Well, not exactly — but they have announced that support for Office 2010 will end on 13th October 2020. Although this doesn’t mean that Office 2010 will cease to work on that date, it does mean that, as Microsoft says, ‘you could expose yourself to serious and potentially harmful security risks.’
From 13th October, Microsoft will no longer:
- provide technical support, bug fixes, or security fixes for Office 2010 vulnerabilities which may be subsequently
- reported or discovered. This includes security updates which can help protect your PC from harmful viruses,
- spyware, and other malicious software.
- receive Office 2010 updates.
- receive phone or chat technical support.
- provide updates to support content and most online help content will be retired.
So, what should you do?
Essentially you have two options — purchase of a newer version of Microsoft Office which means somewhere in the region of £100 to £200 depending on the exact version, or get into open-source apps such as LibreOffice or OpenOffice which cost nothing. A no-brainer?
The Document Foundation’s Libre Office is a real alternative to Microsoft’s Office and can both read and write Microsoft Office files when you need that facility.
Clarborough and Welham IT Group has extensive experience of some of the huge range of open-source applications that can power-up laptops and PCs to specifications that match (and interface with) Microsoft’s standard and beyond and all at no cost at all. So why not go along and get LibreOffice and Gimp (the alternative to Photoshop for image editing) together with a range of web browser and security applications for free?
Book one of the group’s Windows 10 laptops or take your own. Classes run in Clarborough Village Hall (DN22 9LN) on Tuesdays (1.30pm to 3.00pm) or Wednesdays (10.00am to 11.30am) with the next five-week ‘block’ of classes resuming week commencing 20th April at just £20.00 for the whole block.
For more information or to book your place contact Greg on 01777 700918 or email clarboroughwelham@gmail.com. Their website (www.cwitgroup.btck.co.uk) has class dates through to July 2021 in the Calendar section.