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In the past seven weeks, more than 2 million people<\/a> have downloaded the beta for Microsoft Office 2010. That’s a whopping 40,000 downloads per day. It’s a record breaking pace, surpassing the beta release for Microsoft Office 2007. <\/p>\nIt begs the question: In the face of so many free options, why are people so loyal to Microsoft Office?<\/p>\n
Sponsor<\/em> There are a few possible reasons:<\/p>\n Microsoft has a locked in user base. It is an enterprise standard. As the story goes, no one has ever been fired for buying Microsoft.<\/p>\n As one person replied to the question on Aardvark<\/a>: “A lot of the free options simply aren’t suitable for corporate use. You are basically out of luck if your free-no-guarantees Google Docs spreadsheet disappears. The free products do not have the complex formulas, interconnecting tables and client data that comes with Microsoft Office.”<\/p>\n Another person stated on Aardvark: “That is because it is the most accepted office package. Try doing business without the capability. I had to purchase it just to be able to work at home instead of extended office hours. Now I am loading Open Office on all computers I repair and send out. I also think Google is going to do a large bite into Microsoft business.”<\/p>\n This is where we wonder about how the events over the past few days may affect the future of Microsoft Office. Google is coming on strong with it’s Nexus One<\/a>. Couple that with its big push into the enterprise and you have to wonder what Microsoft is going to do to counter Google’s undeniable momentum.<\/p>\n We are still waiting Windows Mobile 7. LG did let it slip<\/a> at CES yesterday that Windows Mobile 7 will be available later this year. The Microsoft Office Web Apps<\/a> are in beta with limited usability. The full-featured version will be available in the Spring. It will require a Sharepoint server. The free edition will only allow you to view documents.<\/p>\n Enterprise 2.0 applications are a whole other issue. Its user interfaces are web-oriented and mobile-friendly. This new breed of applications will be increasingly enticing to Office customers. <\/p>\n Two million downloads is impressive but loyalty is a fickle thing. The real test is still to come. <\/p>\n Discuss<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
How long will the loyalty last?<\/h2>\n