R.I.P. Microsoft Office.

Although I don't have the security needs of most businesses, and some other users, I shall never want to use an online service such as this, but then most of my online activity is limited to downloading files. About the only thing that I ever upload is a post, such as this.

I really can't imagine that many would want to deal with an online service such as this, when their local software packages generally suffice quite nicely. If MS Office is ever buried, it will be by something like Open Office.

seekermeister said:

I really can't imagine that many would want to deal with an online service such as this, when their local software packages generally suffice quite nicely. If MS Office is ever buried, it will be by something like Open Office.

And, to say the least OO.O has a long way to go; even iWorks can't compete with MS Office (though Office for the Mac is a crappy program, trust me on this one).

Lee said:

seekermeister said:

I really can't imagine that many would want to deal with an online service such as this, when their local software packages generally suffice quite nicely. If MS Office is ever buried, it will be by something like Open Office.

And, to say the least OO.O has a long way to go; even iWorks can't compete with MS Office (though Office for the Mac is a crappy program, trust me on this one).

It is, but the next version of Office is supposed to be a lot more native.

Sorry, help a poor foreigner. What is this supposed to mean: " a lot more native ".

Hi there
Maybe the OP should just step back a little --instead of being a sort of "Pseudo RSS news feed" he should perhaps THINK a little before posting some of his news stories.

I suspect that the OP has probably never had to work in a SECURE environment where some computers are either NOT NETWORKED AT ALL or only networked over a HIGHY SECURED INTERNAL LAN with 100% NO access to the internet.

Of course the CLOUD will become more important and online apps increasingly available and used - for example office type apps on smartphones and "Blackberry" type devices - but for certain applications you will ALWAYS require some type of stand alone computer.

I don't think that remote ONLINE data storage will become the norm either -- you've only got to look at the recent incidents in even supposedly advanced Western countries where sensitive data has been left on public Train Carriages or in Taxi cabs (DEFENCE stuff BTW in the UK) to realize that the only sensible way to secure your data is to have it yourself.

With Cost cutting endemic regardless of whether it actually delivers the intended benefits TO THE CUSTOMER the chances are that your vital data and applications are going to be handled in some third world off-shored location with no guarantee of reliability or security.

I think I've seen enough of the scathing cutbucks made in the last few years in the I.T industry where nearly everything has been offshored -- and whether it's Call centres or Customer service in general I can't actually see its delivered ANY BENEFIT at all except delivering a very fleeting short term gain to some Industry Fat cats and large share holders.


Being able to access apps and data from anywhere is of course a MUST in the majority of cases but this is by no means required in ALL cases and needs to be very carefully managed.

Recent experience with large scale IT projects and poor management in general doesn't actually fill me with a lot of confidence and as a CONSUMER I would be very careful before embarking totally down this road -- it could cost you a LOT more than you thought. MS and others are of course looking for an income stream --- do you really want to pay a Monthly fee to use say an online version of EXCEL or have your screen cluttered with commercials.

Cheers
jimbo

Sorry but I just dont want to be in the cloud.