[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Review: Microsoft Office 2013 features new look, prices here

[JohnUSA]

Microsoft is very greedy with their ridiculous high prices.
Luckily I have other choices of software, including free ones.
Adios stupid Microsoft, you are going to be a huge loser.

[scophi]

I use Office 2003 wth the 2007-2010 Converter pack installed and haven't had any problems. Why pay $140 for an upgrade if I can still use my 10 year old version productively?

Microsoft needs to shift its thinking and start releasing products regularly and for lower costs. I think a good scheme is as follows:

OS - every even year - $50
Office - every odd year - $50 (or $15 per app)
Browser - every 12 months - free

[Crigler]

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Microsoft is very greedy with their ridiculous high prices. Luckily I have other choices of software, including free ones. Adios stupid Microsoft, you are going to be a huge loser.

I agree, but I must also add that if you think that Microsoft is charging a lot for their productivity software, all you really need to do is take one look at what Adobe charges for their professional software suites, or just the consumer version of Photoshop alone, if you take into account what it would cost to add the extra software packages.

Don't even get me started on ANY of Autodesk's stuff.

[foresee]

Office 2013 is the best version of Office released so far.
I love access to SkyDrive, the look and feel of the new software, and so many other features. I support hardware and software for hundreds of clients that will love this.

For those that have commneted poorly on Office 2013, I bet you could get Word Perfect for a low price and Open Office is so outdated, but free. Either you pay to play or you don't move forward.

[gundark]

I've been using the Office 365 and Office 2013 previews for a couple months. Not enough "must-have" features to encourage me to upgrade. At least, not for $140 per license or $100 per year.

Overall, I think the yearly license is a good idea. However, I wish they would offer a single Home & Student license for $20 per year. If I purchased a year of Home & Student for $100, three of the licenses would go unused. I'd need to keep 2010 on one of my three PCs, as that is what my son uses at school.

If you have a Windows Live account, the free Office Web apps work great for sharing files and doing basic editing...as long as you can convince the recipient to create a Windows Live account.

[apreiser]

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I think a good scheme is as follows: OS - every even year - $50 Office - every odd year - $50 (or $15 per app) Browser - every 12 months - free

This sounds suspiciously like what Apple is doing. The difference, Apple's OS upgrades are only $20.

[foresee]

I like Microsoft Office 2013 very much. If you are going to play, you are going to have to pay. I love the access to SkyDrive from Word and so many other features. If you are in the Corporate business you'll need it.

[A55zi]

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I like Microsoft Office 2013 very much. If you are going to play, you are going to have to pay. I love the access to SkyDrive from Word and so many other features. If you are in the Corporate business you'll need it.

Exactly. Software costs money. Take a look at Photoshop, Autocad, etc. I use a software for my job that costs > $500/yr. Sure, there are "free" or "discounted" office suites, but they are all junk (open office, pages, keynote, ect. -- these are all junk).

[stevesharkman]

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Microsoft is very greedy with their ridiculous high prices. Luckily I have other choices of software, including free ones. Adios stupid Microsoft, you are going to be a huge loser.

greedy?
what's up with that?
they are a company and that company's job it to make as much money as quickly as possible for as long as possible.
and the fact you're looking for free stuff means you see greedy every time you look in the mirror.
move to cuba...you'll be happier...

[HamRadio]

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Office 2013 is the best version of Office released so far. I love access to SkyDrive, the look and feel of the new software, and so many other features. I support hardware and software for hundreds of clients that will love this. For those that have commneted poorly on Office 2013, I bet you could get Word Perfect for a low price and Open Office is so outdated, but free. Either you pay to play or you don't move forward.

Not True. LibreOffice is a true OpenSource Alternative to Microsoft Office. I am in fact switching from Microsoft Office 2010 to LibreOffice. Microsoft Office is a joke.

[frometa]

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Office 2013 is the best version of Office released so far. I love access to SkyDrive, the look and feel of the new software, and so many other features. I support hardware and software for hundreds of clients that will love this. For those that have commneted poorly on Office 2013, I bet you could get Word Perfect for a low price and Open Office is so outdated, but free. Either you pay to play or you don't move forward.

I totally agree with you. Office is the reason I love my PC.

[frometa]

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Office 2013 is the best version of Office released so far. I love access to SkyDrive, the look and feel of the new software, and so many other features. I support hardware and software for hundreds of clients that will love this. For those that have commneted poorly on Office 2013, I bet you could get Word Perfect for a low price and Open Office is so outdated, but free. Either you pay to play or you don't move forward. Not True. LibreOffice is a true OpenSource Alternative to Microsoft Office. I am in fact switching from Microsoft Office 2010 to LibreOffice. Microsoft Office is a joke.

I am switching from my BMW to my feet. Walking is Free and Healthy.

[delitech]

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Office 2013 is the best version of Office released so far. I love access to SkyDrive, the look and feel of the new software, and so many other features. I support hardware and software for hundreds of clients that will love this. For those that have commneted poorly on Office 2013, I bet you could get Word Perfect for a low price and Open Office is so outdated, but free. Either you pay to play or you don't move forward. Not True. LibreOffice is a true OpenSource Alternative to Microsoft Office. I am in fact switching from Microsoft Office 2010 to LibreOffice. Microsoft Office is a joke.

And you'll crawl back once you see the social networking features of Outlook, including the ability to Skype; or the PDF capabilities of Word; or the Skydrive integration; or the smart design capabilities of the new PowerPoint; or the innovative analysis tools in the new Excel. Don't count your chickens. Libre is free, and that's cool, but it simply does not match up to Office.

[KiwiBird97]

Office 2013 Rumored Release Date: 1/26/2013, 04:00 GMT (8 PM Pacific Time)

[anonymuos]

Office 2013 is so ugly that I will use Office 97 but not this ugly POS. Way to turn off the user Micros~1hit.

[gundark]

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LibreOffice is a true OpenSource Alternative to Microsoft Office. I am in fact switching from Microsoft Office 2010 to LibreOffice. Microsoft Office is a joke.

If you're not going to use your Office 2010 license, can I have it?

I currently use LibreOffice with my Mint install. It's nice, but not as feature-rich as Office 2010, let alone Office 2013. Use what works for you, though. If LibreOffice fulfills all your needs, that's fantastic. I wish I could do the same and save some cash. If everyone else in the world used LibreOffice...

By the way, when I use LibreOffice, my workflow slows down because of the menu interface. Once you get used to it, the MS ribbon interface really does allow for faster work. I was a doubter (hater, actually) at first, but it is true.

[KevinHernandez2yhu]

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I agree, but I must also add that if you think that Microsoft is charging a lot for their productivity software, all you really need to do is take one look at what Adobe charges for their professional software suites, or just the consumer version of Photoshop alone, if you take into account what it would cost to add the extra software packages. Don't even get me started on ANY of Autodesk's stuff.

It's very different software though! From a developer's perspective, Office is simple stuff: text editing, spreadsheets, presntations... the investment required to make a good office suite isn't nearly as large as building such a complex image editor like Photoshop, or 3D applications.

Not only that, but in terms of updates, Photoshop adds much more from version to version than Office really does. And there aren't free alternatives for many of those features, which fundamentally change your workflow: things like Smart Fill, simulated brushes, or 3D integration.

Office on the other hand... hide the ribbon? Really? A new look? Microsoft needs not to charge nearly as much for that as it does.

[KevinHernandez2yhu]

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Microsoft is very greedy with their ridiculous high prices. Luckily I have other choices of software, including free ones. Adios stupid Microsoft, you are going to be a huge loser. greedy? what's up with that? they are a company and that company's job it to make as much money as quickly as possible for as long as possible. and the fact you're looking for free stuff means you see greedy every time you look in the mirror. move to cuba...you'll be happier...

So now people demanding fair prices for what they buy are greedy and monopolies charging ridiculously at will, because they can and everyone needs their software anyway, are just doing their job?

Damn. What has society come up to?

[EdAdams]

Please advise the honchos at Microsoft, that there is a goodly segment of us out here - many of us in our 80s -who just want to sit at our DeskTops and surf the web and maybe send and receive an email or two. Spending $140 on something not necessary to life - means I have to skip something that is necessary to life [food comes to mind - maybe a beer or two]. I realize that there is a cost to most everything - and am willing to pay my share - but buyting something just because it is "new and improved" doesn't fit my budget. Fly to the moon with the stuff the wizzkids like, enjoy and use - but still keep us geezers in mind. This guy is happy with that he has - I don't need anything else [except maybe the Powerball numbers] so please keep the ordinary stuff out there along with the"wizzbangs. Thanks