Microsoft Office 2010 Starter to Display Ads

[virtualban]

As long as you can't get your hands on older pieces of software when you want them, for whatever reason you might want them, you are lacking choice, and choice is good for the market. People have the right to keep old habits going. Mozilla knows that and makes the new, security/speed improved FF version as similar in appearance as the old one. But even if FF was way to different to the old version, they hold just 20% of browser market share, you don't like them, don't use them. While MS has a different position, and can impose it's presence like it did with Vista (yeah, I have used it, I have troubleshot it, and my brother, computer power user, still using it for lack of drivers for his laptop, and hates it all the way) and should be regulated. That's my opinion.

 

[virtualban]

My experience: most of the people who liked the UI of Vista and office 2007 could not change the wallpaper of Vista unless they used 'set as wallpaper' on programs, just because the working part of the UI was different from XP. Or could not find 'show menu bar' in IE7+, or never use more than 0.01% of the capabilities of office like jawshoeaw mentions (like 'ctrl+shift+greater than', but the new toolbar is so shiny and pretty). Still, are those users who ask more about how to do this and how to do that. If you don't want to learn the new thing, why did you get it in the first place (you know, they generally think they got a choice and chose to go for Vista and office 2007 with most new computers).

 

[virtualban]

For the sake of being honest, I know computer enthusiasts who really really like Vista (that is to say, they are not paid to give excellent positive reviews about it), enjoy advances in pretty software and learn the new OS inside out. But they themselves don't use Vista in a production (/productive) environment. They use Office 2007 (and know how to save in .doc so others can read, and will use office 2010, and will combine Windows7 with Office 2010 in production environments, but enjoy Vista for pretty purposes and supported Microsoft pushing/forcing it to the rest of us who thought otherwise.

I won't rant anymore, sorry about that.

 

[Guest]

I can't help wondering what's in it for the PC makers to pre-install this junk instead of the full OpenOffice suite, which would cost them nothing to include and would offer the customer far more out-of-the-box functionality
[begin conspiracy theory]
Microsoft forces OEMs to include this stuff by threatening to remove their OEM discount for the Windows license if they don't (or threaten other sanctions if they dare to include any rival freeware), so that every new PC becomes a marketing platform for Microsoft
{end conspiracy theory]
Time for the EU to raid their offices again, then hold a 5-year investigation, then force Microsoft to provide a start-up screen with 12 alternative office products to choose from...

 

[Guest]

"I can't help wondering what's in it for the PC makers to pre-install this junk instead of the full OpenOffice suite, which would cost them nothing to include and would offer the customer far more out-of-the-box functionality"

I'am sure that vendors would love to preinstall OpenOffice but the problem but MS office is prevalent so most users won't want it for a number of reasons.

The problem right now with OpenOffice is its support for MS Office formats which isn't its fault. If you tried to convert a OpenOffice to an MS office format it isn't always accurate. Think about a simple situation you type out your resume in OpenOffice only to find out later that the align is all messed up when the recruiter/HR tries to read it.

It would be nice if majority of places that require word documents would also accept an ISO standard format but it isn't always so.

 

[cookoy]

Do these Ads come with the software package or are they downloaded from the internet? If from internet, can they be blocked by Anti-Adware software?
If all you really need is very basic word processing, there's always Windows
Wordpad. Open Office is always an option. Not complaining here. If it's
free, i'll give it a try. But do i need to buy a new PC or notebook?

 

[jarnail24]

The starter is completely free and the ads are only on the right bottom of the screen in a small box that will not intrude in anyway. so I think this is a win.

 

[NoCaDrummer]

Ad-supported huh? I wonder if they'd allow an ad from, say OpenOffice, Ubuntu, or Firefox. NOT! It'll probably be ads for stuff you'll need (like anti-virus software) because, after all, it IS Windows you're using.

 

[spectrewind]

I suppose there will be some folks updating HOSTS files or applying DNS filters to prevent the ads from functioning.

 

[Regulas]

[citation][nom]jarnail24[/nom]The starter is completely free and the ads are only on the right bottom of the screen in a small box that will not intrude in anyway. so I think this is a win.[/citation]
Yes, for right now, give them a year or two.

 

[ww1065]

[citation][nom]spectrewind[/nom]I suppose there will be some folks updating HOSTS files or applying DNS filters to prevent the ads from functioning.[/citation]
I would not be surprised to find that eventuality already covered; if it can't deliver ads, it won't work.

 

[cmmcnamara]

Why cry over an ad supported version of office? Its a basic functionality mode intended to give you a taste of what you can do. If you want more functionality pay for the full damn version or go find a free alternative like OpenOffice.

 

[descendency]

Free, Ad Supported software. That isn't AdWare. AdWare is useless software that just generates advertisements. This would have (albeit limited) functionality.

I'm not buying any manufactured computers, but I think this is a good idea, personally. Having a simple (and cheap) upgrade for users who like the software is very much welcome. A simple, cheap upgrade path is a great idea, especially when the base software is free.

 

[anamaniac]

[citation][nom]r3t4rd[/nom]You realize it is free but stripped down version with ads. Most people will use it and won't care as long as they can type up thier mid term papers etc. I think MS, by doing this and as evil as they can be sometimes, wins. And Open Office...may be on the extinction list.[/citation]
Hey, I've never payed for Micorsoft Office, and I'm not a big fan of open office...
PirateBay is still up for now.

 

[nachowarrior]

headline should read "using micro$haft products will give you headache" or something along the lines of that... or maybe put a "bend over" joke in there... I hope office 2010 fails epically.

 

[belardo]

The ADS will not be all that good in the end.

Opera tried AD-Banners in their browser many years ago. It pretty much always was a "buy" product. So they added the FREE AD-Activated version around 6~7. Then when they went to 8, they tossed it out and went completely free.

Why? (1) People cracked the AD-Version (B) most people didn't care for it (C) didn't increase their market share.

Eudora. They did a bit better because their "ADs" were in a empty area of the email client. So you could get Eudora-Lite for free (no ADs - no spell checker and advance features) or a Pro version with ADS or you spent $50~70 for the Pro version. Eudora is now dead.

 

[math1337]

When you buy any new computer, it comes loaded with demos, trials, dell/hp... "diagnostic tools" that phone home, and OEM branding. This is just one more pre-installed piece of bloat that needs to be uninstalled immediately after getting a computer.
all of that crap IS advertising, why mind an ad inside an ad?

MS office is good software though, buy the full version.

 

[C 64]

WOW!

Crippled software and annoying ads... People who think that paperclip "helper" form old Office suites was annoying will have their horizons broaden when they get bombarded by ads.

Will these ads be text sensitive - like if some one writes something about car he will be bombarded by car ads and so on.

 

[SkeptiCoder]

http://twitpic.com/l516s

I find it quite hypocritical that a website that has 4 annoying ads above the fold and one more below it has the gall to complain about free software containing ads. Yeah, I thought so.

 

[Guest]

If you don't like the ads than use an older version of office (oh noes) or use openoffice (between mediocre and good wrt to overall quality).

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

I'm not so sure that this will be a good marketing ploy for Microsoft in the long run. PC manufacturers are already loading PCs up with ad infested programs as it is and this will just add to the mix giving PC users without the know how of your average Tom's Hardware visitor an awful experience. That's the kind of thing that pushes users to Apple.