Sunday, January 10, 2010

Another reason to leave Office...

for OpenOffice or Google Docs. There will be no upgrade pricing for Office 2010.

99% of home users and businessfolk use only the most basic functions in Office. Doubt me? When's the last time you saw someone use footnotes, build indices or a table of contents, or use Excel as an actual spreadsheet instead of some faux database?

If you write macros you are probably one of the powerusers who need some specific functionality that is best provided by Office. The rest of us are fine with the work-alikes. In the meantime, microsoft will keep breaking backward/thirdparty compatibility intentionally by changing features and extensions (.docx, anyone). Microsoft holds its own customers hostage.

Tell them to shove it. Download OO and see if it meets your needs. I bet it does.

1 comment:

  1. MS decides to screw it's customers (again). I am shocked and appalled I tell you. Say it ain't so!

    On a slightly happier note, I was able to purchase a copy of Office 2007 for $10 as part of an employees home use program. I immediately violated the user agreement by giving it to my Mom. Like you I'd rather use OpenOffice. Plus, MS has left me feeling violated more than a few times. I figure turnabout is fair play.

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