Microsoft Quietly Offering Ad-Funded Version of Works

mikesd81 writes "News.com reports Microsoft has finally started offering an ad-funded version of Microsoft Works in some countries. Users who run the software see a small ad as they are writing their document or editing their spreadsheet. Although the program has the ability to update its set of ads online, today it runs mostly ads for Microsoft and a few partners, all of which ship with the product itself. Microsoft remains cagey on the details of where you can find Works SE. The company has been testing Works SE in 5 countries: The United States, France, Canada, Poland and the United Kingdom. It is available only through select computer makers and Microsoft won't say which computer makers those are. However, it seems Sony is offering it in the US."

Comments

Works?

[calebt3]

It still exists?

Re:Works?

[arivanov]

Wrong question.

The right one is "It works?"

Disclaimer: this is not a flamebait. I just spent half a day fighting to convert a document produced with this oxymoron into something that could be read.

Re:Works?

[Plutonite]

Speaking of oxymorons and innuendo and such: did anyone notice the rackspace ads running on the top bar here on slashdot?

..its going that extra mile, reaching a little deeper

If you need a partner, it's Rackspace! No comment.

Re:Works?

[David Gerard]

Pfft, have you ever tried opening a complex Office or Word document in Microsoft Office? As awesome a product as it is, it's downright lousy for handling things like image filters and pixel-perfect positioning on Word documents. It tries, yes, and sometimes it does OK, but it's far from perfect. That's because Word actually lays out the page according to the printer driver that happens to be default on that particular PC today. So Word is, quite literally, not compatible with the same version of itself on the same operating system.

worst for portability

[v1]

MS Works is currently the #1 trouble child for us to do data migration from older systems.

Re:worst for portability

[davolfman]

To be honest I'd never suggest it with OpenOffice available in this day and age it just makes no sense. The value of Microsoft products in compatibility and when you can get a more compatible product for less money Works has no reason to exist except for widespread ignorance of the existence of OpenOffice.

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[account_deleted]

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[account_deleted]

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Slightly OT: Microsoft Office 2007

[blind biker]

Is there anyone else besides me whom Microsoft Office 2007 drives completely bonkers? I have never had the gross misfortune of using such an unfriendly POS of an office suite, in my life. The only reason I did use it, was because I had to include some Powerpoint slides into a .ppt file prepared by my boss - so I HAD TO use the company-wide office suite - MS Office 2007 - even though otherwise we are quite free to use whatever we prefer. So I use OO.o usually and just publish my works in .pdf.

Anyhow, it was a traumatic experience. "Where the eff is "Save as"? And how do I insert a slide? OK, how do I center-align this text? No, I don't want to insert Wordard or multimedia clips, thank you. Just a slide. And then save the file under a new name."

For me, the value of an office program, like for example Powerpoint or Impress, is in the speed I can create the presentation (for example) and how good it will look in the end. OO.o Impress is more than adequate in that sense - Powerpoint 2007, well, it failed me. Same with OO.o Write vs Word 2007 - plus the added argument that OO.o creates standstds compliant documents which I will be able to open with a reader of my choice or own creation in 40 years from now. But yeah, the fact that I can create it quickly and without logic-killing brain-damaging consequences is the greatest value.

Re:Slightly OT: Microsoft Office 2007

[Z34107]

Office 2007 (with the "ribbon") is the biggest thing to happen to the Office suite since Windows 95. Quit whining that they moved the buttons around just that tiny little bit - I found features and said "Oh, wow! I wish that was in other versions of Office, too!" only to realize that it was - I just couldn't find it until now.

When you start Powerpoint (or any part of Office 2007) for the first time, the little round Office logo in the top left will glow and a pop up will tell you "Here is where the Save As button is!"

Couldn't find the "new slide" button? When you start PowerPoint, the ribbon will be on the "home" tab. There's a giant button that says "new slide."

Same thing for center-aligning text. Even with the ribbon, it's the same icon, in the same spot, as every other version of Office since they went to a GUI.

Save as? Big round button. Center align? Hasn't moved. New slide? Big button labeled "new slide." Hardly "logic-killing" or "brain-damaging." And, you can always have PowerPoint or Office save things as PDFs or JPEGs or bitmaps or what have you, and Microsoft Word has supported RTF at least since Windows 3.11.

And, if it's what your employer expects you to use, and gives it to you freely, suck it up. The learning curve really isn't that steep.

Hi! I'm clippy!

[Anonymous Coward]

You might remember me from informational presentations such as "Hi there, are you writing a letter?" and "Are you sure you want a comma there?" and I'm here to talk to you about a wonderful new kitchen product!

Re:What about already existing alternatives?

[Anonymous Coward]

In other news, Open Office is being offered WITHOUT ANY ADS for all platforms :-) And unlike Microsoft Works, it can actually read Microsoft Office documents.

Desperation?

[Pecisk]

Seemingly OpenOffice.org makes good inroads in OEMs, so Microsoft have to do something to compete. But ad based Microsoft product is rather stretching. I mean, no offense, but it is very hard and annoying to use Microsoft products _sometimes_. Ads means additional annoyance.

Anyway, it is interesting step to watch and smells like testing waters before rolling out full ad-based Microsoft Office out.

Re:What about already existing alternatives?

[dacut]

Anyone want to help fund an ad for OpenOffice on MS Works?

Hi, there!

[zmollusc]

"Hello, I am calling you to see if you wanted to advertise on our exciting new advertising medium targetted at skinflints who will use crap rather than fork out any money! Hello? Hello?"