Discussion on:

Evermore Integrated Office 2003: The first real Office

I took a look to see the licensing costs for volume purchases, and noticed that the cost is $99 per seat PER YEAR. It says right on top of the cost column that you are LEASING the software.
This is where Microsoft would like to be leading us.

Another alternative to MS Office is OpenOffice, a totally free open source package. Have a look at http://www.openoffice.org

At $99 per year, that means we lease EIOffice and after 4 years we've paid for MSOffice!! The problem with Micro$oft is that they will want to charge $400 per year for their lease!!

And, MS bundled Binder with Office, but no one uses it!! If no one uses it, then why bother to make the apps within MSOffice work well together!?!?!?!?!?

I did not see an annual fee for ElOffice. I read the article and the web site to say $99.00 PURCHASE. One payment.

I checked the website on the specifications and requirements page and found: $ 99 USD (12 month lease). Sorry, it appears to be a 12 month lease.

I checked the website on the specifications and requirements page and found: $ 99 USD (12 month lease). Sorry, it appears to be a 12 month lease.

TD, Have you ever used Microsoft Binder? Using this to consolidate access to a number of simple MS-Word documents is very inefficient. Switching from one document to the other requires a click and wait that is interminable. That is the reason no one uses MS-Binder.

If someone can make the process efficient, it would be a great way to manage project documents, other than the directory tree hierarchy.

Binder is an extremely useful utility (even with it's limitations) I am at loss why MS has taken it out. It only proves what I expalin it to other most users don't strech the MS Office to it's fullest capacity. My experience is, once you do it you realise others are followers and MS Office is a LEADER

If you aren't using all the powerful features of MS Office (or Open Office or Word Perfect Office for that matter) and you want a completely integrated program, try using either Apple Works or MS Works.

Sun's StarOffice is integrated under a shell.
Why would I want a single file format for wp, spreadsheet and presentation? Microsoft's files are already bloated. A single file format would surely be even larger, and our dear "innovative" friends at MS would have even more reason to close the format to outside programmers.

MS hasn't integrated under a single launching program because they have DDE and ODBC to do the linking. They don't innovate until they have someone else's success to copy.

I seem to recall an office suite that was all the rave back in the late '80s because it integrated documents, spreadsheets and even some database functions. It was put out by Lotus and it was called Symphony and at the time it was a very good product. The question is, why did it lose out to the non-integrated suites that came later? Perhaps integration isn't all it's cracked up to be?

I like the posts so far, typical/obvious conversations on cost, history, and technology. Some other things to consider:

Are we forgetting Microsoft Access? The bastard desktop Database Application SQL Server? That product, to some organizations, is well worth the price of all the bundles, however, there is an additional charge for it. This brings up the OTHER something everyone is forgetting...

IF Microsoft bundles all its products, it will LOSE sales to those who only need a word processor, or only need a spreadsheet, or presentation program. I know many small businesses who only need one or two office applications, and they pay a little more for the seperated product. Microsoft would lose those customers if they didn't sell them in both ways: individually, and bundled office suite.

This is also the reason for the seperate file formats. You really think Microsoft failed at integration? Pahlease...

They failed to come up with a business plan for selling an integrated suite based on their current sales forecasts on indivually packaged products. When MS has an opportunity to increase margins with new technology is the ONLY time they bring it out, or they purchase it (aquisition), or consider to invest in R&D for it. Too many examples to quote here...

Somthing to think about... I wonder (not if but) how much stock MS has vested in Evermore Software.
HHmmmm...