Microsoft announces 'Starter' version of Office

It's nice to see that the pressure Microsoft is getting from OpenOffice.org and other FOSS office software is obviously getting to be significant enough to produce a response. It is equally nice to see that their response is typically ill-conceived - offer users a ridiculously limited and lobotomize piece of garbage, along with the "opportunity" to pay Microsoft even more money to get a somewhat less lobotomized version. I hope that such a limited exposure to an Office-type product, combined with the obvious example of Microsoft's attitude toward users, will encourage people to try out OpenOffice.org, Koffice, or one of the other FOSS alternatives.

jw 9/10/2009

I suspect that MS is trying to increase marketshare for Office since its likely to have plateaued in the recent months due to the economic issues. There's an added economic benefit as well dumping a software application suite that duplicates somewhat the main cash-cow of the company. With Windows Live added into the mix MS was having to support 3 different application suites that were competing in the same market, office applications.

In the source article someone is quoted saying MS was only getting a buck or two for each copy of Works pre-installed on a system. That's actually pretty good pay-back for a program that only competes with shareware or freeware. I don't know of anyone actually going out and buying shrink-wrap versions of Works.

With the addition of the upgrade "opt-in" button, Microsoft is hoping for a better payback on the Works-substitute installed on the new PCs. I don't think it will get them much unless they offer a better deal than the customer can get retail. MS Office Standard is pretty cheap. Microsoft has been reluctant to compete on price with its distributors.

The concept of "streaming software" though is interesting but I'll bet it will crash "politically" big time if the customer already has something else installed with conflicting file associations and permissions. If a number of file associations get changed as per usual MS install anything

Streaming software is also something I wouldn't allow in Domain or local policy, what a great attack vector! Its a perfect opportunity for a man-in-middle style attack. Drop a diverted DNS listing in a local cache that points to your server. Serve up the malware and poof, a new bot. You could even serve up the MS Office suite add-ons to the customer and hide your tracks.