Comments on: U.S. Government to Buy Software From Corel http://www.forevergeek.com/2005/03/us_government_to_buy_software_from_corel/ Nerds are for Dorks Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:15:36 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Scrivs http://www.forevergeek.com/2005/03/us_government_to_buy_software_from_corel/comment-page-1/#comment-10098 Scrivs Tue, 08 Mar 2005 02:50:04 +0000 http://forevergeek.com/?p=1338#comment-10098 But with the government I don't think they are ever looking for better software, they just wanted something cheaper. No reason to make something better than Word when you can beat them on price and over 90% of the features that makes Word so bloated nobody ever use anyways. There are no reasons given as to why the government would make the switch, but if they did it because they think Corel is better I would like to know why. But with the government I don’t think they are ever looking for better software, they just wanted something cheaper.

No reason to make something better than Word when you can beat them on price and over 90% of the features that makes Word so bloated nobody ever use anyways.

There are no reasons given as to why the government would make the switch, but if they did it because they think Corel is better I would like to know why.

]]> By: Jon http://www.forevergeek.com/2005/03/us_government_to_buy_software_from_corel/comment-page-1/#comment-10097 Jon Mon, 07 Mar 2005 20:53:09 +0000 http://forevergeek.com/?p=1338#comment-10097 Don't get me wrong, I think the OpenOffice people are doing what they set out to do very well. The problem is that they didn't set out to make a *better* word processor than Word. They set out to make a fully compatible alternative that a Word user who switches to Linux could use happily with essentially a zero learning curve. Given the objective of achieving 100% compatibility with Office, there is little opportunity for OpenOffice to become *better* software, except in the sense that it seems hard *not* to improve on the current Microsoft programs. While Corel has been working hard to keep "down" with Microsoft--resulting in much unnecessary bloating, addition of useless features and removal of useful ones--it has at least some incentive to try to produce software that is "better" to encourage people to switch. If the government's move enables Corel to regain even a little market share, there might eventually again be room for genuine competition. Don’t get me wrong, I think the OpenOffice people are doing what they set out to do very well. The problem is that they didn’t set out to make a *better* word processor than Word. They set out to make a fully compatible alternative that a Word user who switches to Linux could use happily with essentially a zero learning curve.

Given the objective of achieving 100% compatibility with Office, there is little opportunity for OpenOffice to become *better* software, except in the sense that it seems hard *not* to improve on the current Microsoft programs.

While Corel has been working hard to keep “down” with Microsoft–resulting in much unnecessary bloating, addition of useless features and removal of useful ones–it has at least some incentive to try to produce software that is “better” to encourage people to switch. If the government’s move enables Corel to regain even a little market share, there might eventually again be room for genuine competition.

]]> By: John http://www.forevergeek.com/2005/03/us_government_to_buy_software_from_corel/comment-page-1/#comment-10096 John Mon, 07 Mar 2005 17:42:19 +0000 http://forevergeek.com/?p=1338#comment-10096 Corel has always seemed to have the stronger product in my opinion, without relying on proprietary gimicks and forced incompatability. All in all a good choice. Corel has always seemed to have the stronger product in my opinion, without relying on proprietary gimicks and forced incompatability.

All in all a good choice.

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