What Is Microsoft Up To? - Comments Page 1

software-as-a-service is just another way of saying we've found another way to charge you for something you don't need.

It's the difference between renting and owning. Except you don't get a price break and your computer bricks and you lose your data if you don't pay up. I could see SaS in a niche market where the software is constantly evolving due to regulatory issues such as Health Care or the like. But this is all so basic, word processor and spreadsheet and email. And in an environment where they hold literally everything you create as well as the tools used to create them. Wow, I'll pass. -Ed

After running Office 2010 for many years...we moved to the Office 365 package for 5 computers at less than $100.00/year, a few days ago. There is a problem with that...ms seems to want you to move to their online 'OneNote' version, which is not 'fit for purpose'. A boiled down version of OneNote 2016. OneNote was always clustered with other versions of Office, it is an excellent program(which in our opinion is a greatly underrated program and one we all use every day...and love it, and few people know about!) You can still get OneNote in the original software format...but it is offered as a free extra download, as it does not come in the download package of Office 365.
Constantly aware that ms has no QC or QA programs and the user has become the beta tester. Not sure how ms knows what the customer always wants? Remember Windows Media Center...

The day I have to pay a yearly fee for Windows, is the day I will switch to a Linux OS...Though there are a few programs I use now that now operate only in Windows, I am always looking for Linux equivalents -- and at this point there is nothing Windows only that I cannot live without. I love the advances Linux has made in the last 6 years, and look forward to the time where it is a no-brainer to switch...

I agree with Dave an Ed -- just another way for MS to make money off its consumers. I don't like it. I'm still using Windows 7, but I stopped using the Office suite many years ago. There are free and cheap products that are good enough for my purposes.

Apple anyone?

i have never trusted big brother, and i won't start now!!!

I frankly am sick and tired of monthly fees. $10 for this $15 for that. I have dropped out of most otherwise I would be paying ~$100 per month.

Without the need for installation on many machines,the MS SaS is not cost effective.

I also hate the push for saving/copying everything in the cloud. Every application (not necessarily MS) is pushing this. I'd much rather search for a way to push something to the cloud instead of searching for a way to refrain from depositing something in the cloud.

I hate feeling held captive by subscription software. As an individual user; not a business, I feel it is totally unfair especially to users on a fixed income to be strapped with monthly fee's just to send letters or do a personal spread sheet. MS was once a great OS system back in the DOS day's. But now GREED has taken over their policies.

I am about to reinstall Libre Office to practice with, now that I am retired and not routinely needing the corporate standard software. Reluctant to be spending $100 a year for Office 365, I will quit it when the cost goes up or I'm proficient with Libre Office, whichever happens first. Subscription plans are simply too greedy.

I'm with Jim. Rent Windows? Nuh-uh. Fortunately I have a Linux guru at home and I already use a lot of open source software, so I don't expect the transition to be difficult for me.

Subscriptions are built/written for the companies (to make money) not the customer. And MS is not the only one trying this route. Check Cyberlink for example. I will never follow the subscription crowd. (¯`·._.·ns¢ävË·._.·´¯)®

AT&T found out the consequences of becoming a monopoly that did not want to share network access and tried to tie users to a rental (of phones) scheme. The break up was monumental.

Sound familial now when Microsoft is the dominant provider of the industry and is trying to tie users to a subscription (rental) process? I think they are going down a path that will backfire and also encourage growth of the lower or free alternatives.

I think I will write a song named " the internet horror show"

Ever since Windows 10 bricked my computer in 2015, I ignore Microsoft.
I am using Windows 7 for legacy reasons. Legacy ends in 2020. I hear Linux Mint is attractive.

On the surface of it, this just seems to be yet another cash cow. There appears to be an ever-growing trend for software to only be available on a yearly renewable license (with a fee, of course!), rather than an outright purchase. I cite "Mailwasher" (which I use), that somehow managed to convert itself to a subscription base. Others have also gone down this route and I fear this may be a future scenario for most software.

The biggest problem with Cloud sourced SaaS, is that it is completely dependant on internet connectivity. With the different network companies (Verizon, Comcast, ATT, etc.) each looking for maximizing their own profit, their use as a utility has yet to stabilize. If one's internet connection is not rock solid and fast, Cloud based subscription software is not stable, secure or reliable enough to be a viable choice over physical purchased software. If Comcast is down for an hour or two, a whole bunch of Office 365 systems are down also. Microsoft and others looking to exploit SaaS, need to put attention to creating a secure, stable, fast, and inexpensive network..

I dabble a bit in setting up computers for people who get confused by all the "free"and "trial"software on their new machine. I usually uninstall everything that has to be paid for and install emclient for email, WPS for office. That seems to suit most people and it's free!!

I heard the newest innovation for Starbucks is to open a Starbucks inside a Starbucks. ("That's a joke, son!")