Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/04/microsoft-will-raise-prices-of-commercial-office-bundles-in-july-.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/04/microsoft-will-raise-prices-of-commercial-office-bundles-in-july-.html

I like using LibreOffice instead. Open source is always the way to go.

https://www.libreoffice.org/

OpenOffice is another open source alternative that looks a bit more like Microsoft Office suite, and I think it also supports more file extensions than libreoffice(?)

This is for commercial users, so if your company mandates MS Office, none of the free alternatives are much use.
On the plus side, the prices don't really matter to those end users, so anyone outside procurement won't notice any difference.

Raising home user prices would lead to a lot more backlash, but I wouldn't put it past MS to try it anyway. They just can't seem to get out of their own way.

Not directly, but it still does matter to me. I'd rather my CEO buy a new car instead of giving even more money to Microsoft, as weird as that sounds.

The real problem is that it makes it even more appealing for C-suiters to cut costs -- and C-suiters usually choose to reduce licence counts (read: firing people) instead of migrating away from Microsoft.

LO is a fork of OO after there was a spat (it's been like, at least 15y now); LO is the successor, most have migrated long ago

I'd rather have the CEO buy me a new car, but y'know, perspectives and all that. I'm just working my ass off for a 1b 1ba and a used Toyota Yaris, so really they deserve a new Jaguar this week.

Someone ought to update the spreadsheet program.
Excel is the primary reason companies are stuck on MS Office.

Excel isn't even that great and could be improved greatly, but unfortunately LibreOffice Calc is even worse currently.

Weird, I found OO was a better and more modern experience than LO.

I fucking hate that it is named calc and it’s 50/50 if it orders itself above the calculator when I search for it.

Costs get passed to consumers.

I agree but I just type calcu and that narrows it. Or if the calculator is a common thing to run, either a keyboard shortcut or taskbar.

MS also has broken and depreciated a lot of Excel's functionality, yet it's still the standard. People just hate change, especially the ones that aren't actually using the product directly.

CEO still gets his new car, Microsoft still gets their check, … it’s you, sir, who gets a 2% raise instead of a 7% raise. So you’re paid less value the following year, against inflation, which is what helps make up the difference.

Libre office is the successor to Open office.

I currently have both and Libre is better. IMO. It depends on what you use it for.

It's all Visual Basic compatibility. Many companies use macros and programs written in Visual Basic inside Excel. As long as they continue using Visual Basic, they will continue using Excel.

Are you kidding? LibreOffice just doubled their prices

Sadly I have to agree. Being able to take my excel work home with me, where I use Linux exclusively, is the sole reason that I'm forced to use OnlyOffice vs LibreOffice. It has better compatibility with Excel by a WIDE margin.

That being said, I don't have the issue with OnlyOffice that others seem to have. It's desktop app is still OpenSource, it's just the online bits and collaboration stuff that isn't. But I'd still rather go with a non-profit like the Document Foundation than a for profit company any day of the week.

What's that? Microsoft encouraged people to use Open Source Office Suites? Hmm.

Agreed, my mom uses spreadsheets for things. Eventually just ended up paying for Office Home and Student 2024 because Calc confused her. Though when I helped her install Office, I did notice that she hadn't updated LibreOffice in over two years. Wish I had noticed before she paid for Office to see if the updates for Calc might have fixed her issue. Also wish I had installed OnlyOffice to see if it might have matched the "feel" of Excel better before giving MS money.

You guys are getting raises?

You might be thinking of OnlyOffice...?

Hey guys! Guess what???

My poop! It is now just $5.99!

No, not factorial. That's just five ninety nine! Where? Where can you get my poop? Right here! In the toilet! That's where I put it every day! Then I just push this little lever right here and then I go do other things! What? What do you mean? Oh I flushed it didn't I? Yeah, it's ok, I'll make more tomorrow! $5.99 remember! 5.99!

Wait, they charge extra for Teams? I honestly don't even know what plan I've got at work. It obviously has Teams, but other than that and Outlook I barely touch any of the other applications.

Yeah, I think you’re right.

Is this just becoming c/news?

LibreOffice also has LibreOffice Basic, but Visual Basic is definitely easier to find help for online.

same here

nahhh, the people that would have already changed.

Again?? Smh my head

If open source companies cared enough about marketing, I bet the dominoes would fall.

Oh yes, they are missing on so much money...

And just like that, most businesses went back to pens and papers and other stationery products.

I imagine it'd be easy to override the system .desktop file with your own with whatever name you'd like to give it

What are they going to do? Buy servers!?

Board room erupts in laughter

Also wish I had installed OnlyOffice to see if it might have matched the “feel” of Excel better before giving MS money.

It's shockingly similar in a lot of ways. Just barely different enough to not get sued, I'd imagine.

They didn't originally, but at least in Europe they started getting some "monopolistic" threats and started to split it up. I'm not sure if they split them for all countries/markets and am too lazy to look it up right now.

I'm guessing they're talking about Open Office, while you're comparing to Only Office.

I'm starting to think open source may not win the "great job naming things" trophy, this year, either.

I have the free version.

Edit: wait a minute, I just did a Google search and it said libre office is still free. Are you trolling or joking, lol?

It sounds like you might be pirating it. Go ahead and fax the creators $100 for a home license. Dont forget to shred the money after faxing and take a video for proof.

No a quick Google search says it's free directly from their Website.

Cant trust Google anymore, try ChatGPT