PowerPoint - anywhere reliable I can download an old version?

[margaritasbythesea]

I don't know if this is a silly question, but is there anywhere I could download an old version of PowerPoint to use for a couple of weeks? I really don't need to buy it, but it would be really handy to have it on my home computer right now.
TIA

There are free online alternatives, such as the one in Google's office suite (you just need a Gmail account). Alternatively you can use Microsoft's OneDrive which comes with a free (online only) version of Powerpoint itself, both work very well. Both will open existing *.ppt files if that's what you need.

For a downloadable one, LibreOffice has one.

Short of the options listed by tribpot, the answer is no. Microsoft don't offer older versions for free. You may be able to find illegal torrents but they are usually riddled with trojans and your ISP may get upset.

Thanks. Does online only mean you can't save a presentation you make to your desktop? If so, it's no good for me.

Perhaps I will just have to keep carting my work laptop up and down. It's huge!

No, you can download a presentation to your desktop with Google and I think with OneDrive, will just check and report back!

.. yes, you can.

Thanks. i shall have a look myself!

Does it have to be old or is it just that you thought that would cost less?
Try wps.com - it's a freeware version and not bad at all.

Yes I just thought it might be cheaper. I have to use PowerPoint though unfortunately. Having it at home would save me a lot of hassle.

Have a look at the one I linked, it is PowerPoint but a shareware version. Nobody will know the difference.

Well, it depends what you're trying to do. Google doesn't have animation and I doubt the OneDrive version has much to speak of. If you need very precise layouts and fonts you may find any of the free options don't quite convert into Powerpoint format in the same way as Powerpoint itself would. However, give it a try before you shell out any money.

All of the options you've been given above will save a file in Powerpoint format (.ppt or .pptx depending on the version of Powerpoint).

If it turns out you really do need Microsoft's Powerpoint, you can subscribe to Office 365 for a month at about 8 quid (at least, they quote a monthly cost, check that you can cancel after only one month).

You could try LibreOffice which is a free download at
www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-fresh/?version=5.0.1

The Libreoffice powerpoint is called Impress and is very similar. It will allow you to load and save ms powerpoint file formats.

I will. Thankyou. I suppose it wouldn't work on a computer that hadn't had it downloaded though? I have to carry it around with me to different places on a memory stick once I have made it

Right so where does the memory stick come in? Do you mean after you have finished making this presentation, you will need to carry it about on a memory stick and plug it into different machines, all of which will have Powerpoint on? That's no problem with any of the options above, a LibreOffice presentation will be compatible with Powerpoint (noting as with all of these options, some limitations about how well things might align/whether the fonts will look exactly the same).

If you mean whilst you're working on it you'll be on different machines, the online options would be easiest as you store the file in Google Drive or OneDrive as well as work on it there through a browser (Chrome, Internet Explorer). But if you decide to go for LibreOffice on your home laptop you can still store the file in Google Drive or OneDrive to save carrying it around on a memory stick. (This depends a bit on whether your work have blocked access to G Drive, or blocked the use of memory sticks, but is really a different problem to solve).

All of the options are compatible with Microsoft Office; no-one would get very far with making an 'office-style' product that didn't integrate with it in some way, so don't worry about that.

I mean the former. Thanks very much for your time. I do appreciate it.

There is a version of Libreoffice which is portable as long as you have 126MB on the USB stick for it portableapps.com/apps/office/libreoffice_portable

Alternatively you can get the powerpoint viewer for free at www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=13

If you think the place you are going to show your presentation has powerpoint its probably worth putting the viewer on your system to check that the presentation looks perfect

That's a good idea. Thanks. I have the viewer already.

The trial version of Office 365 is free for a month.

I just noticed that!