Years ago, when Microsoft started pushing Internet Explorer, it enjoyed favorable adoption rates because, well, it’s already on there, so why not use it? (Law-breaking aside, of course!) That may be what Microsoft is thinking this time around with Office 2010. Redmond will allow OEMs to install Office Starter 2010 on brand new Windows 7 PCs. It will be a pared down version of Office, and one that will be ad-supported. That, of course, has caused the Internet to freak out.
Microsoft is doing this to get people hooked, I guess, on the real version of Office, and to prevent people from using free, online alternatives like Google Docs. The theory is, if you give people a taste of Office, and let them use it without too many restrictions, then why would they go out of their way to find an alternative? Not everyone wants to replace their Windows shell with some fancy thingamajig.
So you’ll have this ad-supported version of Office, which doesn’t include Power Point or Outlook, but then PC vendors will be able to sell license cards at retail, sorta like how you can buy Microsoft Points at Best Buy or Wal-Mart. You buy the card, then use the printed serial number to “upgrade” the starter edition to the Real Deal.
That’s the thing: even though you’re limited in what you can do with the ad-supported version of Office, it’s 100 percent the full software suite residing on your hard drive. That mean cracks will be available within 15 seconds of the first ISO leaking from the manufacturing facilities.
What this means for Microsoft’s online version of Office, which was also supposed to be a sort of introductory version of Office, is totally unknown.
And yet I wonder how many people out there in Radio Land are still running Word 97—Word is the one application that pretty much everyone can use; not everyone needs Outlook or Power Point, you know—because it works just fine?
I’d rather pirate. Why don’t they just make it cheaper…say $10-$15?!
You ARE clueless aren’t you… R&D is just ONE of the many reasons that Office costs more than a meal. Get a job and join the real world. (coming from a Mac user who only has Office for Entourage and the Notebook view of Word)
I was using Word 97 up until a few months ago…when I bought a used version of 03!
I won’t fork over the cash just to re-learn 07’s interface, nor will I switch to a version that my school doesn’t use. But if I can get a free version of 07…yeah, count me in! I don’t care about ads, and I rarely need PowerPoint.
I must say, though, that if you know how to pirate software already, it’s not that hard, so this new version won’t make much of a difference in that regard.
“I won’t fork over the cash just to re-learn 07’s interface”
A:\> C:
C:\DOS\> cd\
C:\> CD dinosaurs
C:\dinosaurs\> del Bonnie.usr
Sometimes an old interface just gets…. old you know?
oooh, coolness. I couldn’t care less about ads so long as they aren’t obtrusive. That’s the only deal-breaker.
Why include excel but not powerpoint I bet more home users use powerpoint more than excel
Why would a home user use PowerPoint. Mom has to give a presentation to go over why the allowance can’t be raised this year?
Highschool, College and sometimes elementary school students.
Why would a home user use Excel, how many people actually use that for non business/school related things. If they need to make a table you can do that in word.
What this means for Microsoft’s online version of Office, which was also supposed to be a sort of introductory version of Office, is totally unknown—-This is where possibly software+Services strategy come in to picture. End users can create a word file on their desktop and save it the Online Version of Office seamlessly.
The coolest thing about the new Office is the OpenType support. Can’t wait for it to get out.
“That, of course, has caused the Internet to freak out.”
Best line I’ve read all day.
Long live Firefox and the Adblock Plus add-on!!!! …I haven’t seen an add in …? Well, I’m not sure.
Consumer choice is indeed being taken to a whole new level, which is a great thing of course…but only those that are completely aware of all the options will win out. …Thanks Microsoft!!! FREE is better…keep it coming!!!
Download the beta of office 2010 in November 2010
read here
http://thetechnologycafe.com/microsoft-office-2010-beta-coming-in-november-2009/