Way to go Microsoft

Link

Finally free spreadsheet and more advanced word processor functionality for free for Windows users without having to go third party. Granted it's not as good as Office but it will increase Microsoft's ground over competitors and pose a significant rival to Open Office, hopefully causing both programmes to be made better.

Knowing my luck it'll be banned in the EU for being "anti-competitive."

Depending on license issues eg.. if they ban plugins, and how the ads are presented.  If they are presented in a way that makes it stand out or makes the app cumbersome depends on if I use it or not.

(ahem)... Google Docs & Spreadsheets (and no installations)

Also, when I last checked on a Dell configuration, MS Works was offered as a free component. I wonder if it's the ad-supported version...

I'm not sure anyone would use "works" if they just gave it away - It's the first thing you gotta uninstall on a new dell ....

I'm not sure I like the idea of (blinking!) ads running while I'm trying to write a document. This could easily become the Son of Clippy:

"Hello. It's looks like you're writing an apology. Would you like to order flowers?" [6]

Minh wrote:

(ahem)... Google Docs & Spreadsheets (and no installations)

With less features then wordpad... And relying on an 3rd party to access and view your documents. What happens if Google suddenly decide to discontinue it you can't get your documents and even if you could you wouldn't be able to open them.

That's without all the privacy issues surrounding Google. I wouldn't want to use that for any form of sensitive information.

typemismatch wrote:

I'm not sure anyone would use "works" if they just gave it away

Why not, it's about on a par with open office unless it's got worse since I remember using it. There are people out there who don't want to have to pay £80 to write a spreadsheet. I think Microsoft should include this with Windows... I don't think it would stop people buying office because it's of a much lower level. People use WordPad.

BryanF wrote:

"Hello. It's looks like you're writing an apology. Would you like to order flowers?"

Call it "integrated services."

There it doesn't sound so bad now , you can even use it in marketing.

"Download MS Works with free integrated services!"

I used Works at home for years cos I'm not a money bags and I don't do illegal software (not cos I'm a saint or anything, just my personal preference to not like pirated stuff) so this is a good thing.

However I 'upgraded' to Zoho before I got a copy of Office 2007. Zoho is a great product and so is Office 2007 so this is all good for us the consumer.

Sabot wrote:

so this is all good for us the consumer.

How? Most people probably get Works as part of their new computer, and don't pay for it - it is technically free. But now they have to have adverts as well? The only people I can see benefiting are Dell and Microsoft.

Rossj wrote:



it is technically free. But now they have to have adverts as well?

Works is NOT free at the moment. It costs ~£20-30.

Most people do NOT get it included with their PCs - not everyone buys their PCs from Dell.

EDIT: Plus Dell only provide works 8. The current version is 9.

GoddersUK wrote:



Most people do NOT get it included with their PCs - not everyone buys their PCs from Dell.

Actually I think I may have got one with a Compaq before now, but I take you point.

GoddersUK wrote:


EDIT: Plus Dell only provide works 8. The current version is 9.

Is there a big difference? Do people really care or know that they aren't using the latest version of Works?

Rossj wrote:



GoddersUK wrote:  EDIT: Plus Dell only provide works 8. The current version is 9.

Is there a big difference? Do people really care or know that they aren't using the latest version of Works?

If someone's using MSWorks, at all they don't care.

W3bbo wrote:



Rossj wrote:  GoddersUK wrote:  EDIT: Plus Dell only provide works 8. The current version is 9. Is there a big difference? Do people really care or know that they aren't using the latest version of Works?

If someone's using MSWorks, at all they don't care.

Many small companies do use MSWorks extensively, not everyone can afford Office on every desktop.

Think about it, MSWork is perhaps the very refinement of the 10% of feature users often and only use in Office.