are almost gone, you can buy a one time purchase office 2016 version for 149 USD but it only gets security updates (hard to find in real, most only sold with pc’s… I’ve never seen an English version in Taiwan…

The most logical is to buy a office 365 subscription starting from 6,99 USD a month or 69 USD a year (I personally buy it from Microsoft HK website (standard will be English)

Last option is their web based or app versions at office.com which is completely free but online only

1 Like
11

You mean adding an IME? https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ee418266(v=vs.85).aspx

12

Nope. Simple dictionary and searches and stuff.

13

Office 365 subscription is the way to do this to get the latest and greatest legally. You’ll find almost everyone in the industry is moving to a subscription based model now.