Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,688
4,400
Here
Office for iPad would be so much more useful if it wasn't just another data silo. Having to use OneDrive is a deal killer for me.

I was actually surprised they did this. I know they want to push OneDrive, but Office is suppose to be a versatile tool "for everyone," so a lock into OneDrive seems counterproductive.

----------

Why? MS is not that bad.

My iPad on the other hand in a google and adobe free zone.
And I am waiting for pixelmator to become a photoshop replacement.

I'm impressed by how much pixelmator has improved.
 

philipk

macrumors 6502
Jun 11, 2008
438
190
I was actually surprised they did this. I know they want to push OneDrive, but Office is suppose to be a versatile tool "for everyone," so a lock into OneDrive seems counterproductive.

----------



I'm impressed by how much pixelmator has improved.

On the iPad iWorks is tied to to iCloud. Google docs is tied to Google Drive.

So why is it surprising that MS Office is tried to OneDrive?
 
Last edited:

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,688
4,400
Here
On the iPad iWorks is tied to to iCloud. Google docs is tied to Google Drive.

So why is it surprising that MS Office is tried to OneDoc?

I guess I just assumed that MS wanted Office to be a multipurpose tool. Why handicap it?
 

philipk

macrumors 6502
Jun 11, 2008
438
190
I guess I just assumed that MS wanted Office to be a multipurpose tool. Why handicap it?

And where do you plan on storing these files so that they will also be available on your main office computer or laptop?

That is the way most owners of iPads use their documents. Even if you use your iPad as your primary computer, where are you going back up those files?

For an iPad to work properly you must use the cloud. So it is not surprising that companies use their own cloud system.
 

snprintf

macrumors member
Apr 20, 2014
69
0
Microsoft can barge you 100 dollar per computer and you can use it forever. Hat does not work with App Store. Microsoft could simply pull Office xxxx out of store than put other version. If you need it, you need pay again. Do you really think you will happy this way?

Yes, I would be happy with that. I don't own an iPad, nor would I use one for work even if I owned one. But anyway, Microsoft could easily accept a one-time payment for the Mac version of Office that comes with a key for the iPad version, similar to how they already do it with 365.

----------

Yeah... You still use product from a joke of a company. You are such a great guy... Seriously....

That I am.

----------

And how long should they support you with updates?

What kinds of updates? I think every company ought to support its users with security updates for a reasonable period of time (which is why I'm PO'd at Apple due to their handling of the SSL bug in iOS 6), but I couldn't care any less about full Office updates. It's the same thing every time.
 

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,688
4,400
Here
And where do you plan on storing these files so that they will also be available on your main office computer or laptop?

That is the way most owners of iPads use their documents. Even if you use your iPad as your primary computer, where are you going back up those files?

For an iPad to work properly you must use the cloud. So it is not surprising that companies use their own cloud system.

I fully agree, but they could have opened the apps to multiple cloud options, but presented their own. If the user had a specific cloud storage preference then they could changed it in settings.
 

philipk

macrumors 6502
Jun 11, 2008
438
190
I fully agree, but they could have opened the apps to multiple cloud options, but presented their own. If the user had a specific cloud storage preference then they could changed it in settings.

I agree. I would definitely prefer to use Dropbox.

However I can understand why Microsoft decided to use OneDrive for two reasons.

1. The main reason is that they wanted to promote their own cloud.

2. They don't have to worry about having bugs with linking to other Cloud systems. I know they can work around this but it's still an issue they didn't have to deal with. Especially considering reason number one.
 
Last edited:

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,688
4,400
Here
I agree. I would definitely prefer to use Dropbox.

However I can understand why Microsoft decided to use OneDrive for two reasons.

1. The main reason is that they wanted to promote their own cloud.

2. They don't have to worry about having bugs with linking to other Cloud systems. I know they can work around this but it's still an issue they didn't have to deal with. Especially considering reason number one.

Agreed. I wish they would at least implement the "Open In other App" option. I can open documents into Office, but not out. I can only email them as attachments.
 

CodeJingle

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
592
217
Greater Seattle, WA
Computer software just isn't "expensive" enough to justify monthly payments.

If you use Adobe Director and buy outright, it costs $1000 the first time and every update costs $300 to upgrade from the most recent previous version. Now there is a Director subscription option for $20 a month, and with that you always get the latest version. For expensive apps SAAS actually saves money. Sure I agree for cheap apps that aren't updated often buying outright is more cost effective. But nonetheless SAAS still has a viable marketplace WRT expensive apps.
 

Krevnik

macrumors 601
Sep 8, 2003
4,100
1,309
Actually no, it's not. The job is to please CUSTOMERS. Marketing is what entices a consumer to become a customer.

The majority of comments regarding MS Office for iPad is that little short of giving it away for free ($10 per module was cited as a "reasonable" price) would be enough to convert those consumers to customers. That's assuming they were being truthful... I suspect that some would not buy Office no matter how low the price was.

Customer/Consumer. I don't think that word means what you think it means.

The only difference between customer and consumer is who paid for the license versus who is using the license. In many cases, like home users, the two terms refer to the same entity (unless it was bought as a gift). A good example where the two are not the same entity are business installations. The business may be the customer, and pays me, but the employees in their <insert name here> department are the consumers. I need to keep those employees (consumer) happy as well as the folks who make the purchase decisions (customer) happy. Pirated copies are also "consumed", even though there is no customer, and that's where "conversion" can come into play (turning a consumer into a customer+consumer).

If someone isn't an end-user of my product, they aren't a consumer of my product, and I don't call them a consumer. The general term "consumer" isn't terribly useful, as every person on the planet falls under that term, even the CEO of a large company, even if their main form of consumption are large yachts. But if they aren't consuming my product, they aren't a consumer in my world, and my job would be to convince them that what I produce is worth consuming.
 

Krevnik

macrumors 601
Sep 8, 2003
4,100
1,309
There is more than one meaning to the word "consumer". Use the correct definition and you might understand my point, choose the incorrect one, and you can dismiss it. :)

Unfortunately, I don't have the official sracer dictionary, so I have to work from what common context there is. And it all really says the same thing:

a person or organization that uses a commodity or service.

So if a consumer is already using my product, then converting them to customers has already happened in some way if I ignore the effect of piracy. And marketing isn't really going to convert them, so I'm assuming you aren't referring to them. But either way, my priority is to keep the end-users (consumers) happy, even if they aren't the ones paying my bills directly.

Consider Google. Their consumers and customers are entirely groups, and in a way, the consumers are also their product, with customers being the advertisers.

So what are consumers then if not that?
 

TheAppleFairy

Suspended
Mar 28, 2013
2,588
2,223
The Clinton Archipelago unfortunately
Then you pay again for next version a year later?

There are people that still run Older versions of office on their computers. I really don't like anything past version 2007 for Windows. I bought 2010,and I uninstalled it and went back to 2007. I recently bought 2013 $10 through HUP, and then went back to 2007. The same could hold true for Office on iOS, They could release a later version and stop selling the previous version. Giving the user the choice to upgrade and receive new features or stick with the old if that works for them. Some may decide to upgrade every other version.
 

MisakixMikasa

macrumors 6502a
Aug 21, 2013
776
2
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
I believe 1 version would be enough.

There are people that still run Older versions of office on their computers. I really don't like anything past version 2007 for Windows. I bought 2010,and I uninstalled it and went back to 2007. I recently bought 2013 $10 through HUP, and then went back to 2007. The same could hold true for Office on iOS, They could release a later version and stop selling the previous version. Giving the user the choice to upgrade and receive new features or stick with the old if that works for them. Some may decide to upgrade every other version.

But App Store is different with retail sales. You know that... Microsoft could easily pull off older version forcing you buy newer version.

Microsoft simply not want sell office on iPad standalone, you need to Office 365 subscription to edit it and receive upgrade to newer version. If you do not want that, then you just can read the document. No one is forcing you to subscribe, it is your choice.

And when is last time Apple users want choice? Have Apple ever give you choice? Where is my choice of setting default application? Where is my choice of adding SD card?

----------

I believe 1 version would be enough.

Nope... docx, xlsx, potx are the standard now. Older version of office won't able to save to these format. Office 2007 is the earliest one. Ought you can install plugin for Office 2003. Therefore, if you have anything earlier than 2003 you pretty much need buy a newer version.
 

koban4max

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2011
1,582
0
But App Store is different with retail sales. You know that... Microsoft could easily pull off older version forcing you buy newer version.

Microsoft simply not want sell office on iPad standalone, you need to Office 365 subscription to edit it and receive upgrade to newer version. If you do not want that, then you just can read the document. No one is forcing you to subscribe, it is your choice.

And when is last time Apple users want choice? Have Apple ever give you choice? Where is my choice of setting default application? Where is my choice of adding SD card?

----------



Nope... docx, xlsx, potx are the standard now. Older version of office won't able to save to these format. Office 2007 is the earliest one. Ought you can install plugin for Office 2003. Therefore, if you have anything earlier than 2003 you pretty much need buy a newer version.
Unless you work for MS i highly doubt they would pull the previous version in a short period of time...probably last 2 years.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.