Windows 10

[Kong Wen]

You could always use Google Docs for your word processing. Not sure if they have an equivalent for Powerpoint. I also know that doesn't really answer your question.

[The Shoemaker]

You could always use Google Docs for your word processing. Not sure if they have an equivalent for Powerpoint. I also know that doesn't really answer your question.

Google docs is okay, it's not great for proper spacing and all that, I mean worse case I write something up on docs and fix it up on a computer at school.

[Spore]

There's not much reason to upgrade to 10 if you don't need to. It's a bit better at managing computer resources so it runs nicer, and some people might like the aesthetic more. In the future it will also be the only OS that can run DirectX 12 which might make some games exclusive to it. As for alternatives to Office products, I use Libre Office which is a leaner fork of Open Office.

[SkyPikachu]

I still use office 2007 haha. I'm sure you could find that somewhere very cheaply.

[The Shoemaker]

Trying out Libre Office that Spore recommended, seems pretty good!

[kawaiipikachu]

Microsoft is telling me I can upgrade to Windows 10 for free. My question is, is there any reason I wouldn't want to?

I don't use any external hardware with my laptop, no USB mouse, USB drives or anything like that. The only non-microsoft software I use is itunes, Steam, Google Chrome and Skype. I can only assume all of those will work with Windows 10.

The only concern I have about upgrading (beyond the normal concerns of being an early adopter) is what will happen to my Office software. I use Powerpoint and Word, both the free versions with limited access. The limited access doesn't bother me because I only need to view powepoints, not create them, and the limited word is enough for me to write my papers. I'm not sure if Microsoft offers the free versions of these anymore and I'd rather not purchase them, so if I upgrade will I lose the software?

Unfortunally I not too sure on Microsoft office thou but there are reasonable alternatives like OpenOffice & ApacheOffice that you could try.
edit
Didn't realized there was another page to this thread with everyone making pretty much the same suggestions.
Oh well at least I tried.