[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbloudg20 Openoffice has been around for a while, I have been using for a few years now in both my linux box and xp.

indeed. openoffice is nothing new. and it takes nearly no "money" from microsoft.

just like firefox, a lot of people are actually afraid to try it out. haha, afraid to try better software.

 

[rsaavedra]

Here's a few of the news articles related to what I was mentioning:
http://news.com.com/Microsofts+night...?tag=nefd.lede
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051007/...te/yahoo_semel
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051004/tc_nm/sun_google_dc
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050926/...e/google_video
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/24/te...c2e802&ei=5070
http://beta.news.com.com/OpenDocumen...ml?tag=newsmap
http://beta.news.com.com/Microsoft+t...ml?tag=newsmap
http://www.businessweek.com/technolo...gn_id=rss_tech

 

[AlanY]

As far as I can tell, none of those are press releases. They're news articles, a few of which have a strong strategy or opinion component.

There is no "war" on Microsoft from Google. That's all nonsense. All Google is doing is prominently featuring a link to where OpenOffice can be downloaded when people download the Google toolbar. Everything else is 100% rumor, and almost none of those rumors make any sense.

 

[rsaavedra]

Sorry news articles, was incorrectly using it as a synonym.

There is certainly a component of rumor, since these are news related to strategic trends and technology forecasts. But it's far from nonsense. The three companies, Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have strong competing fronts.

Here's another related news, another one covering Google+Sun alliance going against Microsoft's interests:
http://news.com.com/Week+in+review+S...0597&subj=news

 

[rsaavedra]

More news on Microsoft vs. Google vs. Yahoo, vs. some other competitive threats:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051010/...oft_at_midlife

 

[rsaavedra]

A comment in this article: "Google is a threat to Microsoft just as Microsoft was a threat to IBM":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4362974.stm

 

[rsaavedra]

In case you thought there was no war going on, check out these news on a memo leak from Microsoft:

Quoting:

"Gates urged company leaders to 'act quickly and decisively' to move further into the field of offering such services, in order to best formidable competitors."

"'The next sea change is upon us,' Gates wrote to executives."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051109/...oft_gates_memo
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/09/te...syahoo&emc=rss

 

[rsaavedra]

Resuscitating an old thread. Here's a link to a Businessweek Online page, a recent interview of Microsoft's Vice President confirming part of what this thread was about:

"I think of Google as being probably the primary competitor in the marketplace for us." - Blake Irving, Microsoft's Vice President

 

[lewtz]

Quick comment on Suns Openoffice. I love it. Been using it for about a year now. Great program. It's biggest advantage over something like wordpefect.. it doesn't suck, IE meaning you can still open and use MS .docs from Word and vice versa.

More I use openoffice, more I doubt I will ever use MS office again. I like MS for an Os, mainly b/c it is a standard. But if linux ever became the standard I would be fine with that. One thing I do not want, is like 3 OS's all with about 33% of the market share.

Also if MS is behind the HD-DVD support, I would much rather that become standard then Blu-ray. Other then that.. Firefox > IE, Openoffice > MS office, etc.

 

[mbriant]

There's a free Open Office CD offer at the top of the linked page in the first post of this thread.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbriant There's a free Open Office CD offer at the top of the linked page in the first post of this thread.

thanks man. i got it and am going to write an accouting spreadsheet for myself on it to try it out (old excell pro here).

 

[jlo mein]

Am I alone in hating Open Office? Perhaps it is because I have to use it on a Win2000 machine with a dimming curved screen CRT monitor (stupid work computer)...

I use MS Office at home. I like it simply because I know how to use it.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlo mein I use MS Office at home. I like it simply because I know how to use it.

I can relate... it's hard to get excited about office-type software anymore (or most software, really).

 

[)v(ajin_R_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlo mein Am I alone in hating Open Office? Perhaps it is because I have to use it on a Win2000 machine with a dimming curved screen CRT monitor (stupid work computer)... I use MS Office at home. I like it simply because I know how to use it.

i'd have to third this, i did try openoffice awhile back on linux, and i much prefer using what i have now, which is office 2003 pro... IMO the interface looks much better, and its just easier to use even though it may take more resources...maybe i was using an old version of openoffice?

not sure how i'd feel about other office programs, unless they are much better than microsoft office...

 

[Kixyll]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlo mein Am I alone in hating Open Office? Perhaps it is because I have to use it on a Win2000 machine with a dimming curved screen CRT monitor (stupid work computer)...

No, you're not. It's 10 years behind Office, and it's worthless in a corporate environment.

The funny thing is, Google and the Open Office folks are aiming in the complete wrong direction if they're looking to "go to war with MS". MS has Office firmly entrenched in the corporate world, and it's not going anywhere. They know this, and have moved on to more important areas. The new frontier is collaboration, which MS is plowing into with a full head of steam with Sharepoint Server. There only competition comes from products like Hummingbird Collaboration, which don't integrate nearly as well with Exchange/Office/etc. Everyone is looking to get into collaboration, and Sharepoint sales will drive Office sales. As long as OO.org keeps trying to play catch-up, they will NEVER have a chance at beating MS.

OO.org & Google can try to compete in the home space, but it's not a terribly profitable area. The vast majority of people don't buy their office suite, it comes with the computer. As long as MS continues to mantain a good relationship with the OEMs, that suite will remain MS Office.