So would you pay 150$ for a one machine license and how many versions of iOS should they update it for? And should they add new features for free? For how long?
Edit: For the whole suite, obviously.
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Does Word & Excel work on an iPad ?
- Thread starter augustya
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So would you pay 150$ for a one machine license and how many versions of iOS should they update it for? And should they add new features for free? For how long?
Edit: For the whole suite, obviously.
The fact that it's a subscription doesn't bother me. Developing software costs money.
I haven't thought about it, and fortunately I don't have to, because Pages and Numbers are sufficient for me.
Yeah - No thanks on the subscription...
If you have no use for the cloud model/features of theirs, it's a non-starter to be locked into annual or monthly subscriptions.
Some of just want to pay once and be done for a long while as we don't use the software much. You know - How we used to buy it? lol
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It always has....
For my usage and situation, the old pay once and perhaps I'll pay again when a new version comes out works best.
Plus, then they actually have to *do* something to justify that new version (i.e. sell me on why I should buy it)
With cloud models they just keep getting cash and if you stop paying you're screwed, no matter how long you've been paying for. No wonder they love it. You're renting instead of owning a copy.
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Except that Dropbox integrates with a LOT more apps on iOS and is a better cloud choice if that stuff matters to you.
Same for me, while on a work site I use word and excel with the iPad Pro with zero issues. Very nice!
I ask you the same questions I asked the other guy in terms of cost and support.
With cloud models they just keep getting cash and if you stop paying you're screwed, no matter how long you've been paying for. No wonder they love it. You're renting instead of owning a copy.
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Like I said, doesn't bother me. Some people it does. Those people shouldn't purchase subscription services.
[doublepost=1455762775][/doublepost]
Like I said, doesn't bother me. Some people it does. Those people shouldn't purchase subscription services.
@Michael Goff - Appreciate the interest in having a discussion, it's honestly just not worth talking much about.
For my usage, I just prefer to pay once and maybe I'll buy again if they offer a new version with compelling features.
That's my main gripe here - No way to just "buy a copy". Don't need updates or upgrades, and if I do, I'd rather have to pay again down the road a year or two if the value is there.
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...but they aren't even giving you that option on the iPad Pro (buy outright) are they? - That's the frustration.
Anyways - I'm tapping out on this thread.
Cheers guys - Appreciate the chat
For my usage, I just prefer to pay once and maybe I'll buy again if they offer a new version with compelling features.
That's my main gripe here - No way to just "buy a copy". Don't need updates or upgrades, and if I do, I'd rather have to pay again down the road a year or two if the value is there.
[doublepost=1455764964][/doublepost]
...but they aren't even giving you that option on the iPad Pro (buy outright) are they? - That's the frustration.
Anyways - I'm tapping out on this thread.
Cheers guys - Appreciate the chat
Yes, this is it, exactly. Way back when, I paid for Office 2000, I forget how much, but I paid whatever price they were charging for it in full. After that, they've never offered anything I felt was worth paying their upgrade price for, so I've never bought any newer versions, and my copy of Office still works on my PCs, and whenever I buy a new PC, I can just install it without any hassle. This subscription model, I've just got to keep paying, even if none of the new features they add are useful to me.
I think the model has changed because more regular updates can be done now rather than when people needed physical media updates that was much harder.
If I look at Excel alone, they update regularly - although the best improvements come to PC first. For example, adding maps to 'charts' so I could graph over a map of the U.K. or US was very handy for me and was an incremental increase in 365.
Not sure OS X or iOS get enough support though is my only worry - still no lasso in OneNote on iOS and no PivotCharts in OS X are major drawbacks for me. I pay the subscription in the hope they will keep developing. Is that fair? We all make our choice and crack on I guess. I spent a few hours a day on excel.
I also choose to use outlook as my email of choice on iOS as Mailbox 'withdrew' I find it better than mail.app so supporting the same developer in their paid space feels fair. Harder with MS as it often doesn't feel like they need that support
If I look at Excel alone, they update regularly - although the best improvements come to PC first. For example, adding maps to 'charts' so I could graph over a map of the U.K. or US was very handy for me and was an incremental increase in 365.
Not sure OS X or iOS get enough support though is my only worry - still no lasso in OneNote on iOS and no PivotCharts in OS X are major drawbacks for me. I pay the subscription in the hope they will keep developing. Is that fair? We all make our choice and crack on I guess. I spent a few hours a day on excel.
I also choose to use outlook as my email of choice on iOS as Mailbox 'withdrew' I find it better than mail.app so supporting the same developer in their paid space feels fair. Harder with MS as it often doesn't feel like they need that support
Everyone's moving towards this model and so you will have a harder time to avoid it - even apple wants monthly fees from you.
As for Office, I feel like I'm getting value for my money, first and foremost I can install Office on 5 different computers - the stand alone could not do that. Secondly, as mentioned I have a TB of storage, which is very useful for me.
I found Pages and more so Numbers to be so lacking that it was just an exercise in frustration in using them, whether we're talking about Excel compatibility (or lack there of), or even just how cumbersome it is entering data.
I understand that people don't want to pay a monthly subscription, heck I don't but I do think imo, I'm getting value in exchange.
I know, how dare the charge for a product/service.
Everyone's moving towards this model and so you will have a harder time to avoid it - even apple wants monthly fees from you.
As for Office, I feel like I'm getting value for my money, first and foremost I can install Office on 5 different computers - the stand alone could not do that. Secondly, as mentioned I have a TB of storage, which is very useful for me.
I found Pages and more so Numbers to be so lacking that it was just an exercise in frustration in using them, whether we're talking about Excel compatibility (or lack there of), or even just how cumbersome it is entering data.
I understand that people don't want to pay a monthly subscription, heck I don't but I do think imo, I'm getting value in exchange.
I know, how dare the charge for a product/service.
The Office365 subscription for $9.99/month for 5 users with 1TB storage for each included is - in my mind - a better deal than what I have with my Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for $15/month for only 2 installed instances. I don't like subscriptions either but at least in this case the value is higher.
I have excel on my ipad pro and it does seem like editing is allowed if the document is opened from dropbox. This is using the ipad dropbox app and using 'open with microsoft excel' option.
I'm not sure why this works. I do not have a 365 subscription and editing is not allowed if I open excel directly.
I'm not sure why this works. I do not have a 365 subscription and editing is not allowed if I open excel directly.
The subscription model and the steady flow of cash coming from it is the main reason why Microsoft can afford to make Office apps for iOS. They wouldn't have spent time and money making iOS apps if someone didn't pay for those apps in advance. And I must say the Office apps are among the best apps for work on the iPad Pro. Microsoft did a really good job and they continue to improve them.
I know, how dare the charge for a product/service.
Why come in with that snarky comment?
This is about a recurring subscription model vs paying outright.
I didn't mean to imply "not paying at all"
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Which Apple software on the device is asking for monthly fees?
We are talking about installed software (Office), not cloud services.
MS is bundling in "Cloud Service" to make the fee more rational, but it's in no way necessary for the operation of the software, or at the very least should be optional.
Notice how Adobe figured this out on the Mac side?
They sell the latest versions of popular CC Mac apps outright - Which I took advantage of because I don't want or need their creative cloud, nor constant updates...
(like the one they just had that borked Backblaze - lovely).
Kudos to Adobe for offering both purchase options, as it should be.
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The desktop version of Office still offers way to much for anyone who depends on it to move to the mobile version. Especially if you require Macros and Visual Basic scripts, something that every financial firm in existence uses. Even a lot of smaller firms build their entire infastructure around Office because of just how powerful the scripting language is, as well as database support, even Oracle. The mobile version is really meant to view docs, spreadsheets and very light work. Anyone suggesting that it can actually replace the full version honestly doesn't use Office for anything that say Pages and Numbers couldn't already do or even the online version of Office as it also offers the exact same functionality, for free.
iWork apps is precisely where I would end up if they started trying to force subscriptions for editing functionality across the entire iOS lineup of Office apps.
I actually used to do that (before the MS apps were an iOS I think it was), but I'm just too lazy to switch back right now as the minimal workflow is established for now.
I think MS agrees with you about the "seriousness" of their iOS apps on non iPP devices, thus the free functionality.
It's a big stretch on their part to infer that a slightly larger screen has now made the iPP some "serious Office work device" - To your point, the screen size is only part of the equation... the iOS versions are missing tons of really important components if you're a power Office user.
They don't even have the same Apps on both platforms, so "no" Mike.
My point is that it was a very large software company offering some choice between Subscription and Purchasing, as they realize different things appeal to different people.
On the Mac, they can charge for an upgrade and people are willing to spend large amounts of money. Neither are true for iOS. Ergo, it's irrelevant.
I seriously can't believe anybody defends MS as it relates to Office.
My god...these guys have been regurgitating and re-charging for the same basic feature set for decades...
Some compensation is absolutely warranted and fair, but $69-99 per year and if you stop paying you have NOTHING to show for it you can use without continuing to pay?
Don't some people understand what *bad* value that is depending up on what type of user you are?
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Maybe they should try it first?
Office is a different animal than most any other Apps.
[doublepost=1455815695][/doublepost]I would be way more onboard with subscriptions for Office if they had some tier you could achieve that "unlocked the app" for you and thus you could get off the train at some point and still have something you could use at that point.
[doublepost=1455815989][/doublepost]@Michael Goff
Anyways - Good chat...you and I are likely to never agree on the Office thing...
I'm going to stop clogging up the thread now (tried to bail yesterday...got sucked back in - haha)
My god...these guys have been regurgitating and re-charging for the same basic feature set for decades...
Some compensation is absolutely warranted and fair, but $69-99 per year and if you stop paying you have NOTHING to show for it you can use without continuing to pay?
Don't some people understand what *bad* value that is depending up on what type of user you are?
[doublepost=1455815599][/doublepost]
Maybe they should try it first?
Office is a different animal than most any other Apps.
[doublepost=1455815695][/doublepost]I would be way more onboard with subscriptions for Office if they had some tier you could achieve that "unlocked the app" for you and thus you could get off the train at some point and still have something you could use at that point.
[doublepost=1455815989][/doublepost]@Michael Goff
Anyways - Good chat...you and I are likely to never agree on the Office thing...
I'm going to stop clogging up the thread now (tried to bail yesterday...got sucked back in - haha)
Almost fully functional anyway. iOS Excel doesn't support all features so some workbooks can only be opened in view mode, not edit. I have a lot of advanced workbooks that link to other workbooks.
But for single stand alone workbooks I've found it to be quite acceptable. Work flow is a little different but I expected that.
I don't use Word much at all anymore so I haven't really put it through the paces on the iPad.
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If you don't have a huge need why not use OpenOffice or GoogleDocs? If you don't "need" Office there are perfectly useable alternatives that are free and will open and save Office compatible documents.
OK I did. If you are not motivated enough to learn a new work flow why are you complaining about the cost of using the software you want to use?
I use the MS subscription for Office. I have it installed on a number of devices that I use interchangably. To me it's worth it.