MS Office no longer offline

[fisicx]

For yonks its always been possible to work on MS docs when you run out of connectivity. Not any more: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/06/07/microsoft_office_offline_files_borked/

According to the article you need to be connected to a server even if you want to work offline.

Maybe I'm missing something but if don't need to collaborate or are stuck behind a firewall or just in the middle of nowhere then the ability to work on a document should be reliant on being connected to the borg.

Yes, I know that WiFi is ubiquitous and most of use work in an office. But last weekend I was at an airshow and need to update a document. I had one bar on my phone that flickered between 3G and 4G. If I was using MS Office I'd have been stuffed. Even with the document stored locally, MS demands I be connected.

 

[WESH.UK]

According to the article you need to be connected to a server even if you want to work offline.

Not quite, thats not what the article is saying...

Its only affecting people who's "My documents" or other profile folders actually stored on network servers, such as is the case on many corporate networks, and MS Word for example would typically store an cached copy of the file thats already on your company server then re-sync it later.

If you have the file on your hard drive, then you wont have a problem.

I suspect they are favouring towards the "Onedrive for Business" instead which does the same thing, a LOT better, but costs money, but it does look like they really could have given a decent amount of fair notice first doesnt it?

But last weekend I was at an airshow and need to update a document. I had one bar on my phone that flickered between 3G and 4G. If I was using MS Office I'd have been stuffed. Even with the document stored locally, MS demands I be connected.

This would only have been an issue if you were using cached copies of files. If your going somewhere with such bad internet, you would naturally plan to avoid the problems that come with that and not try to work on cached/offline files anyway surely?

 

[Clinton]

... the ability to work on a document should be reliant on being connected to the borg.

The borg get away with all kinds of nonsense because people allow themselves to get assimilated.

The whole idea of paying a subscription for office software is an abomination. Yet millions of stupid people pay the subscription rather than seeking alternatives.

There is no need to ever use Microsoft Office. And if you do use it, you deserve whatever crap MS imposes on you.

 

[KM-Tiger]

The whole idea of paying a subscription for office software is an abomination. Yet millions of stupid people pay the subscription rather than seeking alternatives.

It's the "if it's paid for it must be good" mindset, the same as why many companies pay to use Redhat linux where they would be just as good with a totally free version.

 

[fisicx]

Its only affecting people who's "My documents" or other profile folders actually stored on network servers, such as is the case on many corporate networks

I didn't read it like that:

Judging by the increasing rumbling in the company's forums, the problem kicked off with version 1904 of the productivity suite and afflicts Office 365, 2016 and 2019. It manifests itself when a user has My Documents and/or the Desktop folders remapped to a server, but with Offline Files configured.

This reads like it's if you have a document stored locally that is remapped to server you can no longer access the document unless you are connected. There is no longer a fully offline function.

 

[ffox]

This reads like it's if you have a document stored locally that is remapped to server you can no longer access the document unless you are connected.

This is related to the Microsoft Offline Files function and not specifically to Office.

I couldn't say why this has occurred, but to say that there is no longer a fully offline function is incorrect.

As pointed out by @WESH.UK there is the option to use One Drive or One Drive for Business. These deliver fully functional offline facilities. I can't understand why anyone would want to side step such well established and reliable modules and map for local to LAN server.

LAN solutions are, by and large, dead, why perpetuate them?

BTW. Office apps do not require a subscription, they are free to use by anyone with a free Microsoft account.

 

[Inva]

LAN solutions are, by and large, dead, why perpetuate them?

This is true according to you and everyone who does not know any better. Personally I don't care. You can continue paying.

 

[KM-Tiger]

LAN solutions are, by and large, dead, why perpetuate them?

No they are not, it just depends on the requirements.

What has changed is the availability of better and faster internet connections has made externally hosted solutions viable. That could even be your own external hosting for proper ownership and control of data.

 

[fisicx]

LAN solutions are, by and large, dead, why perpetuate them?

My wife works for a large international financial company. Everything is in house.

Pretty much the whole of the MOD uses internal networks.

The company I contract for has their own servers.

My son works for a DIY chain in Germany and they use a LAN

It all depends of the organisation and how they operate. Cloudy solutions might be good for some but many others still run their own networks.

 

[KM-Tiger]

It all depends of the organisation and how they operate. Cloudy solutions might be good for some but many others still run their own networks.

Or a mixture. There is good sense in outsourcing some generic services like email but keeping trickier stuff in house where you can control it better. Simple generic services can be bought dirt cheap, so better value than DIY.

But, as ever, Requirements, Requirements, Requirements!
Cloud *might* offer the best solution to meet requirements, but it might not.

 

[ffox]

Awww guys, don't get so defensive.

If you love your networks, keep them, but I would urge you to keep an open mind as to cost, security and convenience of use.

This thread is about issues with the Microsoft Offline Files function, all I say is that there are alternatives to this rather old and flakey functionality. One Drive and One Drive for Business is one way to go, using a simple Power App is another. There are so many ways to sync local to LAN or cloud that it shouldn't be an issue for anyone.

This is true according to you and everyone who does not know any better. Personally I don't care. You can continue paying.

Sorry, but you miss the point I don't pay more for Office 365 than I would for a LAN - I pay MUCH MUCH less - and the security is at a much higher level.

What has changed is the availability of better and faster internet connections has made externally hosted solutions viable.

No. Actually G-Suite and Office 365 are designed to run efficiently on low speed Internet - 3G/4G are quite viable for most business.

@fisicx - you've not heard of G Cloud then?

The UK Government have a cloud first policy to IT procurement. And, it's growing. That includes defence. Sure there are still lots of Local Networks around, but they are being displaced as more cloud functionality becomes available.

One reason why the change over is slow right now is that large organisations tend to use industry specific software applications which must be installed on local servers and require user applications to be installed on user PCs. This model is fast being replaced with browser applications, enabling the server installation to be remote, and often hosted.

 

[Inva]

But, as ever, Requirements, Requirements, Requirements!
Cloud *might* offer the best solution to meet requirements, but it might not.

I think it only makes sense as a solution to short term costs. Trying something new is cheaper than setting up your own network and what not.

 

[Inva]

The UK Government have a cloud first policy to IT procurement. And, it's growing. That includes defence. Sure there are still lots of Local Networks around, but they are being displaced as more cloud functionality becomes available.

You speak of "cloud" as if it's some sort of alien technology never seen before. It's the same thing with non-cloud, only designed and organised in clusters so that servers don't have unused resources. That's the only difference.

 

[alan1302]

The UK Government have a cloud first policy to IT procurement. A

The government doing it does not seem like a good reason to follow

 

[ffox]

You speak of "cloud" as if it's some sort of alien technology never seen before. It's the same thing with non-cloud, only designed and organised in clusters so that servers don't have unused resources. That's the only difference.

Exactly. Cloud is just a remote resource, but G Suite and Office 365 deliver cloud plus so much more. That's what makes it worth the subscription.

The government doing it does not seem like a good reason to follow

Excellent point. I only mention UK Gov commitment to cloud as a counter to the claim that MoD is all on local network.

 

[fisicx]

Excellent point. I only mention UK Gov commitment to cloud as a counter to the claim that MoD is all on local network.

Mod procurement is all cloudy. But the bit that manages operations isn't.

 

[Darkterror]

IT's the first time in my life where I see that I need to check something if I am online when there is no real need in case of office documents, I could understand if it will be google sheets or something like that for example, but as I see it's not like that at all.