Software

Microsoft: Buy Office 365, Not Office 2013. Or You'll Be Sorry

For those still wondering whether to choose Microsoft's traditional Office productivity software suite or the new, subscription-based Office 365, consider this: traditional Office users will have to wait for "updates," and they won't receive any new "upgrades" to the service at all.

And there's another consideration, too: Office 2013 is apparently locked to a single machine, perpetually, while Office 365 licenses are sold to a group of users, who can license and de-license PCs at will.

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 February 2013 19:46

It's free! WinZip for Windows 8

WinZip Computing has announced that its WinZip for Windows 8 app is now available for free.

This represents a fairly swift change of direction, as it’s not even three months since the app first appeared in the Windows Store with a price tag of $7.99.

Still, given the number of other quality free archiving tools around, the move probably isn’t a great surprise.

Last Updated on Monday, 11 February 2013 12:28

Microsoft Considering A Linux Version Of Office In 2014

Now this is a watershed moment — Microsoft is looking at offering a Linux version of Office in 2014.

According to ExtremeTech, Microsoft is taking a “meaningful look” at releasing a full Linux port of Office in 2014. That would be quite something and it makes perfect sense. It’s apparent that Office, as proprietary software, will not regain the luster of its enterprise glory years. Open sourcing Office gives the company a window, no pun intended, into collaborating with a developer community outside the .NET universe.

Extreme Tech reports that rumors of the Linux version of Office surfaced last weekend at FOSDEM, the open source conference held annually in Brussels. Sources there told ExtremeTech that the meaningful consideration is prompted by Microsoft’s realization that Linux may be a viable commercial opportunity after all.

Last Updated on Thursday, 07 February 2013 14:40

Microsoft issues tools to block IE10 upgrades on Windows 7

Microsoft has released tools to block Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) from automatically reaching corporate PCs running Windows 7, a sign that the new browser will not release for at least several weeks.

The IE10 Automatic Update Blocker Toolkit is designed for enterprises that want to keep workers on an older edition of IE. Its tools include a script that can be run locally, as well as an administrative template IT administrators can use to widely block IE10 through Group Policy settings.

Last Updated on Monday, 04 February 2013 14:27

Today is last chance to get Windows 8 Pro cheap, tomorrow prices rise 400%

Last day. Windows 8 Pro is $39.99 direct download from Microsoft Store online, or $69.99 for box with DVD. Tomorrow you'll pay $199.99. That's a 400 percent price increase. If you purchased a Windows 7 PC between June 2 and today, you are entitled to the OS for a mere $14.99 and have until the end of February to redeem the upgrade.

Windows Media Center add-on is free today, $9.99 tomorrow. In other words January 31 can be summed up using a phrase that should ring familiar to Microsoft -- Zero Day.

The new pricing is in line with Windows 7 at launch. Microsoft merely brought out the big promotion to jump start Windows 8 sales.

Last Updated on Thursday, 31 January 2013 13:59