Question Any problem in running Office 2003 on a Windows 10/11 PC?

[modeonoff]

Hi, I bought Office 2003 when it came out. If I can still find the CD, is there any problem (such as lack of recent security patches) installing and running it on a PC running Windows 10/11?

 

[Math Geek]

no real issue.

i still run office 2007 since i own it as well. runs on win 10/11 no problem.

the only real security patches needed have to do with macros and other such things in docs. if you're not downloading docs from random places on the web and running them, then there is nothing to worry about.

docs you create and use don't all of a sudden morph into dangerous docs just cause it's opened on an old version of office.

if you feel the need, you can use the online versions of office apps at office.com. it's free and does what you need it to do. gets you updated office and all you need is a MS account

 

[modeonoff]

Thank you. Given that it is almost 20 years apart, is the limited online version of office still better than my office 2003? Will I be able to store the files locally on my PC? Don't want any personal documents on the cloud.

 

[BFG-9000]

If you like Office 2003, then I'll suggest the free Libre Office because the theme looks very similar and it is absolutely kept up-to-date with the latest version being released 5 days ago.

Plenty of people don't like 2007 and later due to the huge ribbon interface that takes up so much screen real estate leaving less for your document. If you get a larger and higher resolution monitor this isn't as much an issue but laptop screen users are kind of stuck. 2003 and earlier all use the same dropdown text menu system everyone was familiar with so changing to the ribbon led to a lot of wasted time looking up how to do things they knew how to do before.

2003 is not tested for compatibility with Windows 10 so at any time an update can bork it (and there have been some complaints of this happening but a reinstall usually fixes it). I noticed back in the day that upgrades to Windows 10 as well as clean installs of 2003 in 10 sometimes had it automatically run in compatibility mode but it mostly worked. 2007 was always compatible from the earliest builds of Windows 10 but 2013 was recommended then.

Office 365 (next year's name Microsoft 365) defaults to storing your documents in the cloud (usually OneDrive) but you can change the default to your local computer. While you are editing the document though, backup copies are kept in the cloud "in case" you suddenly want to change to editing it on your phone or other device like an X-Box because that makes all kinds of sense when you have an actual PC. It's kind of a similar situation to Google Cloud Print which sent anything you printed (like your taxes) to Google servers where they promised not to use it for anything except to "improve printing" in that they claim the traffic sent both ways is fully encrypted so only they can read it. There are of course now a couple attempts at class-action suits against Google for surreptitiously collecting information anyway when in "Incognito" private browsing modes, and it seems Google (old slogans: "Don't be evil" and "Do the right thing" ) paid extra special attention to collect such data when such modes were selected.

"Office on the Web" (previously known as Office Web Apps) is a lightweight free version of Office 365 that runs in a web browser, and privacy concerns are such that organizations such as the Dutch government that allow the use of Office 365 disallow the use of Office on the Web. Apparently in the latter, Microsoft sends all of your embedded videos in your documents to 3rd party Giphy and personal telemetry data to Optimizely.

 

[modeonoff]

Thank you very much for the detailed analysis.

 

[Math Geek]

The web apps save to one drive. But you can download it. But you must upload it back for editing.

All recent office products are massive privacy concerns. Take your pick which way you want to go there.

Your older version will be less intrusive for sure. As will the above libre office.

All MS products are designed for data mining. Any update an old version gets is usually adding in the data mining. So look close at any update to any version.

 

[Grobe]

Agreed to BFG-9000 about using LibO instead.

However - is for some reason (maybe macros especially adapted for that version/os/system) so you feel you have to run that old software, I suggest using a virtual computer (virtualbox can be used without any cost) running the OS version the software was intended for (that be windows 98, 2000, XP).

For a windows environment, you can download a portable version of Libre Office (i.e. don't need to install it, so it can also be used on a computer where you don't have admin rights). This is ideal for putting software on a usb stick that you carry around everywhere - all settings are keept as well (ulike regular installed programs, moving the program folder to another computer also move user settings).

 

[Abishekh Kc]

I don't recommend you use Office 2003 on Windows 10 or 11. If you don't have many tasks to do with Office, go with Office online. It's free to use, and you can also get an app from the Microsoft Store. If you need more features such as formulas, cell protection, etc., go for open-source tools such as LibreOffice or OpenOffice.

 

[punkncat]

The biggest issue I have seen from continued use of Office 03 is that they quit offering the security/compatibility updates for it a couple of years back. I had used it almost exclusively up until about a year and a half ago, due to that. I used 07 for a moment and it is now in the same boat. What I have run into with '10 is that they pull this crap where when you have to do a clean install of Windows they invalidate the license on you. It is supposed to be good for "3" installs and have found some leniency on that over the years but very recently they started invalidating them on the first reinstall. Surely a ploy to force you towards the crappy online version. (and it is crappy)

Libre and Open Office are very good for casual use.

 

[Math Geek]

this one feels a bit more like google docs but it's another free office alternative

[OFFICIAL] WPS Office-Free Office Download for PC & Mobile, Alternative to MS Office

WPS Office is a free and all-in-one Office suite, highly compatible with MS Office Word, Excel, and PPT. Can be downloaded online and free trial for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux.

www.wps.com

i use it on mobile for the limited stuff i need to do on a mobile device