Microsoft announce Office is now to be FREE!

[AndyCalling]

Take a look at the following link. Looks like Apple and Android users are to get MS Office for free, whilst Windows users are to get the new version far later and will be expected to fund it for the Apple and Android users as well, since we'll be the only ones paying in. Nice one, MS.

Microsoft Office Is Now Free... On The iPad

 

[Wam1q]

They really need to grab users. Since Office is free now, users will tend to use Office instead of mimicking alternatives. If they kept it paid, people would probably stick to some free version (Google docs/iWork). This is a good way to get more people to use Office!

 

[theefman]

Don't think anyone cares anymore, Penfold me old mate! :grin:

 

[Wam1q]

I think it is pretty fair. Desktop/Laptop/hybrids (Windows, OS X) users are the ones who are charged. Mobile platforms are free (WP, RT, Android, iOS)

 

[LuvMeSomeWP]

I don't see what the big deal is. Office is free on WP as well. The difference is these iPad/Android/WP versions of Office have just the bare essentials to get work done on the go. They either get you hooked on using Office through their free mobile software, or you're already a paying user of full Office and this is a powerful incentive to keep you using Office because you've got free tools to access Office documents on the go. When you're back at your desk or your laptop and working with the full Office suite, you're a paying user regardless of platform.

 

[AndyCalling]

I don't mind others getting things, or for free. My main issue is that as a Windows user I am expected to wait at the back of the queue and I am expected to fund it for others. I am not against socialist ideas, but Apple kit is expensive stuff used by the wealthy. Why should I have to fund Office for the well off aristos when I have a bus pass to fund? Surely this is the wrong way round? The pin-stripes have taken all the money already. I must give them MORE MS? Really?

 

[AndyCalling]

I don't see what the big deal is. Office is free on WP as well. The difference is these iPad/Android/WP versions of Office have just the bare essentials to get work done on the go. They either get you hooked on using Office through their free mobile software, or you're already a paying user of full Office and this is a powerful incentive to keep you using Office because you've got free tools to access Office documents on the go. When you're back at your desk or your laptop and working with the full Office suite, you're a paying user regardless of platform.

No, Office is INCLUSIVE on WP, and not even inclusive on Win tablets. Inclusive does not mean free. It means you have to pay.

 

[Jcmg62]

I have a Microsoft rep on live chat right now...will report back soon

 

[errole]

Hmm

 

[Wam1q]

No, Office is INCLUSIVE on WP, and not even inclusive on Win tablets. Inclusive does not mean free. It means you have to pay.

Office is FREE on WP and RT as well. And MS doesn't earn anything from it.
P.S. And Office is bundled with RT tablets as well. The other 'tablets' you are talking about don't run a tablet OS. They run a desktop OS--and the same rules apply to them as for desktops.

 

[Teeeerex]

I don't mind others getting things, or for free. My main issue is that as a Windows user I am expected to wait at the back of the queue and I am expected to fund it for others. I am not against socialist ideas, but Apple kit is expensive stuff used by the wealthy. Why should I have to fund Office for the well off aristos when I have a bus pass to fund? Surely this is the wrong way round? The pin-stripes have taken all the money already. I must give them MORE MS? Really?

You are absolutely right there, mate. MS's paying customers should be first. A & G have never shown this weakness for users of MS platforms.

No, Office is INCLUSIVE on WP, and not even inclusive on Win tablets. Inclusive does not mean free. It means you have to pay.

& it has never been updated.

 

[AndyCalling]

I think it is pretty fair. Desktop/Laptop/hybrids (Windows, OS X) users are the ones who are charged. Mobile platforms are free (WP, RT, Android, iOS)

Really? So why when I try to sign up for Office 365 on my Win tablet do I get charged? Same thing on my phone, I have to pay for an inclusive Office package (whether I want it on my phone or not) and to link to Office 365 I get charged again?

Apple and Android are to be free all the way, it seems.

 

[Wam1q]

Really? So why when I try to sign up for Office 365 on my Win tablet do I get charged? Same thing on my phone, I have to pay for an inclusive Office package (whether I want it on my phone or not) and to link to Office 365 I get charged again?

Apple and Android are to be free all the way, it seems.

That 'tablet' is not a tablet after all. It runs a desktop/laptop OS. If you want tablet features like free Office, get an RT tablet.
And MS doesn't earn a single penny from you when you buy a WP. WP license and everything that's bundled with it is free. Only the OEM charges you for the hardware. The software part is FREE.

 

[AndyCalling]

Office is FREE on WP and RT as well. And MS doesn't earn anything from it.
P.S. And Office is bundled with RT tablets as well. The other 'tablets' you are talking about don't run a tablet OS. They run a desktop OS--and the same rules apply to them as for desktops.

Inclusive does not equal free (and my tablet is NOT a Surface). The funding always comes from the paying customer, because the IT Fairy does not make house calls. The problem is, the only customers paying money to MS for this stuff are Windows customers.

Adding the cost of a product to the cost of another product and selling them in the same packet does not magically make one of the products free. The maths is not that hard to work out, it's just the PR that confuses people.

Also, cost does not equal profit. You can have one without the other.

Please remember that by the time Windows gets the new Office WinRT will not exist. Neither will WP. It'll just be Win10 on everything. You are talking about the wrong OS.

 

[Wam1q]

Inclusive does not equal free (and my tablet is NOT a Surface). The funding always comes from the paying customer, because the IT Fairy does not make house calls. The problem is, the only customer paying money to MS for this stuff are Windows customers.

Adding the cost of a product to the cost of another product and selling them in the same packet does not magically make one of the products free. The maths is not that hard to work out, it's just the PR that confuses people.

What nonsense! MS provides the software to OEM's for free. And whatever is bundled with the OS comes as free since I am not paying anything for the OS. Your point would be valid if I paid something for the OS.
Let's do the maths.
What I pay for the OS with Office bundled=0
What I pay for Office=Actual price of the OS with Office-Price of OS without Office=0-0=0
So I pay nothing for either the OS (WP/RT) or Office (since what I pay for both together is zero)
I repeat, only the OEM can charge me for the hardware. The software part from MS, the OS and whatever comes with it is free.

 

[Jcmg62]

Update...The bozo I spoke to at Microsoft absolutely INSISTS that office 365 is only free for 1 month....after that you have to pay for it. I tried to explain to him that this is no longer the case for Apple and Android users but he was having none of it. He's given me the number of the billing/accounts team and said they'll verify what he's saying

 

[AndyCalling]

Update...The bozo I spoke to at Microsoft absolutely INSISTS that office 365 is only free for 1 month....after that you have to pay for it. I tried to explain to him that this is no longer the case for Apple and Android users but he was having none of it. He's given me the number of the billing/accounts team and said they'll verify what he's saying

Proof positive.

 

[AndyCalling]

What nonsense! MS provides the software to OEM's for free. And whatever is bundled with the OS comes as free since I am not paying anything for the OS. Only the OEM can charge me for the hardware.

Please remember that by the time Windows gets the new Office WinRT will not exist. Neither will WP. It'll just be Win10 on everything. You are talking about the wrong OS.

 

[Wam1q]

Please remember that by the time Windows gets the new Office WinRT will not exist. Neither will WP. It'll just be Win10 on everything. You are talking about the wrong OS.

Wrong again. There will be a Windows 10 for ARM (WP+RT) and there will be a Windows 10 on Laptops/Desktops, etc. The desktop OS will never have free Office. The ARM version will probably have free Office just like WP/RT since it will be the successor to both of them.
To clarify, the same OS can never run on all devices. You'll still need an ARM OS and a desktop OS separate.

 

[Wam1q]

Proof positive.

Again, that's a tablet running a desktop OS. You get free lifetime Office with RT.