Re: [aclug-L] MS Office for Linux

[Bob Deep <bobd@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

John Goerzen wrote:
> 
> OK, here's an interesting discussion topic...  Rumors are flying that
> Microsoft is working on an Office port to Linux.  This comes from
> ZDNet at http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2224863,00.html
> 
> So, the question is, is this good for Linux?  And secondly, is it good
> for Microsoft?

Well... Yes, if M$ is intending to support both platforms with the same
programs it's good..  I'll bet though, it's just a shared lib thing with
a front end to linux that runs the old executables.  I'd look for M$ to
release a somewhat flawed, good for their applications only, windows
emulator package before they take the time to re-code all their
signiture applications...

Is this good for linux?  Yes and no, but more yes than no I think.  M$
may be hedging its bets, but if it really is working on this, linux is
more of a known threat than we have been led to beleive.  I don't like
the idea of M$ trying to corner the linux office application market, but
there are other things that may make this a useless debate looming on
the horizion....

> What they're not figuring on, though, is
> that by doing this, Linux instantly becomes a more credible Windows
> killer in the eyes of the "suits".

Oh.. They are just hedging their bets and trying to draw as many good
cards from the deck as possible... With the DOJ judgment looming, and
settlement talks afoot, this may not be such a bad idea for M$.  If they
are expecting to be broken up, it would change the application landscape
greatly if they got split into two companies.  One for their OSs and the
other for Applications.

If you where M$, would you not want to be ready to release a "standard"
Office Suite on as many platforms as you could, when you did not control
the OS anymore? I would.

Who knows... Maybe M$ and the DOJ are discussing a settlement where the
empire is just split down the middle righ now...
 
> As they always say, life is interesting.  I am not surprised that they
> are doing this, but I *am* surprised that they are doing it now.  I
> would have expected it to be a few more years until this would occur.

I'm not supprised... Much that is.  If I was M$, and I was in the
situation they where in, I think I would be ready to split off my OS and
applicaion functions into seperate companies and be doing my darndest to
keep my applications on the desk top while the OS market was looking at
a massive dry up in revenue.  With the downward price pressure that
linux applies to the OS market, things don't look good on that front. 
Then add Java to the mix, and things look really bad for M$'s desktop.
Why not make the best of a loosing situation, split off the OS part of
the business so it does not drag you down, and make the DOJ happy all at
the same time?  Bill could just sell his stock in the other company
(which would kill their stock price) while racking in huge profits on
the desk top stuff...

Of course you could be sure oll Bill will be the CEO of the application
side...

-= Bob =-
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