Microsoft Office for Mac 2008: Delayed
A neighbor (and new friend) Jason sent me the link to Microsoft to delay Office for Mac 2008. I started to compose a personal reply, but then decided to bring the discussion points here, instead.
Can’t say that I’m surprised by this move. Seems that many of these large companies have been experiencing setbacks with software development (as they can’t always “release early, release often”). I also can’t say that I’m really all that heartbroken about the delay of Mac Office, either. There are plenty of alternatives out there – plenty.
I’d just as soon use Keynote than PowerPoint, and most of my spreadsheet and document needs are handled well enough through Google. Just about the only time I ever open Word is when I want to view a complex document (rarely). There’s virtually no point to having Office around - other than to have it around. The only part of Office I really care about is Outlook.
However, I’ve already decided that we’ll be switching to a hosted Exchange environment, which virtually eliminates any degree of reliance on a desktop client. Knowing that anybody could run a Windows version of Office on the Mac and be equally (if not more) satisfied with the feature-set, and… this deadline pushback is a non-event for users.
Microsoft Office is losing ground, intentionally – and that’ll catch up with them, eventually. If and WHEN they move the suite online, platform will be even less of an issue. I’m trying my best to move my life and data to trusted Internet resources, but it’s still an incredible challenge. Too many hurdles stand in our way, with every vendor not wanting to play nicely with other vendors.
Gee, I wonder why they say that Open Source is going to win?
9 Comments
Left Of Center
November 30th, 1999
at 12:00am
Chris Pirillo » Microsoft Office for Mac 2008: Delayed Posted 85 minutes ago
The Chris Pirillo Show
November 30th, 1999
at 12:00am
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Alex Turner
August 3rd, 2007
at 3:07am
Chris,
I am with you here: It seems to me that the commercial software makers of this world (MS etc) have gotten addicted to ‘lock in’ where users cannot break free from their non standards compliant software.
It has been a nice ride for them, but it is coming to an end. Pressure from the EU and other sources has made MS open up its document formats. Google is making more and more web based etc.
What is very interesting for me is to see how business models can be changed to meet the new reality. At the moment companies extract money out of people by upgrading products - which uses cannot get away from using - and then stopping supporting the old product thus forcing the upgrade. This gravy train will end, how will the companies cope.
Open source already has working business models (around support etc) that work without people buying software. That makes for an interesting dynamic.
Cheers
AJ
James Hartwig
August 3rd, 2007
at 3:54am
Do you ever say anything positive anymore? I swear, everything you write lately makes me want to bend over backwards and warn people away from you.
Seriously man, what happened?
Take some time off, get yourself back together.
James
August 3rd, 2007
at 4:07am
Seriously sad, man. You cut content that doesn’t agree with you? What’s the point of putting your so called blog online then?
terrainnova.org
August 3rd, 2007
at 4:13am
Migration to online office applications…
When will online office applications take off? How will Microsoft handle the transition? Will we get locked into another proprietary file format?
……
Ryan
August 3rd, 2007
at 6:54am
What vendor will you be using for your “hosted Exchange environment”?
Ryan
August 3rd, 2007
at 6:56am
Bah, I can’t even spell my own URL correctly…
Matt Hartley
August 3rd, 2007
at 6:35pm
NeoOffice - for the Mac - Free. :)
http://www.neooffice.org/neojava/en/index.php