Confused - Renew Subscription Office 365

[Jarrod2518]

When I purchased a new laptop, in Australia, I paid for Office 365 and installed it under the impression it was with a licence in perpetuity - not a yearly subscription based service. It had Windows 8.1 as part of the package. At the time I certainly believed it was a once off purchase and I would not be required to pay for additional subscriptions.

 

I opted for the upgrade to Windows 10, see earlier thread for comments on this subject. I did so in the belief that it a “free” upgrade, not a one year trial. There was considerable debate in the industry as to whether Mircosoft would be charging at the end of the year for the future use. In reply to an inquiry on 2:21 PM - 5 Jun 2015 tweeted Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul). Vice President, WDG Engineering Systems team another and departing Microsoft manager, Janne Ojala, see – “to OjJanne @Microsoft “ Please allow me to close that door for you: No annual fee for Windows 10”

 

A few days ago I receive an email advising my Office 365 Home subscription is about to expire and has to be renewed. There are similar banner messages when I open Windows 10. It appears I am now up for a yearly subscription of US$119. Has the subscription emerged as a consequence of moving to Windows 10?

 

Has other BMs come across this. Is it possible to avoid the subscription? Any suggestions?

[joe_momma]

Welcome to the new Microsoft - after years of piracy and people not upgrading older versions of office they have hit on their business model - only sell annual licenses and make everyone pay each year. 

 

Considering how many machines still use Windows XP (virtually all ATMs) it makes sense - but as an end user this is another scam. 

[Colin back in Pattaya]

Time to move to one of the many 'flavours' of Linux!

Linux is FREE (as in freedom) and usually also free as in no charge.

Two of the most popular versions are Linux Mint, and Ubuntu.

Both come complete with loads of applications, including the Libre Office software suite that features, spreadsheet, word processor, presentation etc.

[Sarse500]

Time to move to one of the many 'flavours' of Linux!

Linux is FREE (as in freedom) and usually also free as in no charge.

Two of the most popular versions are Linux Mint, and Ubuntu.

Both come complete with loads of applications, including the Libre Office software suite that features, spreadsheet, word processor, presentation etc.

 

Agree - computing on the cheap.  Meets most users needs.

[superdaws]

When I purchased a new laptop, in Australia, I paid for Office 365 and installed it under the impression it was with a licence in perpetuity - not a yearly subscription based service. It had Windows 8.1 as part of the package. At the time I certainly believed it was a once off purchase and I would not be required to pay for additional subscriptions.

 

I opted for the upgrade to Windows 10, see earlier thread for comments on this subject. I did so in the belief that it a “free” upgrade, not a one year trial. There was considerable debate in the industry as to whether Mircosoft would be charging at the end of the year for the future use. In reply to an inquiry on 2:21 PM - 5 Jun 2015 tweeted Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul). Vice President, WDG Engineering Systems team another and departing Microsoft manager, Janne Ojala, see – “to OjJanne @Microsoft “ Please allow me to close that door for you: No annual fee for Windows 10”

 

A few days ago I receive an email advising my Office 365 Home subscription is about to expire and has to be renewed. There are similar banner messages when I open Windows 10. It appears I am now up for a yearly subscription of US$119. Has the subscription emerged as a consequence of moving to Windows 10?

 

Has other BMs come across this. Is it possible to avoid the subscription? Any suggestions?

If you don't want to change OS's look at OpenOffice.org.  It is a free open source Office suite and runs on Windows, it will also handle all the Microsoft files, .doc, xls, etc.