According to Business 2.0:

Entire PCs can now be bought for less than the cost of one copy of Microsoft Office software -- and an interesting new market is born.

Hmm. Suddenly it's clear that Microsoft might be getting a bit too expensive for the low-end market.

Posted by jzawodn at August 31, 2002 12:47 PM

Reader Comments
# Naladahc said:

Oh my god! I never ever ever saw this pattern developing between hardware and MS.

Thanks for sharing that link.

on August 31, 2002 01:52 PM
# Korsair said:

Star Office is an inexpensive alternative to M$ Office, and seems to offer the same functions, but for more OS's. Ver 5.2 is free, and 6.0 is less than 50.00 USD. Any other low-cost office suites out there???

on September 1, 2002 03:51 PM
# pat said:

I think one of the biggest barriers to Linux-on-the-desktop is fonts.

Linux fonts suck, often. And people see that and, whammo, they don't take Linux seriously...

Just my dos centavos.

on September 1, 2002 11:31 PM
# miffo.swe said:

Self mutilation?

This is interesting, very much so. Microsoft seems to need their high profits to keep the stock artificially up on a high level and rising. A pricecut would be impossible if they didnt find other markets to get more money from.Considering that most of MS money still comes from Office and Windows they havent got any alternative income source in sight. Since a decrease in profits would send MSFT stocks in serious falling they cant just lower their prices even if they want to.

There are a market for a cheap good OS and Office suite, thats an established fact. All talk about how hard it would be to change is pure bullsh't. People use different cashregisters, tools, cars, stereos whatever all the time. A short learning period and your fine. How did we learn MS Office, magic?

Linux has all the parts needed for a very simple desktop os. Whats still missing is the glue putting the parts seamlessly together into an easy_to_use desktop. Mandrake, Suse, RedHat (rawhide) is well on their way in doing that.


But then again, if MacOS X ever came to x86 i and many with me would drop linux on the desktop like a hot potato.

Maybe Steve Jobs can do us that favour?
Please Steve?

Cheers!

on September 2, 2002 12:09 AM
# rg said:

I have Office 2000, only because it came with a laptop that I bought, day to day I use StarOffice 6.0 on my new laptop (running Mandrake) and I never have problem. It is true the new version of SO cost, but there is still OpenOffice (http://www.openoffice.org/) that can be had for free.

Best thing about it, print to file -> PDF, no need for the expensive Adobe product.

on September 4, 2002 07:30 AM
# plyati said:

I agree with pat that fonts are a big obstacle for Linux. However, when I fist came to Linux, the first thing I did was read a couple of HOW-TO's and started using TrueType fonts almost immediately.

on September 9, 2002 03:44 AM
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