Office for Linux

Microsoft rumored to be taking a 'meaningful look' at Office for Linux

Open source obsessive Michael Larabel says he has it on good authority that Microsoft is considering a native version of Office for Linux. Specifically, the company is taking a "meaningful look" at the idea, now that Linux is showing signs of becoming more of a player in the OS stakes.

Microsoft rumored to be taking a 'meaningful look' at Office for Linux

Could be, but Linux represents less than 2% of the desktop market. Sounds like media spin to me. Microsoft has nothing to gain by investing the considerable funds it would take to develop a Linux variant of Office.

-Max
 

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Microsoft rumored to be taking a 'meaningful look' at Office for Linux

Open source obsessive Michael Larabel says he has it on good authority that Microsoft is considering a native version of Office for Linux. Specifically, the company is taking a "meaningful look" at the idea, now that Linux is showing signs of becoming more of a player in the OS stakes.

Microsoft rumored to be taking a 'meaningful look' at Office for Linux

Could be, but Linux represents less than 2% of the desktop market. Sounds like media spin to me. Microsoft has nothing to gain by investing the considerable funds it would take to develop a Linux variant of Office.

-Max

And if this port could be run on ANDROID?

Microsoft Office in the Future: Android, iOS, Linux and Metro Versions - Softpedia
 

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Microsoft rumored to be taking a 'meaningful look' at Office for Linux

Open source obsessive Michael Larabel says he has it on good authority that Microsoft is considering a native version of Office for Linux. Specifically, the company is taking a "meaningful look" at the idea, now that Linux is showing signs of becoming more of a player in the OS stakes.


Microsoft rumored to be taking a 'meaningful look' at Office for Linux

Could be, but Linux represents less than 2% of the desktop market. Sounds like media spin to me. Microsoft has nothing to gain by investing the considerable funds it would take to develop a Linux variant of Office.

-Max

Hi there

Actually Ms might not have to invest a lot at all to get Office to work on Linux.

Ms could get involved with the WINE open source project and probably get Native Windows Binaries to run on Linux without a huge investment.

Alternatively it could take a stake in Codeweavers who have things like CROSS OVER OFFICE which already has versions working under some modified WINE variant. Office runs as an UNMODIFIED windows application using native windows binaries.

Even if Ms was only interested in Office it could perhaps partly support Codeweavers by fixing any outstanding problems with running Office under Wine -- both companies would be in a Win Win situation -- and so would the consumers. - Ms could ignore other codeweaver developments such as getting Photoshop to run under WINE.

It could be an interesting and a very profitable exercise for Ms.

CrossOver Runs Windows on Mac and Linux, easily and affordably

Office working on Linux could be HUGE for Ms for a very small outlay - especially if the W8 detractors decide that they've had it with Windows.

(Don't forget maths here -- only 2% sounds small --2% of Millions and Millions is still NOT an insignificant amount of potential money - with the prospect of a lot more to come -- I know the only thing stopping some companies from adopting Linux has been the lack of 100% compatability with Ms Office - but if Libre office starts getting a bit better --who knows -- If I were in charge of Office development at Ms I'd explore this avenue very seriously indeed).

Here's some more info on WINE for those that have never heard about it.

WineHQ - Run Windows applications on Linux, BSD, Solaris and Mac OS X

(Android being a Linux variant would probably run any Ms developed WINE version of Office to work as well -- another market for Ms too).


Cheers
jimbo
 

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Don't forget that Microsoft gets huge royalties from the sale of Android devices; moving into the Linux space isn't all that silly, it means not putting all their eggs in one basket.
 

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I completely forgot about this, but I think it is also something to seriously consider:

Ubuntu Phones Will Arrive In October

Ubuntu Phones Will Arrive In October | Gizmodo Australia

The next step is clearly tablets and Ubuntu has been working on touch technology, so we will, sooner or later, have another tablet OS in the wild. While Linux is still miniscule in terms of worldwide consumer uptake, the potential is always there for a surge.
 

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Ew?

Seems interesting though, last I heard WINE was only able to support Office 2007 without huge issues, 2010 I read is problematic. A native port would be ideal.

I have a feeling that Office on Linux will happen before android or ios. Right now, Microsoft is butting heads with both apple and google. apple is wanting a 30 percent cut of SkyDrive storage that is bought from Microsoft's subscription service. This makes no sense as the SkyDrive app is free, and buying more storage doesn't ACTUALLY occur within app last I've known about. It will usually take you to the website to do so. google is being a little spaghetti by not developing any of their services on Windows Phone and trying to snub them at whatever chance they can get because partly of android royalties Microsoft gets as well as Microsoft pointing out how google looks through their user's browsing history and tracking through their services just to advertise better to that person; along with trying to get 95 percent of Office users on google docs.

The business however would be tremendous potentially. A subscription service like Office 365 is rumored to be what will launch, so it ends up being a great deal. But the companies can't really agree with each other right now and are competing against each other. Linux is a better alternative, although I wonder how many open source believers will go for that...
 

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It's kind of pointless talking about Wine in a broad sense, given that if Ubuntu or Mint (a logical extension) can be implemented successfully on a touch tablet, then that introduces a game changer. Wine has a lot of failings, even though many crow about how good it is (that sound familiar?), but if you can live with native Linux apps (given further development, the incentive would be there), then it could become the fourth competitor in the tablet, et al, arena.

You would have a fairly competent desktop environment to begin with and the potential for much more. However, what Linux needs is a major investment. What Canonical is doing is not enough, despite all of its good intentions. But if Microsoft continues in the direction that it appears, then one of the major concerns, like Samsung (Nokia?) or such, may take a very big interest and boost things significantly. When you think about it, everything is already there, but it simply doesn't have a major supporter. There's an opportunity to own a space that has been traditionally overlooked.
 

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Hi there
I'm not suggesting Ms use WINE in its current form --if you read the MEANING of the post it was basically to say that for Ms to get a version of office to work on Linux wouldn't be overtly cost prohibitive since they could see how the native windows binaries were implemented in Wine and work from there. - They could easily develop some internal code to replicate what they would need to make the Windows version run on Linux. -- All they'd actually need to do is to create some "Meta code" on Linux and then use this to call standard Windows API's --shouldn't be a problem for a company like Ms --especially since source code for Linux is available and they not unnaturally have Windows and Office source codes too.

I don't actually think a subscription model like Office 365 is the answer --certainly not for individuals -- after 2 years you've probably paid far more than purchasing the software -- Office 2007 student and teacher edition comes in still at only 35 USD and office 2010 can also be had quite cheaply too --why should I rely on a subscription model - price of which could be changed at any time and rely a lot on having to use the Internet --most of my Office docs I do OFFLINE anyway - and then when finished load up to Network shared drives at a later time.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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My last post had nothing to do with Microsoft or Wine, but Linux standing on its own two (or maybe multiple) feet. If it can introduce a viable, tablet/phone OS, then it's game on for young and old. Are we talking about the same thing?
 

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Yes, I know that, but the important thing is who, what, when, where and how it is implemented.
 

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