Looks like Microsoft is not happy enough with the per seat license fee when a company installs Office on a computer. They are starting to push a per month fee “software as a service” business plan. For $10 per month you can “collaborate” and share using their Office 365 service.
Office 365
For businesses that have a tight budget I can almost guarantee you can do everything they are trying to push with other online applications and a Pogoplug.
Lets go through Microsoft list of benefits
- Professional cloud-based email —> Gmail
- 25 GB of mailbox storage for each user —> Does someone really need 25gb of email storage? Keep Gmail cleaned up and you will have a hard time burning through your 15gb Gmail is giving you. Use Pogoplug collaborative folder instead of sending attachments.
- Share calendars and schedule meetings —> Gmail
- Connect with video conferencing —> Skype
- Give live online presentations —> Google documents or www.authorstream.com
- Share desktops and co-present —> Logmein Free or Teamviewer
- Includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote Web Apps —> Buy the stand alone Office suite.
- Edit and create files using a browser —> Pogoplug will grab the file and as long as you have Office installed you can create, edit, and save back to the Pogoplug.
- Open and edit files created in Office** —> Buy the stand alone Office suite
- Share files with customers and your team —> Pogoplug
- 10 GB of intranet storage for each user —> Pogoplug Biz (multiple user friendly)
- Build and publish a website for your business —> I’m not sure where Microsoft is going with this, and why Office365 is going to help you. http://www.squarespace.com/ is pretty popular and seems to do a good job.
Nice to read your blog
Cool. Thanks.
Derek
Before I did the big switch about 3 years ago, I had aaywls used PCs. I was quite handy with them too; knew how to fix it anytime anything went wrong, troubleshoot, etc. But I never particularly liked Microsoft & its products. I used windows & office like everybody else but never felt they were good products. Windows XP was definitely an improvement but it had its problems with security, etc.But after I bought myself a little 12 Powerbook, I never looked back. I was totally converted. I love OS X and I love mac software. At first I kept using the MS software I was accostumed to but slowly I replaced Outlook with Mac Mail, Word with Mellel, Access with Filemaker, and Ib4ve never been happier But I wonb4t get into PC bashing. I mean, it still doesnb4t make sense to buy a Mac if you are a programmer or gamer. But I think Macs are better for the average, computer illiterate person and PCs may be better for people comfortable with stripping down their machine every couple months and re-installing boards and operating systems