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Microsoft Readies Ad-Supported Office Starter 2010
Martin writes with this excerpt from Ars Technica: "Microsoft Office Starter 2010 will be not available for purchase; it will only come pre-loaded on new PCs. It includes basic functionality so users can view, edit, and create documents via Office Word Starter 2010 and Office Excel Starter 2010. Not only are these programs ad-supported, but Microsoft claims they are 'designed for casual Office users,' who apparently will be perfectly fine with reduced-functionality and ad-supported software."
You think the ads will last long? Bring it on.
A version of Office with commercials! Woot! Seriously, apps I'll never need or use, and links I'll never click. What a waste of time, energy, and resources.
Wow wasn't the big shit about Microsoft Office over Star/Open Office the whole idea that you won't be able to use the poweruser features and all the scripting. So why should the casual user deal with ads in something that will be feature crippled and basically "consumer" branded (read CRAP) when they can fire up a free non-ad infested version of Open Office. All the basic shit is there and it is basically the same, users can export the files to doc and even set it to default to saving as a Microsoft Word doc. Before you reply about difference remember they said casual use, not corporate office use. If it wasn't for being the incumbent Operating System, Microsoft would have no standing with this. I wonder if they can even be construed as them manipulating their monopoly to enhance their Office productivity market as a matter of curiosity. Whether or not it does, this looks like a waste of time. I guess it is better than Microsoft Works.
This is one of the few times that I really hope this comment isn't downmodded...
Well, let's buy ad space on it, and then advertise for Open Office.org!
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
Hmm, sounds exactly like Open Office, just without the ads.... I'll stick with OO. I'm a "casual" office user and haven't touched MS Office in five years.
for reals, this is +6 funny
Ad-ware, 2002 called, and it wants it's idea back.
Probably can't get MS to bundle OpenOffice, but maybe it's possible to get some of the major PC makers (e.g., HP, Dell, etc.) to bundle OpenOffice on PCs they sell? They certainly add plenty of craplets to their PCs, so why not add something actually useful to their customers?
The browser thing started back in what, 94? You gotta way like 15 years for government regulation to work.
Now that the Boss has put a stop to employee gaming, p2p, porn, chatting, youtube and iTunes, the company workplace will be overjoyed that staff will instead be watching Red Bull, Old Spice, Midol, Chili's, McNuggets, and Iron Man III dancing across the desktop. I'm just glad to see the corporate ethic of "suck every buck possible out of everything, and exploit your customer to death". This way, shareholders get paid while, consumers feed the data mines. Software finally graduates into ad space pandering, just like the web, radio, cable and film. Its Eau de Cologne Bologne. I real "quickie."
MS Works all over again with file formats that nothing else can read... and adverts!!!
Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
>So why should the casual user deal with ads in something that will be feature crippled and basically "consumer" branded (read CRAP)
Unfortunately, they will use it because it is there, installed on their machine.
Still, at least this new version of office really will stink, and will make Open Office look even better.
Open Source Drum Kit, LPLC deve board - mjhdesigns.com
...a slightly more annoying Office with slightly less functionality for free I'd use Open Office.
Oh wait, I do!
no. you have that wrong. linux users are pussies. that's what you meant to say.
btw: how are you liking that big dick in your ass?
This doesn't sound all too bad. The ads would likely bother most of the slashdot crowd but then most of us are either using open office, a pirated copy of office, or when we're forced to at work, legitimate purchased copies of office. Microsoft finally offering a free copy of office with new computers with the stipulation that there will be ads and limited functionality is still better than nothing. It really kills a sale of a new computer when a person asks "Will this have Microsoft Word on it?" and you say "Well no... that will ll be $100 extra..." And some people just aren't open to the idea of an office alternative (open office.) I'm surprised they haven't done something like this sooner, though I'm willing to bet that the growing popularity of open office has been pushing them in the direction of offering a "free" version of office.
Because PC makers will bundle it with their computers, like they do with MS Works. Microsoft won't be bundling it with Windows.
Don't take life so seriously. No one makes it out alive.
If a bundled web browser is an antitrust issue... ... t hen why isn't bundled "office" software?
Because this version of Office is an option when you buy the new computer that you can choose to remove whenever you'd like. Whereas Internet Explorer is something that you have no say on when buying a new computer or even uninstall when you do get the computer (well, not easily anyway.)
Someone tell me if Slashdot's editor is changed? Recently I see many stories from M$ than G
Really, ads for what? Windows? Office? Like, in case they haven't heard of it?
Would you like to view a commercial for the US mail service?
No... it's definitely my big dick in my lady's tight pussy. You fucking M$/App|e fags can copulate with a bear trap and die.
I think "casual" office users would be more than happy with something like Open Office, or Google Docs. There are free alternatives that don't have ads, why would someone use this? If it gets put on PCs automatically it will get used by users too lazy or uninformed to find something better, but doesn't MS already have a product they've been putting on new PCs called MS Works?
If you build it, nerds will come. Soylentnews.org
Why can't they just bring back 4.3? It would run so fast on these new machines.
For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
Peolpe will use it because it's there. And now because office is "free" with their new computer they will have no reason to pirate it and every reason to use it, thus deepening the MS monopoly on the desktop.
I smell some new antitrust action.
Because it isn't bundled.
I dislike Microsoft and dont like defending them but this simply isn't bundling. The Office license is sold separately, while dell does include a free Microsoft Works package with most models (I even got a works disk with a Red Hat workstation a few years back) the package is entirely removable. This is no more illegal then if an OEM pre-installed Open Office or Ubuntu including Open Office with their default install.
The browser is an issue because it is integrated into the kernel and not removable. Office is not integrated and completely removable.
Now if MS is using under the table deals to "persuade" OEM's to sell more Office licenses then we have a problem.
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
that's what I get for posting to slashdot while I'm on the phone.
To finish my thought -the reason why is very simple.
Piss fucking simple:
COMPATIBILITY
By experimenting with starter edition, non-technical users will conclude that MS Word is unstable (software with ads usually hangs while trying to load them), lacks essential features and of course looks junky. We can then take pity on them and offer to install "new Windows that comes with no ads and fully functional software".
You would think Microsoft would learn its lesson after shipping with a media player that doesn't play DVDs and can't rip/burn your own CDs to standard MP3s. Apple, take cue for a new "I am a Mac" ad featuring a comparison to iWork.
The question will be whether you can uninstall it? I've got better things to do with my disk space and network bandwidth than support/tolerate adware. Do I have to pay for the Ads to be downloaded if my Internet access is over a 3G network???.
For that matter is it possible in Windows 7+ to uninstall IE (or the anti-virus/Windows update/big-brother/similar software)?
Can one get back to the state where it is more like a Windows 2000 system (I still have my Win2K install disks...) or even Windows 98 or 95 [1]?
Sigh, when will someone sue computer manufacturers (HP, Dell [2], Apple, etc.) so they will all provide hardware without software and end the paternalistic (monopolistic) HW+SW bundling practices?
1. Though in theory one really wouldn't want to run 95 or 98 because their unprotected nature is presumably what started the madness...
2. Though I recently noticed Dell may be returning to providing a Linux option...
So why should the casual user deal with ads in something that will be feature crippled and basically "consumer" branded (read CRAP) when they can fire up a free non-ad infested version of Open Office.
Because everyone is already familiar with Word and Excel, and it's more painful to switch to Open Office than to see some ads. Speaking from experience, switching to Open Office is quite annoying if you're used to Word and Excel. (Although it is more annoying to switch to Office 2007 from Office 2003, with that stupid ribbon interface).
...And they wanted their failed business model back.
Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'I can't configure Debian'
Clippy is back, and he's pushing Viagra right to your desktop.
If I wanted ad supported docs I'd use Google. In fact I prefer it, because its at least up front about the ads.
Google Docs is more than adequate for the casual user.
OpenOffice is still free, and easily able to handle book length documents, huge spreadsheets, etc.
So where does Microsoft think they will find a market for this stuff?
Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
In my experience most people barely notice the difference.
Heh, I think you argued yourself into redundancy when you noticed how bad the ribbon effect was! ;)
My in-laws didn't want to fork out the hundreds of for the full blown version of Office. Had something like this existed then, they may have used it out-of-the-box. As it was, at the time I gave them the choice - use an illicit copy of Office (which they weren't comfortable with) or use a FREE and legal Office replacement (which they weren't even aware was available).
The opted for the free and legal route and now use NeoOffice quite comfortably. The 'pain' of 'switching' was less than the pain of the pricetag for Office, although to be honest there was no real switch involved with it being a fresh install, and even if there was I think the average user is having to learn to 'switch' every time a new version of MSOffice is released because MS in their wisdom keep changing the interface dramatically. So simply sidestepping to a competitor version with at least the level of functionality the vast majority of users need is actually quite easy.
I think this 'free' pre-bundled Office Lite may have quite an impact on the uptake of OOo though. If only because there'll be fewer non-tech users buying a PC without Office pre-installed. At that point they usually turn to their 'techie friend' for help, whereupon their friend may suggest OOo like I did. People like free - if it's pre-installed it's free, yet OOo is also free. People like easy too - pre-installed means no extra work, installing OOo means 5 minutes of work which isn't QUITE as a easy... shame, but OOo loses on those odds I fear.
I copulated with a bear trap and lived. I loved it so much I bought a whole range of traps... mmmmmm masochism!
It seems like a pretty obvious move - with the advent of so many free non-MS alternatives I think Microsoft has a legitimate fear that they will become just one of the options in the "office suite" space, rather than the de facto standard. Getting their "free" offering onto as many desktops as possible MIGHT protect that status.
The open source alternatives however are hard to "compete" against, since they are generally going to continue to live even with a vanishingly small "market share" - as long as enough technical types are willing to support them.
I think in the long term, MS and others are not going to be able to justify to the consumer the high prices for their offerings that they have been able to up to now, and that low cost (perhaps free/ad supported) is the only way they are going to be able to maintain any level of profitability and stay in business.
"Office Starter" is ONLY going to come pre-loaded on new PCs, and will not be available separately. If that's not "bundling", what is?
In my experience most people have never even heard about Open Office and will never even bother looking for an alternative to MS Office.
Here comes the anecdote waving contest, I am now satisfied.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Is it integral to the OS?
If it's not then it's an OEM problem and has nothing to do with antitrust. This is not bundling, much like Dell's "free" MS Works it is a separate line item and completely removable. If this were bundling the including a power supply with a laptop would be bundling and that is definitely not an antitrust issue.
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
They get paid to bundle all that crapware, as far as i know.
I'd rather donate to OO, than to a fund that pays Dell to preinstall it.
~men are from earth. women are from earth. deal with it.~
Actually, everyone is familiar with Office 2003 - Office 2007 is a massive UI change, OpenOffice is not. I think my Mum would find the Office 2003 -> OpenOffice transition much easier than Office 2003 -> Office 2007. Heck, even I found myself wasting so much time finding functionality I was familiar with in old versions of Office that I downloaded OpenOffice to use instead!
The 'pain' of 'switching' was less than the pain of the pricetag for Office
In my experience, the "pain" of switching from MS Office to a non-MS office suite tends to be a bit less than the pain pain of upgrading from one version of MS Office to another anyway - OOo is certainly less "different" than some versions of MS Office.
Unfortunately, it does seem that people are more accepting of the MS-inspired pain though - maybe that has something to do with the feeling that upgrading MS Office is something that has to be done so the pain must be endured, whereas switching to an alternative is a choice, so there is an easy way to avoid that pain (by not switching). Most people take a very short-term view and avoid the immediate hassle, even if it might mean more hassle in the future.
I think this 'free' pre-bundled Office Lite may have quite an impact on the uptake of OOo though. If only because there'll be fewer non-tech users buying a PC without Office pre-installed. At that point they usually turn to their 'techie friend' for help, whereupon their friend may suggest OOo like I did.
I'm not convinced - PCs have traditionally come with *some* crappy office suite installed (e.g. MS Works). I'm not sure this is going to change anything.
People like free - if it's pre-installed it's free, yet OOo is also free. People like easy too - pre-installed means no extra work, installing OOo means 5 minutes of work which isn't QUITE as a easy... shame, but OOo loses on those odds I fear.
I suppose a lot will depend on what the PC manufacturers decide to bundle with the machines. Sadly, I suspect they will bundle the MS product, just because "MS Office" is a brand that people recognise (even if it happens to have "(crap edition)" after it). If OEMs were going to start bundling OOo, I suspect they might've done it before now - I can't think of an especially good reason for them to have been bundling MS Works instead of OOo for years, other than for the ability to use the MS brand and _maybe_ because using OOo might undercut some of their MS Office sales.
http://blog.nexusuk.org
In my experience, people who say they are satisfied rarely are.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
"I see you are typing f*ck... Would you like to see related ads from our valued partners??"
Welcome back Clippie!
To Terminate, or not to Terminate, that's the question - SCSIROB
Basically, this is adware? I bet anyone any amount of money that anti-malware software doesn't classify this as adware.
Can't people just use OpenOffice already?
Adverts coming from an internet server? A quick fix to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts should fix that...
It replaces Microsoft Works, there is no more Works, just Office Starter edition
Learn what tenses are, you stupid raghead.
Thank goodness I won't have to worry about relatives with MS Works any more!
My Journal
...they have to lay down another couple of hundred dollars for real Office.
Perfect opportunity to install real OpenOffice without laying down any more dollars.
Thanks Microsoft.
I am anarch of all I survey.
I've often wondered if MS gives PC manufacturers some kind of kickback for bundling thier sucky office products (works/office trial/this new crippled office product) in the hope that it will net them sales for the full version.
Another reason I can think of is that some manfuacturers (notablly dell) offer office as a build time option. Therefore it is probablly in thier interests not to open peoples eyes to the existance of openoffice.
note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
So where does Microsoft think they will find a market for this stuff?
Probably with casual users who just want to use a computer right out of the box. You know, that 80% - 90% of people out there. Almost none of which have actually even heard of things like OpenOffice. And who don't want to download Google Docs. And those who have used Microsoft Office in the past, and liked it. And those who want to save money by not purchasing the full version of Office, but still want the basic features.
In my experience, that's what she says :-(
Afaict the deals between MS and OEMs are secret so it's difficult to tell exactly what is going on.
If the OEMs are paying a reasonable price for the OEM copies works or office trial (or when it comes out office starter) and the OEMs are including it of thier own free will then I agree it is not an antitrust issue. OTOH if MS is pushing the OEMs into bundling it then IMO it is an antitrust issue
The fact that most big brand machines I see come with either works or an office trial* makes me suspect that the latter is the more likely case.
*List of big brand machines i've ecountered in a state where I could tell and can remember what if any office suite was bundled:
AST advantage adventure 4066d: came with works
(I went th
Apple macbook: no bundled office software
ASUS eeepc 900: came with works
Dell vostro 420: came with works
Dell optiplex 760: came with works
HP mini 5101: came with office trial
note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
(I went th
That should have said: I went through a long period of purchasing mostly whiteboxes between these machines and the one big brand I did get in that time I don't remember what if anything was in the original software load
note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
For what it's worth, Office has had significant SKU differentiation (usually in which portions of the full suite were included, sometimes in what features of individual programs were available) for probably over a decade now. Nobody seems overly bothered by it. Each versions spells out what is and is not included, and the one that most people find most necessary (Word) is included in every suite SKU (you can also buy the individual programs, if none of the suites fit your needs).
There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
Actually, I'm using an old version of office 2000 on a brand new computer because it works adequately. The media machine has open office on it, and it still screws up a powerpoint occasionally
In my experience, we used StarOffice across an entire school district for years and were plagued with compatibility problems with other schools. Also, Star/OOo lacks some very useful interface features compared even to Office 2000. We still have Star installed on our images to support old documents, but Office 2007 has greatly reduced our incoming support requests. It actually works *better*, as much as I hate to admit it.
I'm the resident FOSS advocate at the schools. I'm the one who has pushed Linux acceptance through on a limited basis and kept the schools from paying out thousands for various applications when there were alternatives. Yet I must concede that OOo and Star simply are not "there" when compared with Office.
120 characters for a sig? That's bloody useless.
Last I heard, they can't sell Word in the US. Wouldn't that be constituted as a breach of the court order?
I'd pay for a reduced functionality version of office if it ran faster. 95% of the functions I have never, ever used.
I've seen Windows Live Messenger ads... until I installed APatch and removed them. lovely.
Didn't Microsoft get slapped by the court for bundling IE with Windows, leveraging their monopoly and (nearly) driving Netscape out of Business? How is bundling Office any different, and why would the OpenOffice/StarOffice people have to tolerate it?
Visit http://ringbreak.dnd.utwente.nl/~mrjb/growingbettersoftware to download your free copy of the book
How exactly does a spreadsheet fit into the "casual user" profile?
"Oh, I was just screwing around one day, modeling possible amortization breakdowns on various theoretical mortgages. You know, just to kill time before I finished up the index and the table of references in my letter to grandma..."
Eviscerati.Org: All Hail the Eviscerati
Maybe for a power user it's annoying to switch...for someone like myself who's just using it to type up papers and such, there is absolutely no difference. I doubt the users that this adware office is aimed at will have any trouble switching to OOo.
Think about it 1 year of usage roughly 360 days, at least 4 ads per day, 25c per ad, they get $360. And it could be ten times more. Ads can be content specific - writing about shoes and you get nearest shoe store. There is a ton of money there to be picked up, not to mention that they will increase share. Time for OOfice to partner with Google.
Dead on. Open Office frames are a pain in the a**.
I think you're onto something there. Although from memory, many of the Office 30 day Trial versions give you the option to 'upgrade' to the full version at the end of the trial period. Which means a direct 'download' sale from MS and not necessarily a box-off-the-shelf sale for a 3rd party retailer. I suppose if it establishes lock-in for the customer then it increases the chances of the retailer making that sale long term rather than short term.
You can still format the machine and reinstall!
If Google really cared they would fix Android Chrome to reflow text, instead of discriminating
"......who apparently will be perfectly fine with reduced-functionality and ad-supported software."
Apparently. Right. No-one *at all* has whinged about how many features they don't actually need in Word/ Excel, and yet once that's being addressed, it's now a problem. Like your average buyer will complain about getting basic Word and Excel over Works (a fully featured Works, which I'm sure eveyrone would prefer)..
And can we also cut the crap with Open Office? It's been bandied about as Vastly Superior for *years* now....and I've yet to work at a company that's seriously using it. Big it up once >20% of word processing users agree with you (which means OO still has a loooong way to go).
a couple of years ago, ms came out with windows starter edition which was limited, made the headlines as an attempt to combat piracy and linux. was a cute attempt to block competition with a limited almost worthless cut down version of the real thing.
Eventually, they will keep slowly losing market shares because of increased openoffice (and other suites) compatibility.
of course their dominance will keep for a while because they are still market leader, but I think it will fade as compatibility increases. Ironically, the same thing will happen to office as what happened with lotus... lotus started losing market shares because excel started reading lotus files... it's funny to have that bite them back (not with lotus) yearslater
Never antropomorphize computers, they do not like that
Actually, I've noticed that some netbooks are shipping with Google's apps pre-installed. So maybe this is MS trying to regain some ground they're losing in that space...
Wow, you really know the WP habits of all the non-commenting slashdot readers? How did you figure that out?
Anyway - I'm not sure why there's a problem here - would you prefer angry calls from users who thought they'd automatically get office, and got Works, as has been the case for decades? Having supported it for a horribly long time, I'd still choose Office-Lite - different versions of the same app (while annoying) will always win over different apps.
And where the different versions of windows that bad? I only recall having to advise business on why Windows Home couldn't connect to a domain. In any case, you want version problems? RIght - which version of Linux should I run?
I Agree with the side note though - If anyone has seen Slashdot lately, via IE8 and without logging in, you'll understand what passes for acceptable for advertising these days.
I don't agree with all the 'perfect opportunities' (OO plugs) that follow the post, though. RIghtly or Wrongly, it hasn't made a big enough stamp yet,,,and it's been out for quite a while....
Wow wasn't the big shit about Microsoft Office over Star/Open Office the whole idea that you won't be able to use the poweruser features and all the scripting. So why should the casual user deal with ads in something that will be feature crippled and basically "consumer" branded (read CRAP) when they can fire up a free non-ad infested version of Open Office. All the basic shit is there and it is basically the same, users can export the files to doc and even set it to default to saving as a Microsoft Word doc. Before you reply about difference remember they said casual use, not corporate office use. If it wasn't for being the incumbent Operating System, Microsoft would have no standing with this. I wonder if they can even be construed as them manipulating their monopoly to enhance their Office productivity market as a matter of curiosity. Whether or not it does, this looks like a waste of time. I guess it is better than Microsoft Works.
Not a bad observation at all. Here's the question - if you had taken the same tone and used the same sort of fair criticism, but directed it at Open Office's shortcomings - don't you think your post would be modded "-1 Troll"?
I'm not knocking the parent post here, I'm just saying change the target of that exact post to Open Office and it a 4-point swing.
Moderators - please keep in mind that all critcism isn't trolling.
In my experience, we used StarOffice across an entire school district for years and were plagued with compatibility problems with other schools. Also, Star/OOo lacks some very useful interface features compared even to Office 2000. [...] OOo and Star simply are not "there" when compared with Office.
It sounds like you're saying that OOo/StarOffice compatibility with MS Office is not "there", not the complete package per se.
This might sound pedantic, but I think it's an important distinction.
8 of 13 people found this answer helpful. Did you?
If a bundled web browser is an antitrust issue... then why isn't bundled "office" software?
It depends upon how it is sold to OEMs mostly. A company interested in obeying antitrust law would sell these to OEMs as a completely separate interaction than licensing Windows, using different contacts from a different division of the company and make it perfectly clear that OEM licensing will not be affected by whether or not that company decides to ship a version of MS Office.
MS, is unlikely to do that based upon their previous track record, and may do just the opposite. Everything they do to tie the two sales pulls them closer to an actionable antitrust offense.
There's a second antitrust issue here too. Depending upon how the markets are defined by the courts, MS could be running into antitrust issues within different segments of the office suite market (unlikely) or prices fixing problems. You see, MS has never ben declared by any court I know of to have a monopoly on office suite software, but they have handed out some very large private settlements during the 11th hour of civil suits that would have established that had they lost. So while it is not proven in court, MS probably has monopoly influence on that market, which makes differential pricing of "versions" of their office suite aimed at extracting the most money from each subgroup of society a potential antitrust issue.
dead ( an essay by Paul Graham).
Enjoy.
Yours In Domodedovo,
Kilgore Trout
Reduced Features basically means "Works Suite" to me, basically a brain-dead edition of Works:
Excel:
=====
-All "data analysis" tools are gone
-most "advanced" functions are also gone
-Basic graphing capabilities
-No data import
Basically turns excel into a glorified calculator, or puts it on par with OpenOffice calc.
Word:
=====
-No Export Option
-Saves in Proprietary Format, not 100% compatible with Word
-Most Fonts gone
-No Voice Input Functionality -- HONESTLY, who uses that!? Use Dragon instead!
-
Basically turns Word into a glorified Notepad.exe, or puts it at the same level of functionality as OpenOffice word.
the ribbon interface was a major hit for ms office, i think. It's the thing that made me switch...
I've used the ribbon interface, and it's crap. Give the menu's that don't hide all the features behind unecessary bling, and you've got a good program.
Microsoft's "sucky" office products sell very, very well: Amazon Bestsellers In Business &Software [Updated Hourly]
1 Office Home & Student 2007. 1020 Days in the top 100.
3 Office Home & Student 2008 Mac. 705 Days.
6 Outlook 2007. 1018 Days.
17 Small Business Upgrade 2007. 1003 Days
18 Professional Full Version 2007. 593 Days
23 Standard Full Version 2007. 1008 Days
24 Small Business Full Version 2077. 577 Days
25 MS Works 9. 796 Days
26 Office Pro Academic 2007. 91 days
31 Office Standard Upgrade 2007. 1017 Days
36 One Note 2007. 1003 Days
37 Publisher 2007. 1011 Days
41 Outlook 2007 with Contact Manager. 606 Days
43 Project Standard 2007. 972 Days
44 Office Ultimate 2007. Full Version 824 Days
45 Access 2007. 979 Days 47 Office 2008. Mac 662 Days
Isn't this what got them into hot water with the DOJ + EU in the first place (bundling IE)? It's remarkable that they would just turn around, and try this funny business again. I guess they were okay with the penalties, perhaps this time they should get stung enough to remember.
That's what I expected when I moved into my latest job. Turns out that they have heard of it, they just don't use it because it doesn't work as well and generally messed up the format of whatever they opened.
They will occasionally use it if they get obscure file that word won't open though.
Brain surgery - it's not rocket science!
``On a side note, I don't think ads will be a problem at all for the target audience. If anyone has seen Windows Live Messenger lately, you'll understand what passes for acceptable for advertising in desktop applications these days.''
I just think that it's hilarious that that is what you get from what many people still see as a professional provider of quality software that people gladly pay for, whereas the oft-ridiculed fringe groups that largely can't get anywhere near Microsoft's market penetration while giving their software away for free provide slick user interfaces that implement state of the art usability guidelines and are ad free.
Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
``Unfortunately, it does seem that people are more accepting of the MS-inspired pain though''
It's the fear. If it has "Microsoft" on it, it's known and trusted. If it is "alternative", it is unknown and scary. It's not about the actual features of the product. It's about the fear of "What am I getting myself into?"
Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
I quit using Office 2008 for Mac at my business (a used bookstore) in favor of OpenOffice.org a few months ago and I have noticed zero functional difference. Maybe I'm just not doing enough advanced things (it's a really small business), but for an average user OpenOffice.org works fine. Hypothetically, if they decided to put ads in it you can bet I'd go right to Gnumeric and Abiword. If Microsoft has decided that consumers are so unsophisticated as to just use whatever comes with the machine without looking at the alternatives, how can they expect a significant number of those people to know the difference between the paid and "free" versions of Office? Won't people see Office at the store for $200 or whatever and think "That piece of crap that came with my computer and has all the ads? No thanks." Of course, it's a better idea than WordPad was, I guess.
Assumption: the only format for documents saved by
this free application will be MS proprietary, not readable
by any other application. Thus a back door way to 'encourage' the
users friends to 'upgrade' their version of Word! Am I just wrong?
And Ford sold 200,000+ Pintos a year. The moral is: Just because it sells well doesn't make it a good product.
"...history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest." --Ghandi
Except that NeoOffice sucks. It takes hours to load, and the interface feels like I'm running it on a PII 300mhz, not a core duo. Office 2004 through rosetta runs better than NeoOffice.
Apparently nobody else sees the irony in a bunch of people writing cynical and negative comments regarding MS releasing free, ad-supported software on a free, ad-supported website.
Similes are like metaphors
And that is exactly what casual users use Excel for.
I only look human.
My mother is a halfling and my dad is an ogre, so that makes me an Ogreling
Microsoft pre-bundling a free version of their most popular software in order to drive market share away from their competitors?
What could possibly go wrong?
I was trying to do that in nethack, but then I died from eating a poisonous zombie orc corpse
I see you are writing an E-Mail that involves bragging to multiple friends about your new "Hummer H2" vehicle.
Would you like help with...
Locating Male Enhancement Pills on the Internet?
Getting a list of Psychoanalysts in your area?
Being connected with the your areas hottest singles?
Purchasing a copy of Microsoft 2010 UUUULTIMATE?
Ha ha! I just F*cked all of you in the @$$!!!
It may be pedantic, but MS Office is the de facto standard for word processessing, spreadsheets, etc...
If a program can't open and view Office files correctly, than that app is not standards compliant and is not yet ready for prime time. All the talk in the world about "moving targets" doesn't change that. Now how compliant Open Office is depends on what files you need to view. If the people you deal with also use open office or older versions of MS office, then you'll be good to go.
For the folks who will simply use whatever it pre-installed on the computer, it's about damn time the crappy software they get will at least default save in a format compatible with the rest of the world.
captcha: discard
Uh, Works is just a different version of Word, so I really don't get your point...
The default file format in Works is incompatible with the default file format in Office. This missing feature is a huge stumbling block for ordinary users.
If Works was more like a stripped down version of Office it wouldn't be so bad but the interface is different enough to be annoying. To be fair though I think Works more resembles older versions of Office.
As for other features I know I'd have been happy with wordpad if it actually included spell checking, which is the Works does provide. Wordpad/Write is pretty good in most cases, it can't create tables but it can display them, although it doesn't usually display embedded objects, which can be annoying if images have been embedded as objects. No point wasting time downloading MS Word Viewer unless you want documents to print out perfectly.
Look at the history of anti-bundling legislation in the EU; most of the cases have NOTHING to do with whether a product is "integral to the OS", because most of the cases don't even involve an OS.
I don't see where anyone suggested that you contribute to any special new fund.
Brilliant post, specially the rant part.