Agreed!

… and if you get really brave, try out using an excellent alternative to Windows, which is Linux Mint. "free"

https://linuxmint.com/

It can run off a ram-stick – so it will not upset your Windows installation – until you are ready to install on a PC/Laptop.

The only real issue is if you have some special Windows based programs which will not run on Linux Mint, through its Windows emulator……………. trial and error!!

You can always run your "special" Windows Apps on Windows and all the common ones on Linux e.g. Libra Offfice [MS Office alternative], Thunderbird email and the Firefox Web Browser … plus lots of other stuff that I have not yet explored.

Good luck!

Libre office a definate contender! I used MS Office for many years professionaly but since retiring didn't have access, but had many files – Word, excel etc.of my own stuff.

Libre lets you open & use them pretty much as you would in MSoffice and the interface is very similar. There are a few little oddities which I assume are probably to do with Microsoft's proprietry code, but I haven't found any of them a hurdle.

Libre Office gets my vote, too. The facility I appreciate a lot is its ability to load, create and manipulate PDF files as well as directly exporting Word etc, files as PDFs. I only use it for writing text in various forms, letters, printing xmas card labels and such. Very rarely use it for spreadsheet so can't comment on that side of it, but but I have no reason to assume it's not perfectly capable in that respect. It also has the rudimentary integrated 2D drawing program, which I used for a few years for part design, before progressing through a "proper" 2D CAD to Alibre Atom 3D.

John

My P²

P.S. Samsaranda – Yes, it's available for MACos 64bit.

Edited By John Hinkley on 15/12/2020 09:17:34

i use MSOffice on a laptop and Libre Office on a desktop and regularly swap files between both programs, text and spreadsheets mainly.

i have have had no problems in about 5 years of use.

John – that reminds me, for the benefit of those not familiar with it – the included CAD is called (not surprisingly) LibreCAD and is basic with limited documentation but works quite well for routine drawings and its totally free (unless you want to be a good egg and make a voluntary contribution to support development) with no nasty catches.

Also, by the way their version of MS powerpoint  – 'Impress presentation' – is brilliant. If anyone is ever doing a presentation for their club or whatever and wants to appear really flash look into this! Easy to pick up even if you've never done anything similar before. Regards

Edited By Mike Hurley on 15/12/2020 09:39:45

Edited By Mike Hurley on 15/12/2020 09:40:51

I think Libre Office is a fork of Open Office and seem to remember LO making a bid for OO's user base.

I used MS Word for many years – pre-ribbon – and am now perfectly content with LO.

John and FC, many thanks for your reply, will definitely investigate as a replacement.
Dave W