I can understand MS using this model for Office. With so many people using different versions of Office sometimes compatibility issues come into play when exchanging documents. By encouraging people to go the 365 route their intention is probably to have a more streamlined user group. However, considering the money MS make being the most used OS and office software in the world I'm sure the subscription fee could be reduced without denting their bottom line.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Microsoft's Office for iPad Team Discusses Ballmer's Role in Launch, Mac Synergy, and More
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You don't even have to pay the full price, I've seen the boxed versions a bit cheaper already. There are even very sharply priced student versions that sell for even less than that and cover four years. You have to see this product as the complete suite it is, not just an iPad app.
i dont like to do this everytime, but:
100$ per year for the industry leading office software is too much
2600$ for low/mid end macbook pro hardware every year that others sell for 800-900$ is cool
apple yeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhh
Yes, but MS Office doesn't come with a nice piss yellow tint.
For Office, a product that is ubiquitous on the desktop with probably a billion copies in the wild, to only download 12 million copies of a free version is fairly pathetic. Clearly the ship sailed on Microsoft. "Sell the stock and give the money back to the shareholders."
...I'd say the same of Dell, but they actually did that already, eh eh eh.
...I'd say the same of Dell, but they actually did that already, eh eh eh.
It's not much but it's not bad either. Actually it's 3 million copies, if you divide 12mil/4 apps..
Microsoft has lost many consumers, but still has all enterprise users. People that don't want to invest money for an office suite, will look elsewhere. People that want more from an Office suite than what Google, Apple and others are offering, will appreciate Microsoft Office (which is by far the best Office suite available).
Dell is doing fine in its new role, concentrating on the Enterprise.
Sorry, but most of these people are not in it for the discussion, but for voicing a complaint - any complaint. Feel free to blame the internet in general where otherwise by society castrated outcasts get a chance to voice their opinions without consequence.
unplugme71 said:
Well put. People on this forum (and on Facebook etc) really should take responsibility instead of this constant, nagging bitching...
FCOL act, do - don't just sit around and bitch. Be it Apple, Google or Microsoft - no one is forcing you to buy anything. As for myself I prefer IAwriter, but can appreciate, welcome and compliment a well done design when I see one: MS has done well.
Last edited:
Your logic is flawed. There are more desktop PC's that have been sold, so therefore there's "probably a billion copies in the wild".
You need to compare the iPad sales with Office downloads, that makes more sense. Even more sense is to sub-set those iPad sales for people that would use a device for stuff like Office.
It would be fair to say that 95% of the people who buy iPads - it isn't for Office or Lightroom. I say it's for consuming media and data.
So, no 12 million downloads is not pathetic. It's phenomenal. What I'd like to see are conversion numbers. Assuming a 3% conversion factor (reasonable and conservative number compared with other subscription services like Spotify and Evernote and Dropbox), that's 360k new subscribers to Office - $35.64 million in revenue.
I'd also like to see the numbers of people would already have Office 365 subs who simply downloaded it.
Microsoft office home 365 $99.00 x 3 = $297.00
Microsoft Home $139.00
Kind of sucks too.
If you only need one license yes. If you need more and want to have 20GB OneDrive space plus the Skype free minutes, then it's a great deal.
If they kept the Mac version of Office as updated as they do the PC version, I'd sign up in an instant.
So you would like the OS X version to be updated every three or so years? If so, then you're in luck.
I found the articles which credited Satya Nadella for the release of Office for iPad pretty bizarre. It's not something you throw together within a month or two.
Going by all the negative reviews on the App Store I'd say that there's definitely a bunch of people who are disappointed that they have to pay to use the office version as opposed to the desktop versions where it was no big deal to have the neighbours son come over to install a "less pricey" version
.
That's a good thing for alternatives as they definitely will be considered by those who become aware of the fact that they don't need the high end excel functions or 100% compatibility to Microsofts Office.
Going by all the negative reviews on the App Store I'd say that there's definitely a bunch of people who are disappointed that they have to pay to use the office version as opposed to the desktop versions where it was no big deal to have the neighbours son come over to install a "less pricey" version
. That's a good thing for alternatives as they definitely will be considered by those who become aware of the fact that they don't need the high end excel functions or 100% compatibility to Microsofts Office.
The PC version is 2013. With Mac still at 2011, it's behind. I realize the differences may be negligible, but it makes me wonder if Mac support will be secondary to PC support.
Assuming one does not need any of the benefits of 365 subscription (iPad, Outlook, Publisher for Windows, Access for Windows, 20GB OneDrive, 60 minute Skype calls)....
Office has been on a 3-year release cycle, so unless you need to install Office on more than 3 Macs or PCs, you are better off getting $140 boxed copy.
And if you are a college student or faculty, you can get Office 365 University subscription (up to 2 Macs, PC,s or iPads) at more reasonable $20/year ($80 for 4 years).
And this year, if everything goes as it has before, then OS X will have a new version and Windows will have a one year old version. It isn't so much that Office on Mac is being held back for some reason. It is more true that Office for OS X started later, and as such the three year cycle means it gets released a year later.
Mac support has always been secondary to PC support. Most power users don't even use the Mac versions. They use Windows in a virtual machine because the Mac versions are so terrible and are missing critical functionality they need.
now this may be because i work in a non-corporate, creative field, but i can't for the life of me figure out what is truly different or improved about MS Word (the program i would imagine the majority of Office users actually make consistent use of) since the glory days of Office circa Windows 97? it is my understanding that the English language, though tainted by rampant text-message-abbreviations and acronyms, has gone wholly unchanged in this time. i do remember having no trouble setting margins, headings, bullet points, font (Times New Roman of course) with ease back in 97, so outside of the obvious need to optimize for new OS and hardware, what exactly is it that has people dying to pay a monthly fee in exchange for a software suite that has seen so little added-service in nearly 20 years?
That is a loaded question. You go from the premise that they haven't added much and then go from there.
I'm sorry, i don't quite follow?
my premise is this:
software as a service invariably relies on the fact that a worthwhile service is being performed for a recurring fee. i do not deem the act of simply using the software worthy of being considered a service rendered, and therefore must assume that in exchange for said fee, valuable features are added on a consistent basis. as much as i loath adobe for choosing the all subscription model (and i wont get into the details of why their SAAS is a terrible deal either) at least with them, consistent updates have brought many entirely new features to their programs, i.e., things of value that you could not previously do. with that being said, what is it exactly that i could not do in MS Word '97 that i now can, outside of simply installing it on a current computer? it leads me to believe that paying only once and then owning the software outright would be a much more fair and logical investment in the case of MS Office.
And why not complain about it? People don't seem to have a problem complaining about Apple here.
If we don't complain then Microsoft will think everyone is satisfied with the pricing.
Your solution is if you don't like it then use something else but don't complain is plain ridiculous.
----------
I generally have nothing good to say about Emballmer but it can't be possible that Office on the iPad was made overnight. It had to be in development for quite a while in order for it to be a good, stable and feature rich product. It's very possible Emballmer was the one that not only endorsed the idea but put forth much effort to make sure it was done....saying that with a straight face wasn't easy.
Maybe you should follow your own advice.
Besides most children are more mature than adults anyways.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but for once, I actually agree with you.
Well they better shut down MacRumors and all other forums, news web sites, blogs, etc. etc. since people always like to give their opinions.
i agree. i feel like we are currently in a time where the majority of people expect you to either agree with their viewpoint, or say nothing at all. Facebook has brought on a very pop-oriented mob-mentality that shuns those who choose to voice conflicting opinions. getting others to change their viewpoint is hard enough as it is, and even harder when simply mentioning your own is shot down by people telling you to keep it to yourself.