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Something tells me that there would be a reverse-engineering version of Microsoft Office 2003 (aka the ribbon-less version) under an open source license agreement in the near future. The 2003 interface and function are perfect enough for your average computer users.
Are you saying you missed the existence of Open Office?... O_o
PS. Plus I have doubts if "2003 interface and function are perfect enough for your average computer users" - from what I see 1) that UI doesn't really work out too well for them (and hopefully it's not a case of "least evil", hopefully there will be progress) 2) something between Wordpad, Abiword, LyX and TeXmacs would probably fit much better and be more than enough function-wise (for ~"word processor" element, but it's generally similar with others)
Edited 2012-02-10 18:00 UTC
I imagine many people could be swayed by such deal and be rather glad, Office being basically the only essential "very desktop" application they use... (as for the "typical rest": browser, IM, music, videos, some light gaming - I don't really see anything which doesn't already work well on ~smartphonified UIs)
Bonus (for MS): no Open Office / Libre Office (which BTW I can see as something the EU etc. would take issue with - so maybe, down the road, this will mean forcing at least partial opening of "desktop" WOA)




Member since:
2006-01-04
There will be a desktop, but just for Office and Explorer. Great.
You get "free" Office in exchange for the right to determine how and how long you can use the hardware. When MS stops the support for the device you will have to buy a new one.
Brave new world