[PCWorld]

Post your comments for What Office 2013's draconian licensing policy really means for you here

[ivan1957]

I guess the blind sheep-like masses are unable to see the arrogance of Microsoft in this change. Of course Microsoft would like to herd people to making a decision between Office 2013 vs Office 365. They make buying Office 2013 untenable and wish to leave you no other choice but to accept Office 365. For me this is the last straw pushing me over the edge to abandon Microsoft Office software altogether and give the free open-source alternatives such as Google Docs or Apache Open Office or Neo Office a tryout.

[DrSpanky]

Microsoft's piracy problem is directly related to their overpricing of Office. The obvious solution was the path they chose, raise the prices and force people to purchase the subscription model. They know pricing Office closer to the paid versions of the competition would prevent piracy, but it would also lower their income potential. Rather than sell several hundred million copies of office at less then $100, they can sell thousands at $400, real genius.

[AltairDave]

And thus, in 2013, did I, AltairDave, say farewell to the Greedy Ogre from Redmond, to link up with the fine folk at LibreOffice!!! Really, Microsoft, this is too much. Whoever dreamed this marketing plan up should be drawn, quartered and deleted. I have used Office straight through until now for all kinds of tasks, but other suites do what I need as well--and they're free or low cost. You ready to say goodbye to all the heretofore loyal folk who paid your price to support you in your prior unreasonableness? Wave goodbye now. You've just lost a loyal, long-time customer. Let the Greedy Ogre rejoice!

[AnnePeltier]

Not sure what all the fuss is about. I have 365 on 3 of my devices so far with another to go when I get back to that location. It's a great opportunity to stay current and I get 20GB of Skydrive to go with it. Might even use some of the Skype international minutes.

[thewazak]

Soon MS will tell you what you can and cannot have on your computer- just like Apple always has.

[Gnostradamus]

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I guess the blind sheep-like masses are unable to see the arrogance of Microsoft in this change.

Out of the first 5 comments ahead of mine, one supports the new policy. I don't see a mass of blind sheep except the iDiots who get defensive (and offensive, in both sense of the word) the moment their lover--a fruity company--is mentioned, or even when it is not.

[gw74]

Draconian would be prosecuting or disabling people with illegal Office. Punishing law-abiding license-buyers with these trolling restrictions has nothing to do with draconian, it is restrictive/rip-off.

[DrSpanky]

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I guess the blind sheep-like masses are unable to see the arrogance of Microsoft in this change. Out of the first 5 comments ahead of mine, one supports the new policy. I don't see a mass of blind sheep except the iDiots who get defensive (and offensive, in both sense of the word) the moment their lover--a fruity company--is mentioned, or even when it is not.

lol, pot meet kettle.

[TsarNikky]

The article's last paragraph sums it up so well. Our company will be staying with Office 2010. At least we can upgrade our hardware and move the Office license to the new machine. We don't have the luxury of trashing our hardware as if it were a toy.

[bkwanab]

What it means to me is that I'm even happier that I switched my personal and my business over to Open Office. It's free and it's better, And as soon as I can wean my last client off MS Anything we'll all be happier on Linux. MicroSoft has seen my, my employees and my clients last dollar.

[gyffesgyffeshcr8]

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Soon MS will tell you what you can and cannot have on your computer- just like Apple always has.

Through what freaking filter do you peer nearsightedly at the world that this is what you believe to be true?

[BurtWardw2vk]

So they wonder why Torrent sites featuring hacked images of the software is so popular today. People go out and build machines and then fill it up with torrent versions of the software. Then again, I just use Open Office and it does me just fine and I send them a donation as a courtesy.

[JonathonWaterman]

So this is going to make me want to upgrade to either Office 365 or Office 2013?

It's time to meet the "real" world, Microsoft.

Between LibreOffice 4.0 which is:
1. Absolutely free.
2. I would guess at least 98% MS compatible.
3. Can be amazingly customized using Firefox Personas.
- and -
4. Has some really fantastic add-ons.

AND


The fact that I have a copy of MS Office 2007 that I can always use just in case I need to be absolutely sure something is 100% compatible.

Who needs the over-pricing/over-regulation game you're trying to play with this latest version of Office?


I sure don't!


Not to mention your new MS Word 2013 white document background on white or light colored application background produces a major eyestrain if you try to use it for a length of time - 20 mins. +

[Fatesrider]

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For me this is the last straw pushing me over the edge to abandon Microsoft Office software altogether and give the free open-source alternatives such as Google Docs or Apache Open Office or Neo Office a tryout.

I highly recommend LibreOffice. When Sun took over OpenOffice, they pretty much killed development on it and new versions all but stopped. The original developers, miffed by Sun's abandonment of their work, took the code (it's open source, after all), and began development on LibreOffice. I moved to OpenOffice the instant it could natively open (if not save) WordPerfect files (which I had been using until it became too tied to printers and kept crashing). When Sun stopped development on it, I limped along until I found LibreOffice and have been using that ever since.

It's stable, works very well across most platforms and, best of all, absolutely free.

[Zepoq]

This is interesting. Bill Gates is gone (for some years now) doing charity. Now Sinofsky is gone (for reasons unkown). The rest of them may have been planning all this licensing innovation for quite some time now.

I am one of them Apple "haters" by the way.

Microsoft's UEFI strategies in combination with this licensing rape are beginning to shape into a rip off scheme. Haven't they stacked enough billions in their private accounts already? "Piracy" is just an excuse.

Imagine Ubuntu and other distros went commercial and were no longer free. It's is a question of time. The future doesn't look so bright anymore.

I have been trying to install Ubuntu on my recently purchased laptop. Secure boot is an issue. It is a question of time for various interested parties to find a hack for it and therefore render irrelevant the whole idea. But it does prevent me from installing the OS and software of my choice. Is Microsoft really worried about my security? Or are they simply making it difficult for me to avoid using their products? Me thinks the latter is the true motivation. Anyway, I think I will be buying another laptop (poss, from Acer) that comes with Ubuntu pre-installed. To be honest, I only use Windows for Steam games and some e-Learning soft. The rest can be done on Linux. And if they try to kill Linux through making file formats less compatible and covertly causing all sorts of other nasties, I will switch back, but years from now (hopefully). By this time, things may change (e.g. Microsoft will go bust) for the better. THat's my plan.

[Zepoq]

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Imagine Ubuntu and other distros went commercial and were no longer free. It's is a question of time.

Responding to myself:

This is probable, esp. if/when they have a large body of users making it lucrative. It's the same old plan - offer something for free, build clientele, make it commercial.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Thought the EULA allowed 2 PC's per license?

[fedup]

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Not sure what all the fuss is about. I have 365 on 3 of my devices so far with another to go when I get back to that location. It's a great opportunity to stay current and I get 20GB of Skydrive to go with it. Might even use some of the Skype international minutes.

Was wondering if you are a home user? I deal with home users a lot and I cam not see them justifying spending $100 a yr in perpetuity just to use Office. A product that they would be lucky if they use 10% of the features once a month if they are lucky.

I will be recommending to people Libre Office unless they they are can justify to themselves to spending $100 a yr forever. Personally I can not see suggesting Office 2013 Home & Student retail version any further.

[Zepoq]

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Not sure what all the fuss is about. I have 365 on 3 of my devices so far with another to go when I get back to that location. It's a great opportunity to stay current and I get 20GB of Skydrive to go with it. Might even use some of the Skype international minutes.

And by "fuss" you mean people sharing their views and feelings on the topic in this thread? Hmmm ... interesting.