Microsoft Works To Be Made Free

You just have to deal with a banner ad at the top of the window all the time

http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2007/07/30/microsoft-works-for-free
from WinCustomize Forums

If you have to do a lot of writing for your job (and who doesn't these days?) chances are you spend a good portion of your life staring at Microsoft Office.  MS Office is pretty much the gold-standard these days for word processors, though it carries with it a pretty hefty price tag.  The cheapest version, Office Home & Student 2007, goes for $150 USD at most retailers, which is no small chunk of change to most households on a budget.  As a result, an increasing number of users are looking to free Office alternatives.  The current pack leader is OpenOffice, an open source office tools suite that aims to mimic the Microsoft offering and be as cross-compatible as possible.  Other options are web-based services such as Google Docs.

Free is a big incentive, and can overcome lacking features and imperfect compatibility with the industry standard.  Free is slowly starting to erode Microsoft's control of the market space.  So, to keep competitive and in people's minds, Microsoft announced that the next version of their little-brother office productivity suite, Microsoft Works, will be free to download and use.  The catch?  There will be embedded advertisements. 

Will this make Microsoft competitive in the free space, or will the fact that there are advertisements in the software drive away most users who would consider using it?

7,710 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Seems to me that Open Office 2.0 is at least as good as the Microsoft product, and people should use it, if that is their concern. Oh, by the way, it has NO advertising embedded.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I would not even consider it with embedded advertising.
Unless I am browsing the Web, I see no reason at all to be subjected to unwanted ads.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'll stick to Openoffice. made the switch years ago and have converted most people I work with into using it too.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OpenOffice for me too.I've used it for ages now and it ideal for my needs.  
Built in adverts in the free MS Works...eeeew.  
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Good to see there are plenty of smart WC members!

  
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
MS Works has always been crap anyway.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Both of the computers I have bought myself came with trials of Office and a full works. I always get rid of both when I Reinstall.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OpenOffice has more features and no embedded ads, so that's a proverbial no-brainer.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
openoffice all the way, free, ad free, all the features you want and no big brother monopoly looking over your shoulder. i know what i will be sticking with
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The embedded ads will screw the pooch, guaranteed.   
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I didn't want it when they gave it to me for free the last two times, why would I want another one with ads? No thanks, I've been burned too many times already.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Maybe someone should send a copy of this to MS? You wonder if those guys ever get it?
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Why bother with any of it? WordPerfect Office X3 is cheaper, better by far and you can convert any document into Microsoft Word. Most thing WordPerfect is too complicated - all you have to do is read the help files and even ask a WordPerfect expert and/or subscribe to their newsletters. Also, it never gets hacked!   
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Someone should,you are right,and no they(microsoft)probably don't get it.
They seem totally out of touch with what everyday home based pc users actually want don't they.
We want an affordable(if not free) ,none bloated,simple to use adware free office suite,all of which is provided by OpenOffice or WordPerfect.Or if you just want word processing,Abiword is excellent too.
Maybe if Microsoft threw in a free copy of Outlook with Works I might consider it  .Actually now I think about it,nah....Thunderbird with the Lightning add-on beats that too.    
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top


I have always thought MS Works was a little better than sending smoke signals, but not a lot. It just never had much of anything that appealed to me. I have been a proud user of OpenOffice for a long time, not gonna get something free just to see some more ads. I use Firefox now to get away from all of them I can.

Microsoft must be living in the stone age on this one. Smoke signals, stone age, any one at Microsoft get it??