Re: Redmond's Con Game

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance


"Allen" <allen@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:46cc9d11$0$28830$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mark wrote:
<snip>

Still, it's not as cheap as OpenOffice. Well, maybe, in the long run,
it's cheaper than OpenOffice because MS offers practical support to real
endusers that OpenOffice and, for that matter, most GNUey & Linuxy
products just fail to provide.

Is it possible that alternatives to Office don't require as much support
as Office? MS has a way with hiding "features" in places the average user
would never think of looking, and quite often the built-in defaults are
counter to what the average user wants. I have been using Word since 1985
(release 3, as I recall) for the simple reason that it was the first WP
program with built-in support for LaserJet printers and I got tired of
writing routines to support the LJ in other apps. My wife, though, has
been using Word for less than half that time and also has not been using
computers nearly as long as me and has constant problems with what Word
sometimes does with her documents.
Allen


It's possible, but not likely. More precisely, any comparable product will,
of necessity, have approximately the same level of complexity and, thus,
will need a similar level of help and support.

MS provides support on multiple levels. For instance, I find it's useful to
suggest to neophytes that they keep the "office assistant" turned on and ask
it questions even before they go searching through the help system proper.
Many times the office assistant will provide the needed answer. If it
doesn't, however, I then point the user to the help contents. Let me give an
example... my wife's is a K12 educator, so one thing a teacher might be
interested in is making a calendar. If she asked me for help, I'd say
"Darlin', ask the office assistant something like "create a calendar" and
see what it says." Office Assistant returns a slew of appropriate answers.
Topmost is "Create a Calendar (Help using Wizards) Next listed are a number
of templates that deal with calendars. For my money, the wizard sounds like
what's needed, but I suppose others might scan the list of ready made
templates. The end of the list contains "other places to look." Among the
choices here are "clip art and media," "get answers from other
users,"research," and "Knowledge base search."

In an effort to be fair, I've installed the latest OOwin (v 2.21.) Lets see,
I can't find the equivalent of the Office Assistant. Bummer. OK, so I open
up the help system and look at the contents...looking.... looking.....
looking....oh, the heck with it, let me see if the index has a reference to
"calendar"... nope... Ok, well maybe something under "creat???."...bingo!
there are some entries under "creating" but nothing about creating a
calendar. Bummer. OK, let's do a search on "calendar" - two hits, "number
format codes" and "more controls." OK, so I've been screwing around with
OO's help and still don't have an answer. What's next? Where do I go for
help? Maybe Google?

Ok, so part of the difference I see is that MS has "anticpated" what so
called "real users" might want to do. It's a subtle difference, I think. MS
anticipates and the Open Software community mostly just "reacts." MS also
provides substantial online support, tools, and training, as a quick look at
their Office Online site (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx )
will confirm. I can't find anything at the Open Office project that even
begins to compare.

MS also targets special interest groups. For instance, consider their site
for educators at http://www.microsoft.com/education/default.mspx. Pretty
impressive, eh? And then, of course, MS offers support for those that want
to develop products for Office as a quick look at
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/office/default.aspx shows.

I could go on, but I won't. Instead, I'll just offer to readers that there's
probably quite a few office suites that can do what Office does, at least
after a fashion. At the same time, however, I'll suggest that it's really
MS's superior support that makes the difference when productivity is the
issue. I'll also suggest that MS spends great amounts of both time and money
to ensure their support is the best it can be.





MS also expends effort on "classes" of users. For instance,


.

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