Microsoft Disses OpenOffice.org with New Video

[Guest]

Office is an over priced piece of bloated code. I use OpenOffice by choice. Only problems with compatibility I've seen in years of use are incompatibility with Microsoft products like SQL Server and Access. If you really know what your doing you don't need their wizards. I've learned so much about computing since I got frustrated with M$. They like to make work easy for unskilled laborers, my approach is to use more skilled workers ;-D

 

[zaho0006]

I find it amusing that I get most of these complaints between the different versions of office.

-Changing UI
-Changing file types, I still recommend not using the x extensions
-Formatting issues between the file types

And if a windows solution breaks, the issue goes to the IT department either way, so how is it different who fixes it?

 

[TheKurrgan]

I had a lengthy comment, but I think it boils down to this: That video is bullshit.
The end.

 

[wishtar]

Microsoft has every reason to be concerned. They're already well on their way to losing the web browser market. They may have the market cornered on office software but that can change the same way as the browser market especially when there is a viable free alternative. The more that people start using OpenOffice and other open software, the more people will realize that they can run the same software on a Linux system and can live without Microsoft completely. Next thing you know, Microsoft has lost the farm. You can bet they are very well aware of this.

 

[angryrotarian]

I'm just happy to see MS throw down the gauntlet to Oracle. Either Ellison answers, or Libre office will get more support.

Given Ellison's ego, I think he'll answer.

 

[mrmike_49]

pure F.U.D from M$; they must be feeling the pain!!!!!

 

[randomizer]

Everything is free on the interweb regardless of what the license might say...

When was the last time you saw the source code for MS Office? It may be free, but it's not Free.

 

[applegetsmelaid]

PLAYA-Y-U-HATIN?

 

[Guest]

I didn't realize that Hitler was still alive. I guess if he were, there would be millions of OpenOffice users getting gassed. This is pure propaganda and reinforces my dissatisfaction with and need to move totally away from M(oney)Soft. If you want to sell your product and prevent others from gaining ground, then make a better product. I fully support OpenOffice and Google Apps.

 

[belardo]

[citation][nom]ruffopurititiwang[/nom]Is it just me or did Microsoft make this video because it feels threatened by OpenOffice.org?[/citation]

Bingo!

 

[pjmelect]

Well they would say that wouldn't they?

 

[Guest]

gotta say, MS has a point. every document i've received from an openoffice user has been rife with formatting problems, whether in WP or in Word. as an academic, having students turn in unreadable documents is a real problem, and they at least can get a full ms office suite for $80.

 

[Guest]

Not that Microsoft has any interest in what you use, they just don't want you to waste your money on OpenOffice because you won't like it... Oh, wait...

 

[Guest]

i am using open office personally for more than three years.I have to compatibility issues met at all.Maybe it's the other way other.2003 cant be read by 2007.oops!!

 

[drsanches]

Open office has gradually improved, it is sufficient for some businesses and no doubt home use. Overcharging for the office products need to end, screw microsoft.

 

[boonta]

1) I seriously doubt that the "support costs" and lost efficiencies these people were whining about were anything close to the $500 per license fee for Office 2010.

2) I love how all these quotes are from "IT Director" at some obscure business: "Podunk County School District, etc". This ad MIGHT have had more credibility if the quotes were from technology leaders, like Intel, McDonell Douglas, etc.

 

[bv90andy]

It's good to know that OO is doing so well as to drive them to do such a pathetic video.

 

[michaelahess]

That's a bunch of dumb IT folk right there. Can't get it working right, it's not exactly hard. Kinda like the IT lady that told me her IP was .130, 130 what? What's the first three octets lady? "Oh I know 192 is something and 168 is something." She was the head of IT at a HOSPITAL!!!!! Look, most IT folks are about as retarded as their users, simple as that. This is pretty low for Microsoft to be doing...it's not even remotely the truth.

 

[michaelahess]

Oh and to the dude who said something about the elephant in the room, get real. My users threw a fit when i went from office 2k3 to 2k7, guess what, they got over it and are more happy now. Just like the companies I outsource to being more comfortable with OpenOffice. My actual employer unfortunately requires MS products for other reasons beyond my control.

 

[Guest]

I think from experience that Open Office is fine for those who wish to be cheap and/or save money.
To me its very clear that some loss of employee efficiency would be common with learning a new office suite. My wife uses Office and her school district uses it. They took a survey to ask if moving to a open source suite of Office would be acceptable. A overwhelming vote was to stay with Office even if they had to move to a cheaper version, Such as Teacher/Student edition rather then Professional.

 

[reprotected]

Just because Office 2010 sucked at sales doesn't mean that they have all rights to bash OpenOffice.org.

 

[reprotected]

I had MORE problems with Microsoft Office 2007 than with OpenOffice.org. I remember when I had .docx files unconverted and my school had Office 2003. Screwed me over so much and you see some stupid teacher talking about conversion.

 

[Scott2010au]

[citation][nom]eddieroolz[/nom]OpenOffice may be free, but I still refuse to use it. Instead, I take advantage of the student pricing on Office.[/citation]

Amen to that, and here is the link everyone:
http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/itsnotcheating/default.aspx

 

[Scott2010au]

The fact of the matter is that documents, spreadsheets & presentations should be able to be created seamlessly by all staff!

There is nothing wrong with using police, nurses, teachers, stockbrokers & so on when benchmarking office suites.

It should not require an IT degree just to use an Office Productivity suite.

The whole point is so you can look at non-IT literate demographics (ie: regular people) and see which they prefer so as to figure out which is cheaper to support over the life of the product (and yes, open-source apps get EoL'd far more frequently than closed-source proprietary software).

Ideally everyone, especially teachers, would accept PDF as a printable and 'portable document format' (funny that). Since it is so close to PostScript. (This way documents that do not require edits after final publication could be opened by all and would view the same on all platforms, including printers!).

It doesn't take a genius to figure that much out.

 

[randomizer]

There is nothing wrong with using police, nurses, teachers, stockbrokers & so on when benchmarking office suites.

There isn't as long as these people have never used either office suite before. You can't objectively compare two software suites when the users have extensive familiarity with one and no familiarity with the other. Obviously these users will try to perform tasks exactly the same on both suites and this is simply not going to work. Different program, different way of doing things. Whether or not a method is better requires objective analysis and someone who has been using Word since before 2000 is not going to have an objective opinion.

This is why most people who think Office 2007 sucks think this way. They aren't familiar with it, so it must be bad.