MS Office on Linux (Continued)

GeeWiz writes "According to the German Heise Newsticker, the c't editors got hold of information that confirms that Microsoft has assigned 37 developers with the task of porting Office to Linux. " Try using Babelfish to translate the article to english if your Deutsch ist nicht so gut.

Comments

A few minor disagreements.

[Anonymous Coward]

6. Office and IE on Linux will help MS to decommoditize HTML and other protocols.

Disagree here, too. Unlike Windoze, Office and IE won't and can't be the sole option under Linux, so MS can't leverage anything.

they aren't the sole options under windows, either. they're just the commercially dominant options, and they will probably become so on linux as well. a hell of a lot of IT people will sell linux standardization to their PHB's by agreeing to compromise: "If you, O PHB, agree to use an OS that isn't a complete piece of shit, I, your IT minion, will agree to provide you with the same piece of shit word processor that you've always used. I promise that you will not be afflicted with acceptable quality in all areas." The PHB will think it over and say, "Okay. I can tolerate competence in my OS as long as my applications are still rotten, unstable, and proprietary."


If, however, they try to replace files in /lib or /usr/lib, that's when I'll haul out the high-calibre ordnance.

but that's just what they probably will do. why not?


Given the "progress" Office has made since Word 5.1, I doubt Office 2000 will be compelling enough that customers will be willing to throw away Linux to get it.

enough of their customers, partners etc. will "upgrade" [sic :)] to office 2000 that they'll have to do the same in order to read anybody's files. then, of course, anybody they deal with will have one more reason to "upgrade", too, because there'll be one more office using office.

i don't know anybody who "upgraded" to office 97 for any other reason than that. they didn't want to spend the money, they expected it to be less stable with no worthwhile new features -- and they were right. but they bought it anyway because they had to deal with office 97 files from customers and whatnot. pretty horrible, IMHO, but that's what happened once, and will probably happen again. when MS maintained file format compatibility between word 6 and word 95, a lot of people didn't bother "upgrading". they were happy with what they had, so if they weren't forced to "upgrade", they didn't. MS learned a valuable lesson from that, and they will never let it happen again.

they may even introduce a few arbitrary file format incompatibilities between linux office and windows office. that would be a real coup.

Translation

[Codifex Maximus]

Ms Office for Linux expects(expected)

The rumors circulate already longer, but now there are concrete indications for the first time: Microsoft portiert(porting) its popular Office package on Linux. c't experienced from well informed source that in talking moon a separate department for the project had been formed. According to the information Microsoft set 37 developers on the Portierung(porting).

It is expected that Microsoft announces the Portierung(porting) still during the CeBIT and calls a date for the completion. The software giant is far in the hintertreffen(?) guessed/advised in the Linux Applikationsmarkt(applications market); Office products of other manufacturers are long available. Those Hamburg star division makes its star available Office for the non-commercial application even free of charge. Whether Microsoft can struggle through itself to a similar selling concept, remains being waiting still.

Scary Thought

[cradle]

Here's a frightenning scenerio. What if they release Office for Linux, and it becomes the standard office suite for Linux. A significant number of corporate users put this into production.

With the next release of Office, though, MS explains that in order to implement certain features, they had to make some modifications to the Linux kernel. So, if you want to use Office 2000, you need to install Microsoft Linux 2.2.7.

They're obligated to release their modified version under the GNU GPL, of course, but what this does is effectively fork the code tree. This would be a Bad Thing.

Granted, it's just a paranoid scenerio, but after reading the Halloween memos, it seems like the kind of thing they might try.

Heh. . .

[heller]

I recall reading an interview with Linus where he said "If Microsoft ever does applications for Linux it means I've won." I just wish that I could find it. If anyone does, tell me. I wanna keep a link to that around.

** Martin

Gee, what away for MS to NOT open file formats

[Sleepy]

Hey, if they DO put out a version for Linux, enough people will get their product that they won't QUESTION why Microsoft does not publish their file formats.

Can you imagine if we had this format mess with other mediums of communication, like the telephone, or email?

I will retract MANY bad things I say about microsoft (but not all.. :) if they just level the playing field. They STILL have the biggest wallet, but play on a level field. Until they do, I will cheer anyone who finds ways to hurt Microsoft.

The problem is if Microsoft collapses HARD, like say how Apple collapsed between 1995 and early 98, Microsoft will take down all the other stocks with them.

And Microsoft crashing that hard IS possible. Just keep supporting open/free software, and make animal sacrifices for the excellent work being done for WINE. It'll fall into place, and then the only thing remaining is CLEANING UP Linux and making it "user friendly" (no, not killing or hiding the shell as the press sometimes opines, I mean updating obsolete man and info pages, application interoperability, and KDE merging with Gnome).

Translation from a native :-)

[Thalinor]

MS Office for Linux expected

Rumors have been flying around lately, but now
there seems concrete evidence for the first time:
Microsoft will port its popular Office to Linux.
C't learned from well-informed sources that a
division has been built in Redmond especially for
this project. According to this information,
Microsoft has committed 37 developers to the port.


It's expected that Microsoft will announce the
port during CeBIT and will target a release date.
The software giant has been left behind in the
Linux application market; office products from
other vendors have been available for quite some
time.

Star Division from Hamburg, Germany offers its
Star Office free for non-commercial use.
Wheter Microsoft will choose a similar
distribution policy remains to be seen.

However, its common business practise for the
Windows company to offer applications for
competitors' operating systems: Office for MacOS
made a lot of money for the company.
(cp/c't)