Microsoft's big gamble with free Office

[Computer Hope Admin]

Microsoft has a new plan to make more money from Office: give it away.

With Office 2010, one of the biggest changes is how many ways there are to get Microsoft's most profitable software program for free.

In addition to the free, browser-based Office Web Apps, Microsoft is also offering PC makers the ability to install a basic version of Office on new computers. The new program, Office Starter, includes a stripped-down version of Word and Excel. PC makers, retailers and Microsoft can all make money if the PC buyer later upgrades to a paid version of Office.

Link

[patio]

I also heard their new business model for Office was going to be Free...ad-based ala google...

[soybean]

As I understand it, MS will be working with PC makers to have a free, stripped-down version of Office , called Office Starter, installed on new PCs.  But, the full version will not be free.  Users can easily upgrade from Office Starter to a full version.

The new focus on web-based Office apps is what I found particularly interesting.  For example, two persons at very different locations would be working together on a spreadsheet application where both parties are viewing and updating the spreadsheet via their web browser.

[BC_Programmer]

The new focus on web-based Office apps is what I found particularly interesting.  For example, two persons at very different locations would be working together on a spreadsheet application where both parties are viewing and updating the spreadsheet via their web browser.

This is interesting because a large number of there less "common" products feature extensive multi-user and networked operation modes. For example Visual Studio has been able to debug processes on other machines (Which I imagine is how a 3-d game would be debugged) Not quite the same as what you mentioned but still rather complicated to implement.

[TechGeek]

This would be great because I could stop using WordPad. I think this is great for Microsoft because the people who would buy it will buy a full version either way.

[JJ 3000]

This would be great because I could stop using WordPad.

Have you heard of open office?

[Computer Hope Admin]

Open Office and Google Docs is reason Microsoft is doing this. I'm sure these are both eating at their profits.

[patio]

All i can say is Open Office has come a long long way...
Anyone who pays for Office is silly...

[BC_Programmer]

All i can say is Open Office has come a long long way...
Anyone who pays for Office is silly...

Well...

Open Office has no equivalent for Access.

[kpac]

Anyone who pays for Office is silly...

Not when you can get Office Enterprise for ~$100.

[michaewlewis]

All i can say is Open Office has come a long long way...
Anyone who pays for Office is silly...

Last I checked, Calc came nowhere near where Excel 2007 is. (It was pretty close to Excel 2003, though.)

[soybean]

Not when you can get Office Enterprise for ~$100.

What's that?  Here are the versions of MS Office: Office suites

If Office Enterprise exists, where does fit in the spectrum of Office versions?  And, where can you get it for ~$100? 

[kpac]

If Office Enterprise exists, where does fit in the spectrum of Office versions?

It's pretty much Office Ultimate plus Office Communicator.

And, where can you get it for ~$100?

http://www.software4students.ie/Microsoft_Office_Enterprise_2007-details.aspx

[soybean]

Well, you did not clearly state a key fact here.  Your source if for academically priced software.  The price for commercial customers is much higher.

[kpac]

Well, you did not clearly state a key fact here.

No one asked.

The price for commercial customers is much higher.

That's fairly obvious.