Not sure what M$ would gain...
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| mdl Oct 05, 2005 1:14 PM EDT |
Who would buy M$ Office for Windows? The existing Linux users who need an office suite are using OOo , or another open source suite. Maybe those using Crossover Office, but they already have a copy. How about those who want to leave Windows, but can't because they are stuck on using M$ Office? Yeah, come out with a Linux version of Office so they can switch to Linux. I don't think so. So, you see, M$ can do nothing but watch their market share decline... slowly at first, but accelerating over time. Meanwhile, I am quite satisfied with Open Office. |
| cjcox Oct 05, 2005 3:01 PM EDT |
Actually, if Microsoft supported it (and they won't), many companies would be interested. We use CrossOver at my company for our Linux desktops because that's the best you can do if you have to have M$ Office. But CrossOver doesn't support Office 2K3 yet (soon)... so our CrossOver deployments are locked in at OfficeXP or Office2000. For Microsoft, it extends their marketshare at the expense of the Windows OS... but given the very, very low margins on the Windows OS, I'd think it would be in M$'s best interest to suppport M$ Office on Linux. (of course, they'll never do it though) |
| lordshipmayhem Oct 05, 2005 7:44 PM EDT |
Actually, from what I understand, both Windows and Office are the twin pillars on which Microsoft is 100% dependant for its profitability. Anything that encourages any alternative, Open Source or not, is a threat to those twin pillars. In addition, the minute that you've been weaned off one (either by using Office under Crossover or OpenOffice.org in the WIndows environment), it becomes much, much easier to wean yourself off the other. |
| peragrin Oct 06, 2005 4:08 AM EDT |
It's how I switched over the long term. I first switched to mozilla(never did like IE at all) Then I found out about Open Office. I switched all my doc's over to that years ago. When It came time to try linux I didn't have a problem. When i bought a powerbook instead I found I could step over without a hassle as i had open formats for all my files. |
| cjcox Oct 06, 2005 12:09 PM EDT |
Just my opinion... but OOo (and SO) support less than 50% of the capabilities in M$ Office. That's nothing to sneeze at certainly, and OOo (and SO) have unique features that will probably never be in M$ Office. But if you're business is dependent on sending/receiving documents in M$ Office format (I'd guess that applies to about 99% of US companies)... then the only way (IMHO) to see more OOo it too see a significant increase in the number of Linux desktops (or at least non-M$ desktops which use OOo). In order to support an OOo conversion for most companies, it means that EVERYONE they do business with has to convert too. Sure... OOo can read lots of M$ docs. My experience is that 1/10 (could be more like 3/10) documents you will receive can ONLY be processed with M$ Office though. M$ Office for Linux would sell well.. but Microsoft doesn't have the expertise in house to pull it off... and because of pride, they'll drop it even if they did have the expertise. It was easy with Apple since they are just an appendage of M$ anyhow. Linux can't be 0wn3d by M$... so no, they won't pursue it ... even if it makes them more money (weird).... I mean, it's not like it's going to accelerate Linux adoption that dramatically (maybe in their pride they think it will though). |
| tuxchick Oct 06, 2005 1:38 PM EDT |
Freeing your data from microshaft formats should be the #1 priority for all businesses. It's very shortsighted to continually pay to ransom your own stuff. |
| phsolide Oct 06, 2005 4:19 PM EDT |
Quoting:It's very shortsighted to continually pay to ransom your own stuff. Sure, I agree, but try to tell a "manager" that. They've likely only used "Word" for a few years ("I'm not technical") so they haven't lost documents to format changes. Managers all eat doody anyway. The place I work has a whole pile of stuff that the authors left in "mif" files after printing. I guess that was the "extension" used in FrameMaker? In any case, a lot of design docs "exist", but can't be converted into anything useful anymore. |
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