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  1. #1

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    Office 365

    Why would you take the 'cloud' version when you can still by the product?



  2. #2

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    As it says US$99/year gets you 5 licenses that will roll through new versions, the box edition at US$140 is only one license and will not update.

    Some companies with volume licenses are offering a "HUP" program license that is US$10 for 2 licenses for employees.


  3. #3

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    The 'cloud' subscription service actually seems better value if you have two or more users or devices you want to install this on. Map it out over a 3-year depreciation period (that is roughly the Office major release cycle period) and it makes sense. For 2 users the 'box' version will cost you USD 280 upfront, while a 3-year subscription will cost you USD 300, and you get various services, Skype and so on with it. For >2 users, you are of course well past break-even.

    I suppose MSFT probably has done its homework and knows that the average household has X users of Office. And X must be something >2 I would guess.

    I think the bigger question I would pose is, why would you want to shell out any money at all if you have a perfectly fine working copy of Office 2010 (or 2011 on a Mac) installed. Sure, this 365 is probably better, bigger, faster and prettier, but in terms of productivity for the average user, is there USD 8 per month in gains in it....?


  4. #4

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    Is it really worth it to upgrade to the next available version? I'm still using Word 2000 and don't feel I need to upgrade.

    East_coast likes this.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by vantastic:
    The 'cloud' subscription service actually seems better value if you have two or more users or devices you want to install this on. Map it out over a 3-year depreciation period (that is roughly the Office major release cycle period) and it makes sense. For 2 users the 'box' version will cost you USD 280 upfront, while a 3-year subscription will cost you USD 300, and you get various services, Skype and so on with it. For >2 users, you are of course well past break-even.

    I suppose MSFT probably has done its homework and knows that the average household has X users of Office. And X must be something >2 I would guess.

    I think the bigger question I would pose is, why would you want to shell out any money at all if you have a perfectly fine working copy of Office 2010 (or 2011 on a Mac) installed. Sure, this 365 is probably better, bigger, faster and prettier, but in terms of productivity for the average user, is there USD 8 per month in gains in it....?
    MS Office launch cycle is every 2 years but upgrade cycle is probably 3-4 or more years

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    MS Office launch cycle is every 2 years but upgrade cycle is probably 3-4 or more years
    Sorry but what are you talking about?

    Incremental upgrades are released every so often (multiple times a year at least); whenever the latest gaping hole in security is discovered or for some other reason.

    Major MS Office releases in the past two decades have happened on average every two~three years, with a slowing trend. So it would seem like a safe assumption that if you buy the 'box' version of Office 365, your next big shell-out for a licence will be for be Office 2016 or whatever it will be called then, some 3 years down the line.

    Office 95 (=7.0; Aug 1995)
    Office 97 (=8.0; Nov 1996)
    Office 2000 =9.0; (Jun 1999)
    Office XP (=10.0; Jun 2001)
    Office 2003 (=11.0; Nov 2003)
    Office 2007 (=12.0; Jan 2007)
    Office 2010 (=14.0; Jun 2010)
    Office 365 (=15.0; Jan 2013)
    Last edited by vantastic; 04-02-2013 at 09:19 AM.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by vantastic:
    Sorry but what are you talking about?
    Sorry the 'upgrade cycle' refereed to the actual cycle of people upgrading rather than MS launching an all new and better version of the same software.

    For those above I used Office '97 and 2010 so a 13 year 'upgrade cycle'

  8. #8

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    Sorry the 'upgrade cycle' refereed to the actual cycle of people upgrading rather than MS launching an all new and better version of the same software.
    Thanks for clarifying, I see what you mean.

    As a user, that seems more sensible I suppose. Perhaps that is part of the MSFT strategy: shorten the effective upgrade cycle by locking users into a subscription service that will push the ugrades onto them no matter what. Since as you illustrate, users don't see the point of shelling out every 3 years or so for a manual 'box' upgrade.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by ewankho:
    Is it really worth it to upgrade to the next available version? I'm still using Word 2000 and don't feel I need to upgrade.
    2010 has quite nice tertiary enhancements: print preview and the file open & save screens are quite an improvement. It's less gaudy default theme to 2007 but lol if that makes it worth the update.

  10. #10

    We are in need of getting Office for a bunch of new computers.
    For the Office365 Small Business Premiere service it is offered at HK$150 / user per year in HK. However in China it is telling me the cost is CNY ¥780 / user per year.

    Anyone know why such a huge cost disparity?
    Also, anyone know if I signup in HK, can i install on computers in China?

    Last edited by BaconBreadBaker; 26-03-2013 at 03:54 PM.

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