6 ms·

I do wonder a bit, how will this blurring of the laptop/tablet line affect their cash cow, Microsoft Office? The business world is trained to believe: they NEED

by jcitme 14y ago

I do wonder a bit, how will this blurring of the laptop/tablet line affect their cash cow, Microsoft Office? The business world is trained to believe: they NEED office, and office == productivity. The iPad, long without these apps, challenged this ideal. How would the tablet world spilling into the laptop world affect Office sales...

kailashbadu 14y ago
For people who want productivity software suits like Office from lighter computers, they have online versions of Office.
uvTwitch 14y ago
Probably not too badly, considering this tablet will likely be inescapably bundled with Office, if it isn't a core part of the system by now.
sukuriant 14y ago
I believe I heard in the video that Office is bundled with the RT version of the laptop Necessary disclaimer: Microsoft employee Addendum: I did not work on this machine, and did not know about it (I don't think?) until today.
niels_olson 14y ago
Even my boss and my partner, died-in-the-wool Windows fans, are well aware of OpenOffice. The idea that MS Office is necessary for productivity simply does not exist. Anyone in an office still using Windows has at least considered the possibility of seeing Linux or Mac on their desktop. Maybe not seriously, but the thought has crossed their mind.
- mistermann 14y ago
  > The idea that MS Office is necessary for productivity simply does not exist. If you have thousands of pre-existing spreadsheets in your office, many of them running fairly complex VBA macros, the idea that MS Office is necessary certainly does exist. And I've never worked anywhere where that isn't the case. And at organizations of this type, the licensing cost of Office per desktop is peanuts. Can't remember what the prices were, but I was shocked how little it costs large organizations.
  - niels_olson 14y ago
    That's probably a bit different. Anyone who writes or manages "fairly complex VBA macros" (and I have consulted for a company that did) is well aware there are many ways to skin that cat. That's not a definition of necessity. That's a definition of percieved cost of change.
danmaz74 14y ago
From the "About" section: Create, collaborate, and get stuff done with Office

by jcitme 14y ago

kailashbadu 14y ago

For people who want productivity software suits like Office from lighter computers, they have online versions of Office.

uvTwitch 14y ago

Probably not too badly, considering this tablet will likely be inescapably bundled with Office, if it isn't a core part of the system by now.

sukuriant 14y ago

I believe I heard in the video that Office is bundled with the RT version of the laptop Necessary disclaimer: Microsoft employee Addendum: I did not work on this machine, and did not know about it (I don't think?) until today.

niels_olson 14y ago

Even my boss and my partner, died-in-the-wool Windows fans, are well aware of OpenOffice. The idea that MS Office is necessary for productivity simply does not exist. Anyone in an office still using Windows has at least considered the possibility of seeing Linux or Mac on their desktop. Maybe not seriously, but the thought has crossed their mind.

mistermann 14y ago
> The idea that MS Office is necessary for productivity simply does not exist. If you have thousands of pre-existing spreadsheets in your office, many of them running fairly complex VBA macros, the idea that MS Office is necessary certainly does exist. And I've never worked anywhere where that isn't the case. And at organizations of this type, the licensing cost of Office per desktop is peanuts. Can't remember what the prices were, but I was shocked how little it costs large organizations.
- niels_olson 14y ago
  That's probably a bit different. Anyone who writes or manages "fairly complex VBA macros" (and I have consulted for a company that did) is well aware there are many ways to skin that cat. That's not a definition of necessity. That's a definition of percieved cost of change.

danmaz74 14y ago

From the "About" section: Create, collaborate, and get stuff done with Office