Microsoft Plans to Inundate New PCs with Ads-ridden Office 2010 Starter Edition
Posted 10/08/09 at 09:18:26 PM by Ryan Whitwam
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If you buy a Windows 7 PC in the future, you might not be getting that copy of Microsoft Works nobody uses. Instead it will come with a completely free version of Office 2010. Oh… Office 2010 Starter Edition, that is. It will be a limited functionality version of Office supported by Ads. The nature of the ads was not made clear.
According to Microsoft, the Office Starter Edition will have, “a simple path to upgrade to a fully featured version of Office 2010 directly from within the product.” This is probably an effort to get customers used to Office features in the hopes that they will purchase the full version. Microsoft will have to walk a fine line to make the ads annoying enough that people will want to get rid of them, but not so annoying that they don’t even use Office.
The new PCs will already have the full version of Office 2010 installed on the hard drive. Customers will simply have to purchase a card from a retailer with the unlock code. The card will apparently be sold through some “major electronic retail outlets”. Microsoft hasn’t detailed which OEMs would be installing the Office Starter Edition software. Try to contain yourself waiting for this one.
I actually like this...
Submitted by w2ed on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 3:21am
On the one hand, I don't like the idea that this will be yet another pre-installed program on computers, and like many who have complained, would like to see a "just the OS" package offered through computer makers. On the other hand, though, the way Microsoft is doing this is one I actually like: You're getting the full version pre-installed, and all you have to do, should you want it, is buy the license. I hope they will include either installer discs or a way for their customers who buy the licenses to get the full software easily - I hate having to download illegal copies of something I legitimately own because the stupid company has to put a hobbled-so-it-could-easily-be-downloadable software and not the darn disc!
Ads can be ignored, but I hope they limit the ads to Microsoft-based stuff - I've gotten very irritated with certain Spam Ads as of late, and would much rather avoid anyhing NOT coming from the company.
And for those of you who think I am crazy, consider this: You have a full version of a piece of software most people use in one form or anotger already installed on your machine. If you want it, you can get the license or deal with the BS. If not, you can de-install it - not what you want to do, but at least it's not "Joe Schmoe's Fancy-dandy Piece of Crap Bloatwar" - you do know where it came from, and you'll know someone will put up an easy solution within a matter of time for easily deinstalling it.
You must not have seen this
Submitted by MeTo on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 8:03am
"It will be a limited functionality version of Office supported by Ads" And what is "Bloatwar"? If it is Bloatware that is what Office 2010 starter is.
Submitted by w2ed on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 10:57am
From the article: The new PCs will already have the full version of Office 2010 installed on the hard drive. Customers will simply have to purchase a card from a retailer with the unlock code. The card will apparently be sold through some “major electronic retail outlets”. If they're doing what I think they're doing, you're only going to have one version of the software - the only difference being that you'll be unlocking the software, similar to downloading Adobe 30-day demo software. (The difference would be, instead of limitting it to 30 days, they're crippling the software and making it full of ads - something some shareware does as well.)
And yes, Bloatwar is Bloatware. I typed it on a keyboard that has been needing replacement for a while, and at a time where I should have been heading to bed, so unfortunately the spelling mistake landed through. Oh, the joys of caffeine...
Some of you are way too quick to judge...
Submitted by MeTo on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 4:07pm
"From the article: The new PCs will already have the full version of Office 2010 installed on the hard drive."
So now instead of having a 50 mb works that i used i would have a 500 mb office starter installed that i wont pay to unlock or use. It is pure bloatware just something else to uninstall. I am glad i switched to Open Office.
The Easy Fix
Submitted by metafuente on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 10:03pm
PC Decrapifier and la garbage c'est gone!
Submitted by snapple00 on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 9:03pm
As for anything mission critical, I'd still only use MS office over anything else, especially open office.
However I could see this 'Office Starter' being complete shit. And ads? I'm starting to wonder how advertising makes money. There is nothing that pisses me off more than ads.
Smart
Submitted by GENERATI0N on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 8:52pm
I can see Microsoft is finally getting smart.
Submitted by bcweir on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 8:42pm
Much better option
Submitted by N25PHILLY on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 8:20am
Half assed software that only covers about 1/4 of the office suite is definately the solution. When looking at open office does anyone ever look at anything but the price? Even when compared to only other free options it's pretty average
Submitted by w2ed on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:06am
When was the last time you tested it: Five years ago?
Granted, I would not expect OpenOffice to have all of the features, bells and whistles of Microsoft Office - heck, considering the source is developers who aren't getting paid to do it, I'd also expect a lot of bugs. However, if you stuck with both assumptions, you'd be wrong in them - OpenOffice is pretty stable, and has the features most people (Not everyone, just putting it out there) will need. As far as open-source, I'd also go so far as to say that it's nowhere near as half-assed as you label it.
Maybe it's time for you to retest it again, assuming you've ever tested it at all.
Submitted by N25PHILLY on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 1:30pm
yes we all know that if you don't love evey open source program for being open source then you either never tried it or their must be soemthing wrong with you.
The thing is that I use openoffice all the time since I use linux a lot. First thing I always do on linux is uninstall writer and replace it with abiword. I wish there were better alternatives for the other parts of the suite.
Submitted by ETNPNYS on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 5:57am
<Sigh>
It was only a matter of time before somebody chimed in with their uneducated, obtuse opinion about how OpenOffice.org stacks up. I'm just surprised that you didn't provide any argument as to "Why OpenOffice.org is better than Office!" or something.
Sure, you can go ahead and replace Office with OpenOffice *if you don't actually use them*. If you're a kid in school that only needs to type up and print out your essays, read the occasional MS Word or Excel file easily, or just have the "peace of mind" that you can open Office files - then yes, OpenOffice is great. Personally, I liked their early adoption of PDF creation from inside the program and the fact that they maintain it free.
...But if you're in a professional environment where quality matters, believe me when I say that you can't trust anything but Office to display your files properly and get them distributed to corporate executives without embarrassment. ...Not to mention the sheer multitude of features that OpenOffice is missing from Office.
There's a *reason* you pay for one of them.
<><
i use open office in the
Submitted by nekollx on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 8:12am
i use open office in the office because half the time MS Office just suddenly breaks and needs a reinstall. Ofthen at mission critical times.
YMMV
------------------------------
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Submitted by Scatter on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 8:04am
Basically what you just described is Office Home and Student Edition which Microsoft usually charges $150 for. I work in retail and it's BY FAR the most common version of Office that we sell. So what you're basically telling me then is that the majority of people would probably be very happy with what OpenOffice offers at a $150 savings.
Submitted by MeTo on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 7:51am
Yea a fool and his money is soon parted.
..of course they do !
Submitted by ghot on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 8:35pm
What MS should so is sell basic, app-less OS and then sell "packages" to those who desire them. Will it happen....no. Should the FTC step in and force it to happen....yes! Is this a pipe dream.....probably.
MS apps I could live without:
Windows Tour, Any Office app, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Movie Maker, Messenger, and 1/2 a dozen others that I have no clue as to their purpose. WMP 9 was almost ok....almost.
I'm getting so tired of MS that I'm even getting tired of complaining about MS. Linux has the right idea....as soon as they start labeling things in english, start supporting major league games and lose that command line hooey....it'll be sianara MS.
Linux HAS the right idea...basic OS and apt-get. Just eliminate sudo this and that....add support for gaming (not emulated game support)...and I'd even PAY for Linux :)
Take an OS, and edit out all the efficiency, and what you have left is a post-XP Microsoft operating system :)
Submitted by HeartBurnKid on Fri, 10/09/2009 - 8:25am
Ubuntu does label things in English, and you don't even have to touch the command line if you don't want to. All that's left is the games, and frankly, it's more a matter of game devs supporting Linux than Linux supporting games.
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