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Seriously. I dont know why Microsoft continues to support the evil-est of empires. If it weren't for the few $100 mill Microsoft invested in Apple many years ago, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

I'm pretty sure their arm was forced if they wanted to avoid patent litigation. I could be wrong. But I'm pretty sure that the money "given" to Apple wasn't really a "gift" or "investment" per se
 
Love or hate, Microsoft Office is THE standard in productivity applications, period. Coming on iOS is a big nail in Android's coffin, and Apple needed it with Ice Cream Sandwich out there.
 
Love or hate, Microsoft Office is THE standard in productivity applications, period. Coming on iOS is a big nail in Android's coffin, and Apple needed it with Ice Cream Sandwich out there.

true on that but I already got tired of waiting for MS office on iPad and got used to iworks instead. on the other hand it will be nice to see some serious competition for iworks, maybe apple will get their act together and update their office suit more than once every two years.
 
Yea

Even though I have iWork on my iPad I would definitely purchase microsoft Word if it was release for iOS. Competition is healthy and ms word is the standard.
 
I disagree. Completely.

Why do you disagree ? Don't you remember when Microsoft ported Office to OS X ? That meant the death of Windows.

Oh wait... ;)

I agree, MS provides Office for OSX, and that in no way indicates the overall health of the window's platform.

All this shows, is that MS is looking at the large customer base and providing a product that many want and in turn will provide another revenue stream for them.

The Office on Mac OS vs Windows comparison is not even remotely analogous to my point. Like it or not, Microsoft at present has a lock on the operating system world. Porting Office to Mac OS X did not threaten that lock, it simply increased their revenue stream. On the other hand, Microsoft has never ported their software to a platform that they viewed as a serious competitor to one of their their platforms. For example, they have never ported any of the games from X-Box to Playstation or Wii, and they never will so long as they have what they view as a serious contender to those platforms. For MS to even consider porting Office to IOS when they are also taking up Windows-based tablets as a serious contented to the iPad and Windows-based phones as a serious contented to the iPhone would never happen if they viewed their tablet and phone product as a serious contender. Look at their history in this light and you will see what I see.
 
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The Office on Mac OS vs Windows comparison is not even remotely analogous to my point. Like it or not, Microsoft at present has a lock on the operating system world. Porting Office to Mac OS X did not threaten that lock, it simply increased their revenue stream. On the other hand, Microsoft has never ported their software to a platform that they viewed as a serious competitor to one of their their platforms. For example, they have never ported any of the games from X-Box to Playstation or Wii, and they never will so long as they have what they view as a serious contender to those platforms. For MS to even consider porting Office to IOS when they are also taking up Windows-based tablets as a serious contented to the iPad and Windows-based phones as a serious contented to the iPhone would never happen if they viewed their tablet and phone product as a serious contender. Look at their history in this light and you will see what I see.

I hear what you're saying. I just (still) disagree completely.
 
I hear what you're saying. I just (still) disagree completely.

That's fine, we disagree. Just mark this down: I predict that if MS brings out Office for IOS, Windows Mobile (Tablet and probably phone) will continue it's slow, agonizing death and ultimately disappear from the market within 5-7 years; Within 10-12 years, some Microsoft expatriate -- whether they directly reference Office for IOS or not -- will acknowledge that around this time period Microsoft continued to promote Windows Mobile to save face after investing so much time and public rhetoric into the platform, but that privately, they were acknowledging that it was dead, dying or at best a million to one shot. So long as Microsoft see's Windows Mobile as a viable revenue source, they will not port Office to a platform which will significantly syphon income from that revenue source. While this is my opinion, it is also a historical fact. If I'm wrong, get back to me in 12 years and I'll buy you a beverage of your choice (within certain financial limits).
 
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Just mark this down: I predict that if MS brings out Office for IOS, Windows Mobile (Tablet and probably phone) will continue it's slow, agonizing death and ultimately disappear from the market within 5-7 years;

Correlation does not equal causation. That's why we disagree with you.
 
Correlation does not equal causation. That's why we disagree with you.

Exactly.

I also disagree because I think his premise is incorrect. There's a difference between a game being exclusive to a platform vs Office. And if you don't understand that and the enterprise market vs gaming market - there's little I can do to help one. Waste of time.
 
There's a difference between a game being exclusive to a platform vs Office.

And if you don't understand that and the enterprise market vs gaming market - there's little I can do to help one. Waste of time.
I don't agree with your premise, and therefore with your conclusion. I say this as a person who was involved in the PC market for over 2 decades, in sales, service, and observing MicroSoft before moving to Mac's.

The issue here is how to lock someone into a platform via the application, and secondly, how to discourage someone from selecting a competing platform via the application. That has been one of MicroSoft's basic methods of operation with their applications since day 1. The argument that they have ported Office to the Mac OS and therefore my reasoning is invalid ignores the facts that: 1) for a number of years they refused to do so; 2) that they ported it to the Mac OS only after Windows became locked in so solid as a monopoly that it actually came under threat from the justice department. In order to protect themselves they had to prop up Apple financially, and the port of Office to the Mac OS was part of that deal which (due to the threat from the justice department) actually protected their Windows monopoly and had the additional benefit of providing revenue.

I think your premise is based on inaccurate presumptions. You don't have to accept my premise any more than I must accept yours, but there is no need for you to get personally insulting. It does nothing to "prove your point" but serves to undermine your credibility.
 
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I don't agree with your premise, and therefore with your conclusion. I say this as a person who was involved in the PC market for over 2 decades, in sales, service, and observing MicroSoft before moving to Mac's.

The issue here is how to lock someone into a platform via the application, and secondly, how to discourage someone from selecting a competing platform via the application. That has been one of MicroSoft's basic methods of operation with their applications since day 1. The argument that they have ported Office to the Mac OS and therefore my reasoning is invalid ignores the facts that: 1) for a number of years they refused to do so; 2) that they ported it to the Mac OS only after Windows became locked in so solid as a monopoly that it actually came under threat from the justice department. In order to protect themselves they had to prop up Apple financially, and the port of Office to the Mac OS was part of that deal which (due to the threat from the justice department) actually protected their Windows monopoly and had the additional benefit of providing revenue.

I think your premise is based on inaccurate presumptions. You don't have to accept my premise any more than I must accept yours, but there is no need for you to get personally insulting. It does nothing to "prove your point" but serves to undermine your credibility.

First - I think you took something a bit too personally. My point was that I personally feel it's wasted time (on my side) to get into a whole discussion about the gaming market vs enterprise.

Second - It's great you have those credentials. I've been in Marketing for over 20 years. Much of that in the technology sector. But I don't think we need to exchange resumes.

As another said - correlation doesn't equal causation. The past also doesn't equal the future. There's a lot of money to be made for Microsoft by porting Office over to the iPad.

Before they offered Office on the Mac - perhaps they didn't see the cost benefit based on the marketshare at the time. Maybe it was Gates' way of screwing with Steve/Apple and minimizing their enterprise appeal back then.

Things change. Again - the past doesn't equal the future.
 
That's fine, we disagree. Just mark this down: I predict that if MS brings out Office for IOS, Windows Mobile (Tablet and probably phone) will continue it's slow, agonizing death and ultimately disappear from the market within 5-7 years; Within 10-12 years, some Microsoft expatriate -- whether they directly reference Office for IOS or not -- will acknowledge that around this time period Microsoft continued to promote Windows Mobile to save face after investing so much time and public rhetoric into the platform, but that privately, they were acknowledging that it was dead, dying or at best a million to one shot. So long as Microsoft see's Windows Mobile as a viable revenue source, they will not port Office to a platform which will significantly syphon income from that revenue source. While this is my opinion, it is also a historical fact. If I'm wrong, get back to me in 12 years and I'll buy you a beverage of your choice (within certain financial limits).

Not so fast. Ballmer says Microsoft is "coming full guns!"

Ballmer on Tablets: We're Coming Full Guns
http://mashable.com/2010/07/30/ballmer-tablets-2/

LOL!

If I'm wrong, get back to me in 12 years and I'll buy you a beverage of your choice (within certain financial limits).

Hendrick's Martini

Thanks!
 
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