Microsoft’s forced-upsell to Office 365 Users. Abusing their monopoly.

Forums › Desktop computing › Microsoft’s forced-upsell to Office 365 Users. Abusing their monopoly.

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#3428804 29-Oct-2025 14:35

old3eyes:

kingdragonfly: I asked ChatGPT this very question. What is the last perpetual release of Office, and it told me 2021.

Unknown to me Office 2021 was the last GLOBALLY perpetual release of Office. In some regions, Microsoft must not have release Office 2024

But you are correct, Office 2024 is the last perpetual release of Office, in New Zealand

https://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/microsoft-365/get-started-with-office-2024

That webpage will push you with mulitple offers of Office 365, but if you scroll down enough and look left, you'll see

"Office Home 2024
One-time purchase for PC or Mac
NZ$259.00"

Cheers

No Outlook though.

From PBTech: "Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business Medialess for 1 Device, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook ... $401.35"

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/OFFMST1145/Microsoft-Office-2024-Home--Business-Medialess-for

yitz

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#3428806 29-Oct-2025 14:39

Isn't Outlook pretty much going to be "free" (ad-supported) or tied to the mailbox subscription going forward? Pretty much only difference there is the Home & Business edition is sanctioned for commercial use.

mattwnz

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#3428809 29-Oct-2025 15:02

old3eyes:

Because they're not a supermarket, airline or telco.

I think they usually have to get complaints from the public as well. They seem to be stretched very thinly and possibly don't have the resources . I have reported a business to them in the past and never heard back.

wellygary

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#3428811 29-Oct-2025 15:13

Here's the local reporting of this, The Commerce Commission appear to be significantly slacking in their duties, and then being d$cks about responding to the media to boot.

"Very Disappointed’

In the New Year, Consumer NZ complained to the Commerce Commission, asking it to investigate.

This morning, a spokeswoman for Consumer NZ provided this update:

“Back in January, we complained to the Commerce Commission about Microsoft 365’s price increases.

“Following that complaint, the commission told us it had provided Microsoft NZ with a letter, advising Microsoft NZ of complaints received and reminding it of its obligations under the Fair Trading Act.

“The commission said it did not intend to investigate further at that stage.

“We were very disappointed by the commission’s response and we would love to see the commission taking a bolder stance, like the ACCC, when it comes to matters like this.

“Unfortunately, Consumer is still getting reports from people telling us they’re being affected.”

A Commerce Commission spokeswoman said the regulator would only supply a copy of the warning letter to Microsoft without an Official Information Act request (for which it is given up to 20 working days to respond).

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/microsoft-faces-possible-a50m-penalty-in-australia-ticking-off-letter-in-new-zealand/42P54KGOIFHR5FNLPBBJMKCJ24/

old3eyes

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#3428871 29-Oct-2025 16:09

PolicyGuy:

From PBTech: "Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business Medialess for 1 Device, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook ... $401.35"

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/OFFMST1145/Microsoft-Office-2024-Home--Business-Medialess-for

Yes that is the more expensive version with outlook . The one in the other link was $259 with no Outlook.

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#3429237 30-Oct-2025 10:55

kingdragonfly: I asked ChatGPT this very question

Aren't you the person that started the thread dumping on AI, and yet you'll take it as gospel when it conveniences you? Pick a lane, or at least fact check yourself before posting misinformation on behalf of ChatGPT.

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kingdragonfly

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#3429788 1-Nov-2025 10:17

I'm not luddite.

For example I spent the morning to debug Amazon's "Enhanced Streaming Protocol (ESP)" problem, that's plaguing my others worldwide because AWS is always a little cheaper, and a little worse.

As an this morning excerise I used various AI models to generate c# code to see which one produces the best code. Microsoft Copilot failed miserably this morning.

Regarding Office 2021 being the last perpetual model, I am guilty of asking an AI a straightforward question, which I foolishly assumed it could not hallicinate:

"I want an alternative to office 365 cloud. I want a Microsoft local perpetual license. What is the last version. Links if you have them"

The AI knew I was in New Zealand by the way, and I did say "I want" but gave me an answer for the entire world.

For my hubris, of not reaching your omniscient perfection, and failing to follow my own advice to trust AI with an easy question, I apologize

Asteros

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#3429795 1-Nov-2025 11:39

Can you please tell us what countries Office 2024 is not available in?

I am very sure it is widely available globally, except for sanctioned countries.

kingdragonfly

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#3429796 1-Nov-2025 11:47

I didn't track down which countries it was not available in.

You, kind human being, set me straight that 2024 was available, when AI led me astray. :)

But sanctioned countries sounds right

When I retire I'll switch to OpenOffice/Libre as I hate subscriptions.

Tinkerisk

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#3429803 1-Nov-2025 13:04

Microsoft does not have a monopoly. There are at least 10 paid and free Office alternatives; you just have to look into them and not simply buy the ‘next’ version of Office.

Qui nihil scit, omnia credere debet. - He who knows nothing must believe everything.
Firewalls do NOT stop dragons. Really not. But your smart devices are spying on you!
I avoid Big Tech amap. They try hard to dictate technology and „culture“ across borders.
In effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who „someone“ is.

old3eyes

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#3429804 1-Nov-2025 13:21

Tinkerisk:

Microsoft does not have a monopoly. There are at least 10 paid and free Office alternatives; you just have to look into them and not simply buy the ‘next’ version of Office.

They pretty much do have a monopoly with Office. Sure there are free versions which are quite good like LibreOffice but the free kicker for me is the lack of exchange sever integration email client as you get with classic Outlook.

Regards,

Old3eyes

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Tinkerisk

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#3429813 1-Nov-2025 16:39

old3eyes:

They pretty much do have a monopoly with Office. Sure there are free versions which are quite good like LibreOffice but the free kicker for me is the lack of exchange sever integration email client as you get with classic Outlook.

Still nope. For mail groupware there is Kerio Connect, Open-Xchange, Kopano One, Zimbra, …, and for the last the the Gooaway-Workspace. Mail clients are Thunderbird, Canary Mail, K-9 mail, …

There are a variety of alternatives to the Microsoft Exchange service. Which groupware is best suited to a company's needs depends largely on whether you want to book the server infrastructure directly with the provider or can provide it yourself. Another decisive factor is whether you only need an email service or whether you also want to use the provider's Office applications. Finally, the decision also depends on whether the software should be accessible and customisable as an open source product or not.

Qui nihil scit, omnia credere debet. - He who knows nothing must believe everything.
Firewalls do NOT stop dragons. Really not. But your smart devices are spying on you!
I avoid Big Tech amap. They try hard to dictate technology and „culture“ across borders.
In effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who „someone“ is.

KiwiSurfer

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#3429815 1-Nov-2025 17:06

Tinkerisk:

For mail groupware there is Kerio Connect, Open-Xchange, Kopano One, Zimbra, …,

And despite being a IT geek I have never heard of every single one of these names you mentioned. That's the stranglehold Microsoft/Office has -- with only Google as the other "you won't get fired for choosing $(well known company)" viable alternative.

Tinkerisk

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#3429844 1-Nov-2025 18:34

KiwiSurfer:

Tinkerisk:

For mail groupware there is Kerio Connect, Open-Xchange, Kopano One, Zimbra, …,

And despite being a IT geek I have never heard of every single one of these names you mentioned. That's the stranglehold Microsoft/Office has -- with only Google as the other "you won't get fired for choosing $(well known company)" viable alternative.

If you are an IT professional, it is not my fault that you have never heard of it. If you are an avid user, you do not need this software, just Thunderbird. If you are neither one nor the other, continue using Office.

There has to be someone who decides that Office 365 has become too expensive or too intrusive. That someone also has to make the careful decision and bear the risk that an alternative will have to be found. Those who cannot or do not want to do this simply continue to manage the stuff they have been given and should not complain. No risk, no fun.

For normal single use(r), Open/LibreOffice + Thunderbird and (next skill level), for office environments, possibly „syncthing“ or Nextcloud on a NAS are perfectly adequate as collaborative/family replacements for Office 365.

Qui nihil scit, omnia credere debet. - He who knows nothing must believe everything.
Firewalls do NOT stop dragons. Really not. But your smart devices are spying on you!
I avoid Big Tech amap. They try hard to dictate technology and „culture“ across borders.
In effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who „someone“ is.

yitz

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#3429904 1-Nov-2025 19:58

Support NZ made... reckon this guy needs to partner with local infrastructure providers to come up with a SaaS offering...

https://www.pmail.com/

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