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Viking

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I got tired of playing the endless upgrade cycle with MS Office about 5 years ago.  So I switched over to "Open Office". The nice thing about Open Office & it's variants is that it is FREE and openly distributable.  So we can put it on all the machines for the price of a download.

 

A couple of my associates asked me about this and they've switched too.

 

I'm shocked that Open Office hasn't gotten more of the market.  It has 95% of the functionality at 0% of the cost...

 

This could be a potential problem for MS at some point.

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I got tired of playing the endless upgrade cycle with MS Office about 5 years ago.  So I switched over to "Open Office". The nice thing about Open Office & it's variants is that it is FREE and openly distributable.  So we can put it on all the machines for the price of a download.

 

A couple of my associates asked me about this and they've switched too.

 

I'm shocked that Open Office hasn't gotten more of the market.  It has 95% of the functionality at 0% of the cost...

 

This could be a potential problem for MS at some point.

 

Or just google docs--I pretty much only use google for personal stuff.  Of course, I use MS for all business documents still.

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Guest valueInv

Does Office depend on new PC sales? I doubt that can be inferred. I also believe where the market goes, so does Microsoft. If in 5 years everyone on the planet is using an iPad, I believe Microsoft will be there to provide services and software that hook into that ecosystem. Office on the iPad would make money, but I do believe Windows is here to stay whether its on existing PCs (which, by the way last longer and are not as exposed to aging risks as older PC's, hence software upgrade cycles take advantage of existing PC's), or new ones like tablets. Windows will be okay, it works out such that the trajectory of Windows 8 is to achieve parity between all form factors. One software, many devices. I think Microsoft is the only company close to achieving that vision. If it takes two or three years, so be it. Nobody else will be able to catch up on that promise.

 

To me, falling PC sales only affects PC makers. I think the argument is a bad one, and not really substantially going to hurt a software enterprise like Microsoft.

 

On a unrelated MSFT note I believe the next Xbox will be the only console of the next generation to actually get the living room by a long stretch. I saw PS4, I saw WiiU but neither of them deliver on this: your Xbox is connected to your TV but also your set top cable box. Well that isn't confirmed but sources are pretty sure this is what will be shown in May. If they are able to get a software solution to managing your TV channels, dvr capability and managing gaming, streaming and other entertainment scenarios, Xbox just put a nail in the coffin for every company trying to 'take the living room.' I would be really worried about the impact Xbox will have long term, if they develop devices that interface directly with Xbox and your TV. They are already doing it with SmartGlass. Very cool, innovative stuff. Kinect integration will also be important to their plan.

 

You should read the comments from IDC and Samsung. A big factor in the fall in sales is Windows 8. People don't like it. 

 

Office for other platforms does not come till 2014 creating a risk that people start moving to alternatives.

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Google Docs is terrible.

 

What a helpful comment! 

 

It really depends on the situation.  Google docs is much better for collaborative editing and it allows you access from multiple devices--I routinely choose it over Microsoft products for personal documents, and I have the ability to use Word/Excel as it is also on my computer for work purposes.  Microsoft, on the other hand, is going to better for longer documents and in professional settings. 

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Is it just me or is every other version of windows horrible?

 

I thought the first version of windows I ever used Windows 3.0 was pretty bad, 3.1 was better, 3.11 for Workgroups was pretty good.  I hated Windows 95 and every other version after it.    Windows 8 is the first version of Windows I've liked in more than 20 years.  I'm actually using it more than Linux now.

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It really depends on the situation.  Google docs is much better for collaborative editing and it allows you access from multiple devices--I routinely choose it over Microsoft products for personal documents, and I have the ability to use Word/Excel as it is also on my computer for work purposes.  Microsoft, on the other hand, is going to better for longer documents and in professional settings.

 

I've never used Google Docs so cannot comment on that.  But I am finding Excel and Word in the cloud to be great: load it onto Skydrive and I can then edit online with basic functionality a la Google Docs or open in Excel/Word and edit there with changes automatically uploaded.  I can access all documents from any computer and also from my Windows phone and I can easily share access (with or without editing rights) to folders or files on my Skydrive just by sending an email and without giving access to anything else on my Skydrive.  Maybe I am missing your point but I won't be even bother to try Google Docs.

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This sometimes bumbling perpetual cash machine may have figured out mobile.  Can you imagine if people start using their desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones conveniently inside the windows OS?  Things like a multi billion dollar write down might start looking like a dividend that got lost in the mail.

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It really depends on the situation.  Google docs is much better for collaborative editing and it allows you access from multiple devices--I routinely choose it over Microsoft products for personal documents, and I have the ability to use Word/Excel as it is also on my computer for work purposes.  Microsoft, on the other hand, is going to better for longer documents and in professional settings.

 

I've never used Google Docs so cannot comment on that.  But I am finding Excel and Word in the cloud to be great: load it onto Skydrive and I can then edit online with basic functionality a la Google Docs or open in Excel/Word and edit there with changes automatically uploaded.  I can access all documents from any computer and also from my Windows phone and I can easily share access (with or without editing rights) to folders or files on my Skydrive just by sending an email and without giving access to anything else on my Skydrive.  Maybe I am missing your point but I won't be even bother to try Google Docs.

 

+1.

 

I've just installed Windows 8 on my home computer and plan to get Windows phones.

 

"There's no free lunch" fits Google perfectly. The bastards "sell" everything you do, including mouseclicks. It happened to me everyday for a long time and I got so sick of it, that I've started to "purge" Google from my life, any online experience and that includes Chrome, Android, Google Search, everything else. They work for the other guy, not me. Put me down for calling the doomsday for Google which will come from them invading privacy of folks everywhere because their livelihood depends on it. I would rather pay for Windows upgrades every few years, atleast I know what I'm paying for.

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I've used Open Office before and the formatting would mess up when opened in Microsoft Office.  It looks very unprofessional when someone makes a presentation or document with Open Office and it is not compatible with the most popular Office program that other people use.

 

I have no complaints about the Metro UI.  I just use Windows 8 the same way I used old Windows -- in desktop mode.

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I've used Open Office before and the formatting would mess up when opened in Microsoft Office.  It looks very unprofessional when someone makes a presentation or document with Open Office and it is not compatible with the most popular Office program that other people use.

 

I have no complaints about the Metro UI.  I just use Windows 8 the same way I used old Windows -- in desktop mode.

 

I also like the Metro UI on my laptop, and would like to see how it works and looks on a phone or tablet.  Unfortunately we only have iphones in my house.  Thankfully some coworkers are getting windows phones shortly, so I'll be able to see it demonstrated up close.

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I'm still hoping MSFT can buy Yahoo.  Sadly Marissa has raised its price...

 

If the reports about AAPL and YHOO collaborating more closely are true, this would be unlikely.  I think AAPL needs to partner with someone like a YHOO who can provide vital services for the "ecosystem." 

 

Marissa Mayer is doing a good job, and I doubt she would ever agree to be bought out by Mr. Softie.

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/microsoft-rises-on-report-of-valueact-2-billion-stake.html

 

 

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), the world’s largest software maker, rose to the highest price since September after activist investor ValueAct Holdings LP amassed about a $1.9 billion stake

 

Yes, that will do a lot!  That's only about a sixth of Ballmer's stake alone.  Forget Gates or Paul Allen.  Cheers!

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I'm still hoping MSFT can buy Yahoo.  Sadly Marissa has raised its price...

 

Most big mergers fail and / or are overpaid for; I am hoping for exactly the opposite. Slim down the company, focus on the cash cows and buy back a lot of shares.

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I'm still hoping MSFT can buy Yahoo.  Sadly Marissa has raised its price...

 

Most big mergers fail and / or are overpaid for; I am hoping for exactly the opposite. Slim down the company, focus on the cash cows and buy back a lot of shares.

 

+1 - although history not entirely on our side here so I'm not terribly optimistic.  Of course, neither is the market  :)

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