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Your Office Insider Satisfaction?

Copper Contributor

In years past, I learned never to install Office beta software on my primary computer. I couldn't trust that a saved file could be opened again...by my beta software or by my customers. And crashes were FREQUENT!

And then, when I would give up on the beta, it was nearly impossible to get it removed from my computer so that I could return to the shipping version. One time, I finally had to replace my computer for that reason. And the response I got at the time was, "What did you expect? You're working with BETA SOFTWARE!"

During later beta programs, I dedicated an old computer to running the betas. But because I couldn't rely on the betas for doing real work, I seldom played with them at all.

That's why I've not joined the Insider/Beta program. 

But apparently, there now are many Office Insiders. What has your experience been with it? Are you running it on your primary computer? Are you doing real work with it for others? Have you had any major problems with crashes and corrupted files? Have users of earlier versions of Office had any problems using your files (files that didn't use the unreleased stuff, of course)? Do your other Office programs work reliably? Especially Outlook?

 

Have you tried to return to, say, monthly updates, and has it worked for you? Or does moving to the Insider program put us on a one-way street on our current computers?

I would really like to switch to the Insiders program. But having been burned so many times, I have many reservations.

I would appreciate any advice that you can offer.

10 Replies

@Charley Kyd 

If I would ever join the Insider program, I would install it on a separate computer.

But I don't have the urge as the new features will eventually come to the monthly channel.

 

@Charley Kyd 

I have moved to the beta channel, but then I do not currently have anything significant running in the way of client work.  For me the challenge is to understand how Excel has changed from being spreadsheet software to something entirely different.  It is no longer a matter of new features which provide bells and whistles; the solutions I develop now are often not recognised as being spreadsheet formulas at all, since they do not rely upon the concept of relative referencing or expose individual cell references.

 

So, given this rather different motivation, what is is my experience of Beta versions of Excel?  I have had occasional Excel crashes which I have reported with a frown but not anywhere close to creating past levels of paranoia where development was frequently interlaced with defensive saves.  The recovery process normally leaves me in reasonably good shape.  I am a bit wary of combining third-party add-ins with the beta release software.  In the main, I am happy using insider versions but I would not commit major elements of commercial work to their mercy without a backup plan.

@Charley Kyd 

What has your experience been with it?

quite positive

 

Are you running it on your primary computer?

on virtual machine of main PC, main at home and on laptop

 

Are you doing real work with it for others?

Nope. The only reason is compatibility.

 

Have you had any major problems with crashes and corrupted files?

Never if we speak about latest few years and not consider entire 30 years history 

 

Have users of earlier versions of Office had any problems using your files (files that didn't use the unreleased stuff, of course)?

With latest comment - no. If don't use Beta new functionality there are no problems

 

Do your other Office programs work reliably? Especially Outlook?

Yes, but with Beta I mainly on Excel

@Detlef Lewin, @Peter Bartholomew, @Peter Bartholomew,

Thanks all for your quick answers. Perhaps someone will be able to answer in greater detail later.

@Charley Kyd 

I'm not sure which details do you expect.

If you don't care about compatibility with other people - install Beta on main machine, you'll have practically no problems.

If compatibility is important - add Beta on Virtual Machine.

 

If use Current (Preview) it'll be even less issues with compatibility, it is not too far from Current channel.

Thanks, Sergei.
I am on the Current (Preview). But I don't yet have LAMBDA. I don't know when you got LAMBDA but somewhere here I saw a note from Bob Umlas wondering why he hadn't received LAMDA in January.

@Charley Kyd 

This is the relevant announcement of release dates and new functionality

Announcing LAMBDA Helper Functions (microsoft.com)

 

On the more general issues you raise, I would use Insider beta code on client work with a reasonable expectation of it working, though it is not guaranteed.  My understanding is that I can disable new functionality at any time by withdrawing from the beta programme though that is something @Sergei Baklan is better placed to comment on.

best response confirmed by Charley Kyd (Copper Contributor)
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@Charley Kyd 

1) I have no idea why Bob expected lambdas on Current Preview in January. Now they are announced for that channel, hope will be soon.

2) Form working with other people point of view actually I see no difference between Current Preview and Beta.  Both are not compatible with others if use new functionality, both are stable enough. I don't remember that in latest years Beta didn't work at all. Newly introduced functionality could be buggy, or its behaviour could be changed with another build. But if you use only old fashion functions there is no difference between Beta and self-annual.

3) As @Peter Bartholomew mentioned you may shift from one channel to another at any time. Just initiate another channel installation by one of available methods, take coffee break and you are here. All your data and setting will be kept with switching from one channel to another.

4) In general, forget about buggy Vista time. Now things are more smooth, even Win11 Dev channel works good enough. And, that is more important, shifting back on stable channels is much easier these days.

5) I can't say that will be no issues at all, but based on my experience years ago and now, we have much less of them and it's easier to resolve if happens.

Okay Sergei. I appreciate your follow-up.

Charley
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best response confirmed by Charley Kyd (Copper Contributor)
Solution

@Charley Kyd 

1) I have no idea why Bob expected lambdas on Current Preview in January. Now they are announced for that channel, hope will be soon.

2) Form working with other people point of view actually I see no difference between Current Preview and Beta.  Both are not compatible with others if use new functionality, both are stable enough. I don't remember that in latest years Beta didn't work at all. Newly introduced functionality could be buggy, or its behaviour could be changed with another build. But if you use only old fashion functions there is no difference between Beta and self-annual.

3) As @Peter Bartholomew mentioned you may shift from one channel to another at any time. Just initiate another channel installation by one of available methods, take coffee break and you are here. All your data and setting will be kept with switching from one channel to another.

4) In general, forget about buggy Vista time. Now things are more smooth, even Win11 Dev channel works good enough. And, that is more important, shifting back on stable channels is much easier these days.

5) I can't say that will be no issues at all, but based on my experience years ago and now, we have much less of them and it's easier to resolve if happens.

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