Word tries to access the internet every time it is launched

[Guest]

Every time I launch Word 2003, Zone Alarm tells me that it is trying to
access the internet, specifically a DNS server on the local network. Each
time this occurs, I deny the internet access and everything appears to work
correctly.

Can anyone give me some insight as to what it might be trying to access the
internet for and how I can stop this?

I am running WXP Pro SP2 and Office 2003 Pro with all available updates
installed on a Dell Inspiron 8600 notebook if that provides any clues.

 

[Guest]

This usually is safe and recommended thing to do, let MS Office connect to
the www. With Zone Alarm, you do have an option you can check to remember
your decision on Allowing or Denying MS Office access to web so that you do
not have repeat your answers. I do not recommend doing this, and there maybe
other options that I have not listed here, but you can, inside Word, go to
Tools, Options.., General tab, and uncheck Update automatic links at Open,
next go to the Service Options… button on the bottom of the General tab,
click it, go to Online Content and uncheck everything, next go to Shared
Workspace and click the Never buttons, now click the Ok button, back to the
General tab, click the Web Options… button, go to the Files tab and uncheck
the items related to the internet, i.e. Updates and checking.

Please let me reiterate, I do not think you should do this. If you are
worried about viruses and stuff like that, I recommend you run updates for
Windows and Office all the time and hope that MS does their job and the
hackers of the world think of something better to do with their time.

 

[Jezebel]

Word calls home each time it is launched. The ostensible reason is so it
knows whether it can use the Help files, clipart files, research, templates,
etc provided from Microsoft's site rather than installed on your computer.
No doubt there's a certain amount of 'market research' going on as well --
given their past behaviour, there's no reason to suppose that Microsoft has
been hit with a sudden attack of truthfulness and honesty.

 

[garfield-n-odie]

In Word, click on Help to display the Help task pane, and click on
Online Content Settings | Online Content | uncheck the "Show content and
links from Microsoft Office Online" box. You can also choose to turn
off some/all of the options under "Customer Feedback Options" here.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Note, however, that the customer feedback options (which it's recommended
that you enable) will not cause Word to "phone home" on startup; this
feedback is collected and sent when you next go online.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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