Free M$ Office for iPad, iPhone, and Android

[crusader]

It was interesting (but not surprising) to learn M$ is offering free Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) for iPad, iPhone, and Android - albeit with limited features. This article talks about the move being an "extension of the existing strategy." The article correctly (in my opinion), points out that M$ was "forced" to take this step. Other articles talk about the minute contribution mobile Office makes to M$'s total revenue - hence M$ has essentially nothing to lose and a lot to gain in the log run. I see both these viewpoints as complementing each other.

I am interested in hearing the opinion of FOSS users - specifically, LO and OO users and "decision makers" as to the long term impact this move will have on LO and OO.

[RusselB]

Personally this will not affect me, as my Android device is my cell phone and the screen on it is too small to be able to effectively use it for office usages.
Additionally I have a configuration that allows me to use my desktop systems via my phone, and thus don't have to worry about an office suite on my phone having limitations as the office suite is actually located on my desktop.

[esperantisto]

M$O sucks. OpenOffice is my choice because it’s superior in functionality and robustness. I use AndrOpenOffice on my smartphone and tablet, but it’s kinda toy, no real document work can be performed using mobile devices. So, that news changes nothing to me.

[crusader]

RusselB and Esperantisto, thank you for your thoughts.

This is where I am hoping to lead this discussion:

M$ is luring users to their new, immensely profitable Office subscriber model by throwing teasers like free mobile apps in the hope the “addiction” sticks. May potentially work.

What I am interested in hearing from the pro LO and OO community (users, developers, etc.), is will M$'s move affect the uptake of these two excellent Office packages? If yes, how much, and more importantly, how can it be mitigated (LO/OO for mobile devices)? I realize there are no easy answers; I am just trying to draw a picture of Office usage years down the road.

This move by M$ is no different than what they have done for decades: give away M$O at little or no cost to schools (philanthropy ) in the hope that when these kids grow up and are working, their choice of Office will be M$O. To their credit, it works. The proof: the uptake of these two excellent Office applications (LO and OO), available at absolutely no cost, is negligible at best.

What baffles me the most is the poor uptake from the developing world. I imagined both public and private sectors of the developing world would be rushing to take advantage of the cost and superiority of LO and OO. Not even close. I wonder why...

[Hagar Delest]

I'm with RusselB.
I think that the smartphone or the tablet are not devices that can work well with productivity suites (either because of screen size or tactile keyboard).
The trouble could be if packages like tablet + keyboard could replace the laptop. Not sure it will since often, corporate machines need more and more hardware to support all the security applications that run more or less in the background.

So I think that's not a great danger.

[hershel]

The previous MS office for ipad have only view feature. You can't edit it. In android tablet, this is the first time that Microsoft offers it.
I think Microsoft offer it when your tablet is only 7".

[RusselB]

After reading the article, several times, I noticed that the free versions are only for the tablets. If you want to work on a document that you did on your tablet using anything other than your tablet, then you have to pay.
Additionally, it seemed to me, that they want those using the free software on their tablets to pay for Cloud storage.

[henke54]

Microsoft has reserved the right to nail firms making Android devices running its Office suit for possible Windows patent infringements.

http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/211123/index.html

[hershel]

Would that be mean that there will be no free MS Office for android devices?

[Villeroy]

This way docx appears as ubiquitous and "natural" as html.

[Ed2]

Microsoft has reserved the right to nail firms making Android devices running its Office suit for possible Windows patent infringements.

http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/211123/index.html

On what grounds?

If they release something, how is someone using it in accordance with the terms under which it is released committing patent infringement of that product, let alone of an unrelated product? Microsoft's statement is totally absurd.

[floris v]

Age old trick. Decades ago, WordPerfect did the same in the Netherlands. WP was free for private use and for that reason it was the logical choice for professional use: you really don't want your employees to mix up the UI of your office suite with what they use at home, that just slows them down.
IMO the only way to go is by convincing governments that it isn't enough that there's an ISO certified standard for office document formats if you don't enforce the implementation of it by software companies.