Slashdot Mirror


MS Office 2013 Pushing Home Users Toward Subscriptions

An anonymous reader writes "Ars reports that Microsoft has announced pricing plans for Office 2013 that include a subscription-based model for home users. There will be a $100/year Home version that can be shared by up to 5 users and a $150/year Small Business version. 'Subscription software of one form or another has proven popular in the enterprise (whether it be cloud services, like Office 365, or subscriptions to desktop software, such as Microsoft's Software Assurance scheme). But so far it's a rarity in the consumer space. Anti-virus software has tried to bully and cajole users into getting aboard the subscription train, but the large number of users with out-of-date anti-viral protection suggests users are resisting. ... As another incentive to subscribe, and one that might leave a bad taste in the mouth, the company says that subscribers will be given unspecified "updates" to add new features and capabilities over the life of their subscription. Perpetual licensees will only get bug fixes and security updates.'"

6 of 349 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Guess I am learning Libre Office by Baldrake · · Score: 5, Informative

    And fortunately you need go no further than TFM to find out that you don't have to. Subscription is just an option. You can still buy outright if you want.

  2. Re:Libre Office by drooling-dog · · Score: 4, Informative

    Because it's not advertised on the Tee Vee, and because MS can afford all of the FUD and astroturfing it needs to keep people in a state of confusion. After all, it's "not ready for the desktop", just like Linux.

  3. Re:Guess I am learning Libre Office by jhoegl · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am actually talking about scripting and macroing in Libre.

  4. Re:no thanks... by jaymz666 · · Score: 4, Informative

    To open Microsoft Office Word 2007 .docx or .docm files with Microsoft Office Word 2003, Word 2002, or Word 2000, you need to install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats and any necessary Office updates. By using the Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system, you can open, edit some items, and save Office Word 2007 documents in previous versions of Word.

  5. Re:Support for Access databases on Linux. by pwizard2 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Libreoffice can open the *.docx format just fine;

    Unfortunately, editing a *.docx in LibreOffice and saving it tends to fuck it up. I speak from experience.

    --
    "It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity."
  6. Re:Libre Office by Shompol · · Score: 4, Informative

    and their grandma can use it" ... (as long as someone carefully administers that box for them) is rarely mentioned.

    Windows boxes also need to be administered. Their administration also involves routine cleanup of "toolbars" and trojans and other crap that either installs itself, or with some help from a clueless user, and then the whole thing comes to a grinding halt once every two years due to malware, FAT shortcomings, or getting completely hijacked by some Trojan that blatantly demands a payment "to protect your computer". Thus, Linux administration is cheap and hassle-free compared to Windows, and your point is moot and void. There is a currently a shortage of neighbourhood kids who can help with Linux, but that is not what you were talking about, you meant that Windows does not require administration at all, didn't you?