Obtain Access to MS Office and Google Drive

1. How to Obtain Access to MS Office

• Visit any of the computer labs on the Tahlequah, Muskogee, or Broken Arrow campus.
• Download Office 365 using the NSU Portal.
• Download the software for FREE directly from Microsoft.
  

You should also be able to complete the assignments using the NSU Virtual Desktop. Transferring files you create in a virtual setup back to your own computer (or opening files that currently reside on your own computer) can be somewhat challenging. I have found the easiest way to transfer files back and forth is via email.

2. How to Obtain Access to Google Drive

    The following URLs should help you create a Google account and get started.

• Create a Google Account
• Getting started with Google Drive

FYI: Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 are closely related, but they are not exactly the same. Microsoft 365 is essentially the subscription-based version of Office that integrates with Microsoft's cloud services. With Microsoft 365, you install the traditional Office applications (such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) on your local computer, but you also get additional benefits:

• Access to always up-to-date versions of the apps.
• 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive.
• Enhanced collaboration tools that allow multiple people to work on the same file simultaneously.

By contrast, "word.cloud.microsoft" (commonly referred to as Microsoft Word for the Web or Word Online) is the browser-based version of Microsoft Word. It functions similarly to Google Docs in that it:

• Runs entirely online without needing installation.
• Allows real-time collaboration with others.
• Automatically saves your files to the cloud.

While Word for the Web is convenient and free to use, it has fewer advanced features compared to the full desktop version. For example, it is sufficient for creating and editing simple documents but lacks certain formatting, layout, and advanced functionality. Because of these limitations, the web or mobile version of Word cannot be used to complete some of the assignments required in this course.