Microsoft is Ridiculous

DanGrease · November 2nd, 2003, 06:12 PM

I was in a computer store yesterday when I stoped to think about something. There was this man looking at the new Office suite (Office 2003) and I was just observing since I had nothing to do. Well, this man asked for help in the store to explain to him whats the difference between Office 2003 and Office XP. After the usual bla bla bla and how its so much better he said but hasnt Office XP been around in a short period of time? Why a whole new suite? Then the extra bla bla bla but he discovered that a box of Office XP was under the bunch of the new suite and when he looked at the price he went 'But its still expensive, not as before when it was released but its still expensive' and he also explained that he had bought Office XP not so far ago and that he paid a lot of money for it. Why should he pay the same amount that he paid for the previous suite when he had paid so much for the previous in a short period of time ago. He also said that he wanted to buy this new version because the previous was getting slow and giving problems. I just tought 'Man, I can imagine how many people can be fooled from big companies to pay a lot of money since they are people that are ignorant that dont know much about these computer stuff' After that again more bla bla bla and I say the brain wash happening and boom he bought the most expensive version of this suite to see if it would fix his problems. I know I wouldnt spend that much money on an office suite that I know wont be that great and that in a short period of time be replaced with a 'better' one. Same thing (although a bit different) with the Windows versions, but also with all the products of big compaines such as Microsoft. People get 'robbed' or brainwashed and the companies win millions of bucks with these people. I know that not all think like me. Most people think that they must have the most new version of a product because its better and the problems that he has will go away. That day I just wanted to talk to the man and tell him 'You know what, if you want to spend money in useless stuff and get brainwashed go ahead. But if you are smart enough you will see that there are other alternatives.' I think most people use their Office suite for word processing and maybe to do some projects and for the business stuff some excel and email. But for the home users, should they spend that much money on an office suite that will get old in one year when they can get one for free and spend the money on something else? One excellent option is OpenOffice An office suite that can be used to do what most people do with their office suites and sometimes even advanced users dont need the expensive suites and can take advantage of this one. I mean why spend hundreds of dollars when you can get one for free and it actually works? Sometimes people like this man I met that are ignorant rgarding these stuff get me both angry and frustrated but I know most people are like this. I think who spends that amount of money on this new office suite is nuts. I had a friend that complained about how Windows 2000 was so slow for him and all that and that he had paid so much for it and how the person in the store said its so much better and all his problems would go away. The problem is that his machine was full of viruses since he used P2P programs, spyware, no firewall and he blamed the program when the cause of the problem was himself. And 80% of the home users in the world are like this and they spend a huge amount of bucks for what? To complain? Anyways I think Microsoft and all the big companies (specially Microsoft) are ridiculous brainwashing people that make them richer everyday. Just wanted to post my opinions and experiences.

*Please dont turn this thread into a flame war, respect each ones opinions and thought please*

dan

DoctorReno · November 2nd, 2003, 06:25 PM

I agree with you totally. MS intentionally puts product on the market with problems so that the consumer can be convinced that an expensive upgrade will resolve the problems.... which of course has problems that can only be resolved with the next expensive upgrade or version.

Until the majority of the consumers wise up and refuse to buy MS this will continue.

To be fair ... it's not just MS but almost every company manufacturing anything. IMO MS is the most successful at doing this and getting away with it.

osprey4 · November 2nd, 2003, 06:40 PM

I'd be surprised if very many people with Office XP are running out and buying 2003. This is mostly for people still running 97 or 2000.

And I hasten to point out (for the umpteenth time) that it's not the average consumer but businesses that MS is targeting. For example, my company tends to use not the current version but the previous version, then they only upgrade every other version. We're still using 97 but will upgrade to XP next year.

Beemer · November 2nd, 2003, 06:53 PM

Not to mention the MO3 scam.

http://www.skillbytes.co.uk/memex/2003/10/22.html

I know I would have been asked to leave the store after describing the possible implementation of this MO3 ah...virus/trojan on Office 2003.

Just think. This guy will have a program suite that can not talk to other previous versions of the same suite of programs, let alone, no conversion to 3rd party ware.

Snail Mail:
Dear family, friends & associates.

Please purchase Office 2003 so that I may send you my documents that I have created with Office 2003.

PS: Please co-ordinate your O/S to match mine. I am running the new and greatly improved, Windows Longhorn. I am unable to send you E-mail until you change from your 3rd party E-mail client to any one of the offered Microsoft products for the exchange of electronic mail VIA the Internet.

PPS: Contact Microsoft for your new personal I.D. that you will have to use to make any kind of purchase VIA your ATM or Credit card. It's an easy to do process. Just submit your real name and the automated teller will give you your new name. This name will have the given prefix, "Bill" followed by a number. This is voluntary at present but within 6 months will be mandatory and will be illegal to conduct yourself socially or in business without your Microsoft "Bill" I.D.

Hope to be able to hear from you soon,

Signed, MOOooooo....

Cheers!

DanGrease · November 2nd, 2003, 06:57 PM

Yes, but they make us feel like we have an outdated version of Office full of bugs and issues since they decided to make a whole new office suite. So does the 'normal' home user think. As for business and companies its a different story I mus agree witrh you osprey on that. Why make a whole new office suite when there is a great one available according to Microsoft when Office XP was released? They tell and brainwash the people telling that this is a must upgrade since it resloves the issues and holes is the previous version and it will fix your problems. Pfft!, like if spending that amount of money is worth a small upgrade and a few better tools. And believe me, I have a lot of friends and contacts who are saving their money to buy this suite, and most of them have Office XP already. I have Office 2000 and I am perfectly happy with it. Most people in this forum are and think like me I guess, but not all do. Most home users dont and Microsoft and other big companies target this kind of people. And as Reno said it Microsoft is the most successful (not the only) company do to this.

dan

Beemer · November 2nd, 2003, 07:03 PM

If the Office XP is so flawed, shouldn't we get a recall of the product? Should we not get a free fix with these added features to make right with the customer as an apology for the flawed programming of Office XP? The fixed version should be named Office 2003?

Cheers!

ArcticFox · November 2nd, 2003, 07:19 PM

I know!

How about M$ gets a clue and lowers their prices?

Sound good?

They won't, because they know all the bonehead users out their don't know Tux from a cartoon character, and don't care about spending $200-$300 for the latest OS. Of course, they don't know about the OEM versions that cost half as much, they know the logo and that's it.

Get a farking clue Mr. Microsoft, you wonder why people are using "Corporate Edition" versions of your products.

/rant

DanGrease · November 2nd, 2003, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Beemer
If the Office XP is so flawed, shouldn't we get a recall of the product? Should we not get a free fix with these added features to make right with the customer as an apology for the flawed programming of Office XP? The fixed version should be named Office 2003?

Cheers!

Its all about the money. And most of the people are stupid and ignorant and make these 'brainwash' companies richer everyday. Thank god there are still some people that think clear and that there are alternatives too.

dan

mpc · November 2nd, 2003, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Beemer

Just think. This guy will have a program suite that can not talk to other previous versions of the same suite of programs, let alone, no conversion to 3rd party ware.

Snail Mail:
Dear family, friends & associates.

Please purchase Office 2003 so that I may send you my documents that I have created with Office 2003.

Cheers! [/b]

All Office 2003 file formats are compatible with Office 2000 and Office XP and for the most part Office 97.

Beemer · November 2nd, 2003, 08:38 PM

OK. The user has the IRM to configure the creating program to not open to previous versions of Office if warranted.

I used a little to much licence in my play. I still feel as though there is a scary trend forming here.

I like Microsoft programs and features but I think Microsoft will go to far, and not to far in the future.

Cheers!