Who Cares About Microsoft Office for Linux?

I wouldn't buy a copy of Microsoft Office for Linux but I think it is a good thing that it is being ported.

The chances are that this move will encourage more users to use Linux. Some people might not be using Linux purely because they haven't got the applications in Linux that they have in Windows and whilst using WINE is a possibility or using a virtual machine is a possibility it isn't the same as running an application on it's native system.

Soooo ok... either this might aid Microsoft in places where there has been mass migrations to Linux. They could score a few enterprise deals.

Or they plan to put no effort into it, everyone complains about how badly it works, and then MS blames it on the OS, thereby creating some horribly expensive FUD.

I guess it's axiomatic that Microsoft will do what's good for Microsoft. Given Android's continued dominance in the smart phone market, I can see a lot of upside for MS coming out with some application for Android that can handle MS Office formats. For MS there could be gold in them thar hills.

I think it was 1997 that I wrote "Microsoft ought to release Office for Linux. If they do that, they'll lock up the Office software suite for decades."

Now they're just playing catch-up.

And I agree with Jacog, that's exactly what they'll do. The Microsoft Way is to have everything run on Windows.

I will continue to use LibreOffice and other F/OSS, if for no other reason than to spite MS.

I pretty much agree with all the comments so far. Forrester Research puts enterprise Linux desktop adoption at 9% of the market. That's a fairly significant number. Microsoft wants a piece of that number back and releasing Office for Linux is one way to get it. Also, as @pmpatrick points out, both Android and ChromeOS are Linux and both are selling well right now.

@jacog: Could the result be horribly expensive FUD? Maybe, but FUD hasn't stopped Linux uptake up until now and I doubt any new FUD will do much damage.

As MS doesn't have a record of trust and loyalty, I rather believe it will be playing with fire crackers, you'll get hurt at some point, how and when will depend on the implementation and offerings. MS Office is by far not the only application suite that ties companies to the Windows environment, they won't invest in switching to Linux desktop and then pay again licences for MS Office. There won't be volume rebate on Office for Linux sales, why should MS do so ?

MS realizes that those who migrated to Linux and FOSS apps. aren't coming back because it just doesn't make business sense. The only reason it would be willing to make MSOffice available on Linux is to at least keep future migrants to Linux from using other native office apps.

As Linux steadily getting better surpassing Windows and the record number of new Linux based devices being sold, MS is anticipating a deluge of Linux new adopters. This move would be a must to prevent losing its 2nd cash cow along with its 1st.

Fettoosh, I only disagree in that I think Office is MS's #1.

Thanks Bob, I guess your are right

> There won't be volume rebate on Office for Linux sales, why should MS do so ?

Because that's one of MS's standard tactics in undermining competition?

At least, that's how it used to go: To get a "good deal" the customer has to pay an MS license for every device on the premises, regardless of what software is actually on the computer, and even regardless of what software can run on the computer.

And once the enterprise is already paying for for the licenses, the bosses find it very easy take the short-sighted decision that it's "just not worth the trouble" to deal with "interoperability issues" with other software, and to stick with "seamless" MS "solutions"...

MS Office is Microsoft's cash cow. Microsoft will resort to whatever course they feel will best defend the network effects (the ubiquity) supporting and securing the MS Office monopoly. Just look back at the fairlyMS actions surrounding ODF/OOXML and ISO if you need a reminder of how far, and how low, MS are willing to go.