Microsoft To Try Works As Adware

Several readers noted that Microsoft has announced plans to pre-install an ad-laden version of Works on some manufacturers' PCs in coming months. Works is Microsoft's lightweight docs-and-spreadsheets software. The manufacturers involved were not disclosed. The adware Works will come with a pre-installed cache of ads that will be refreshed when the machine is online. Microsoft will decide by mid-2008 whether it can afford to forgo the $40 normally charged for Works.

Comments

Astounding

[Cleon]

Well, Chairman Bill was right--Microsoft is all about innovation. They're constantly looking for new, innovative ways for their products to suck. They're practically making an art form out of bloatware.

Once this bad buy makes it into their final product, the guys over at OpenOffice should have a banner year.

I thought crapware was a fading trend

[WebCowboy]

...so why on earth is MS pulling this stunt!

Works is crapware even WITHOUT the ads! Works should be given a quick, painless death and MS should move on.

This only makes the Apple ad more true.

Re:Switch!

[future assassin]

Say I did use MS Works. Why should I switch just because of the new adware? So that I may lose the use of other software thats not on Linux? Great plan. In due time maybe but not in the next few years. Maybe when a Linux version of PS comes out.

As for Mac, well I was really thinking of my next computer being a Mac until I started seeing more and more of those queer Windows vs Mac tv ads (you know the ones with the two doods)

Re:Why would anyone want Works anyway?

[superbus1929]

Again, this goes back to educating the unwashed masses. Works does 1/10 of what Open Office does, and it's FREE, and is more stable to boot. So users will have to configure it to save documents in .doc or .xls format; big fucking whoop. We have to let people know that the option is out there.