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Is there a version of Microsoft Works for XP that I don't have to register

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Floppies_only

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Gang,

I need a spreadsheet that will run on a Windows XP machine but which doesn't require registration to keep working, or that can be registered. I see Works on the place, but after buying two versions of Office to find I couldn't register them, I thought the smart thing to do now is to ask for help. Oh, I don't have access to an uninfected computer that is connected to the internet. Does anybody know if I can get something on CD?

Thanks in advance,
Sean
 
I know Office 97 didn't require online activation; I think Office 2000 might also not need online activation. Okay, there are phone methods to activate but those are complex and I don't know if MS still bothers activating Office XP - 2010 by phone. 2010 is the last one to run on Window XP.

Works got activation early on so you would probably need a version dating to 1995 for a version that only requires serial number.

The other options for Office Suites that run on XP are LibreOffice/OpenOffice depending on which version of the fork you prefer, Wordperfect Office, and Softmaker Office. Softmaker has a free variant called FreeOffice. Wordperfect and Softmaker both run frequent sales. LibreOffice/OpenOffice requires no registration of any type.
 
krebizfan said:
I know Office 97 didn't require online activation; I think Office 2000 might also not need online activation. Okay, there are phone methods to activate but those are complex and I don't know if MS still bothers activating Office XP - 2010 by phone. 2010 is the last one to run on Window XP.

Works got activation early on so you would probably need a version dating to 1995 for a version that only requires serial number.

The other options for Office Suites that run on XP are LibreOffice/OpenOffice depending on which version of the fork you prefer, Wordperfect Office, and Softmaker Office. Softmaker has a free variant called FreeOffice. Wordperfect and Softmaker both run frequent sales. LibreOffice/OpenOffice requires no registration of any type.
Click to expand...

That's great, and I might be able to use LibreOffice for the girl I sponsor in South America, too. I just ordered a copy.

I'm not sure that it is still possible to register a copy of XP anymore. The Microsoft website says that support for Office 2003 has ended and I was not able to register it when I tried. "Caveat emptor!", says eBay.

One thing that could be of interest is to know if there is an overlap of software that is early enough not to require registration but late enough to run on XP. I imagine someday they will do this with cars and there won't be a car older than ten years driving: they just won't start on day 3652. They will probably create a fee to drain the gas tank which the scrap yard will pass on to the driver.

Sean
 
I'd imagine using XP is not dought the issue, as it's now unsupported by MS. A small entry in the registry you can get around this. It might improve things a bit. Look up POSReady on this forum. krebizfan has listed few free alternatives. Gnumeric was available but the windows build has been deemed far too buggy. Any number of older Windows version of "Works" style packages would probably work as well. Another option is to dump XP altogether.
 
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Whilst XP is not supported I am pretty sure it still activates just fine, as will the Office products provided the key has not already been used.

The corporate versions of Office 2003 do not require activation, but finding one might be hard. They also feel buggy to me, I would not use them.

If its just occasional use you might try putting the spread sheet on a "One Drive" and using Excel Online which you can find here:-

https://office.live.com/start/excel.aspx

assuming this works with the browser you have on that machine, I tried it on Chrome on this PC and it works but its running Windows Technical Preview so rather later than XP.

You shouldn't need to order LibreOffice its easily downloadable.
 
Within the last 14 days of typing this message, I've activated - over the phone - a copy of Win XP Pro w/ SP2. It still works.

Office XP 2003 Pro doesn't require activation, at least my copy does not. Nor did my copy of Office 2000 Premium, or Office 97 Pro.

If you're just after basic, personal spreadsheet use, then Google Apps has a free one that works relatively well if you don't care about installing, otherwise OpenOffice or LibreOffice are good alternatives.
 
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