Should I use Microsoft Word?

Microsoft would prefer that Office users on Mac and Windows upgrade to the online version of Office 365, but it's up to you. In fact, you can already use some Microsoft Office programs, including Word, online without paying a penny to Microsoft. All you need to do is create a Microsoft account with a valid email address, it doesn't have to be a Microsoft email address and you can get the online versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint with Free Online Storage in OneDrive.

The free Microsoft suite also includes OneNote, Skype, Calendar, People, Tasks, Photos, Sway, Flow and Forms.

Therefore, if you want to use Word, you have three options: the online version (free), the desktop program (single payment) and Office 365 (annual subscription).

There are many reasons to use Word. The best part is that you like it for its performance, its full list of features, its ease of use or whatever.

The second reason is that you have to read old files, which is one of your problems. It depends on the complexity of your files. If your documents contain multiple columns, embedded images, custom fonts, footnotes and similar features, you can almost forget everything. However, if your documents are simple text files, many programs load them.

The third reason is that we live in a world where Microsoft Office is de facto the standard of business documents and you have to read them carefully. This applies to files that use Visual Basic for applications and macros, as well as Excel spreadsheets, where errors can have financial implications for retirement.

Decide where to go from "I love" to "I can't live without". If you are not a business, you can do without it or use the free online version. But even if you switch to a free alternative, you will spend a lot of time learning a new interface and handling your old documents.