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Report: Microsoft Mulling Office for Linux for Next Year

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Let the countdown to 2014 begin.

Microsoft is said to be considering releasing a version of Office for Linux. Phoronix reports that Microsoft is taking a 'meaningful look' at producing Office for Linux in 2014.

Earlier this week, Michael Larabel, founder of Phoronix, tweeted that he had heard Microsoft was looking into producing Office for Linux next year. Larabel expanded on that tweet in a blog post published on Phoronix this week. According to Larabel, the information comes from a source he spoke to during the Free Open-Source Developers' European Meeting (FOSDEM) this past weekend. This source told Larabel that Microsoft is taking a "meaningful look" at a full port of Office for Linux. The reason for Microsoft's increased interest in Linux is apparently due to Linux showing signs of commercial viability on the desktop.

Indeed, with Microsoft rumored to working on Office for Android, the idea of Office for Linux is pretty plausible (the Android OS is itself based on Linux).

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26 Comments Comment from the forums
  • 08 February 2013 04:12
    Whats wrong with Libre Office?
    Reply
  • 08 February 2013 04:14
    Ever tried to exchange non-trivial documents with people using Office on Windows?
    Reply
  • 08 February 2013 04:22
    Whats wrong with Libre Office?
    It doesn't make MS any money, duh.
    Reply
  • twelve25 08 February 2013 04:27
    I can't see Linux users being willing to pay $100-400 for an office suite.
    Reply
  • jhansonxi 08 February 2013 04:39
    Twelve25I can't see Linux users being willing to pay $100-400 for an office suite.Business users who are already running Office one Wine or CrossOver Office would prefer a native version. But for many people, web-based solutions are adequate:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_word_processors#Online
    Reply
  • itookmypills 08 February 2013 04:51
    I still wouldn't use it. LibreOffice meets, and exceeds, my needs.
    Reply
  • AndrewMD 08 February 2013 05:01
    itookmypillsI still wouldn't use it. LibreOffice meets, and exceeds, my needs.
    Microsoft is not targeting people like you. If you like Libre Office then continue to use it. However for clients that need 100% compatibility will seek the investment into Microsoft's Office for Linux.
    Reply
  • toadhammer 08 February 2013 05:11
    igorSDEver tried to exchange non-trivial documents with people using Office on Windows?
    AndrewMDMicrosoft is not targeting people like you. If you like Libre Office then continue to use it. However for clients that need 100% compatibility will seek the investment into Microsoft's Office for Linux.
    As igorSD and AndrewMD implied, if you have both ms and libre trading edits, strange things start happening to documents. That's not acceptable for businesses or anyone who cares what the end result actually looks like (document templates, publishing, etc).
    Reply
  • twelve25 08 February 2013 06:05
    It's still a TINY market.
    Reply
  • antilycus 08 February 2013 06:22
    Twelve25It's still a TINY market.Try again, linux is, by far, the most used operating system in the world.

    toadhammerAs igorSD and AndrewMD implied, if you have both ms and libre trading edits, strange things start happening to documents. That's not acceptable for businesses or anyone who cares what the end result actually looks like (document templates, publishing, etc).I've been doing this for years without a single problem. Creating, open and edit, change, MS Office 2003, 2007 AND 2010/12 without anyone ever complaining. While I am sure there are people out there that have issues, Microsoft is the problem here, not the answer. Open Document system was created for a reason, Microsoft needs to get off their high horse and businesses need to be smarter about who they hire or contract to design their I.T. systems. MS is on it's way the door. The only people that don't want to believe that are I.T. admins for windows networks, ones that are of the mind set (if something new comes out, we have to get it, its only a matter of it). It's that mind set that has destroyed computers in business today.

    Long and skinny, Libre Office is a massive threat to Microsoft and they are trying to make it dissappear by creating an Office suite for Linux, even though it already has a great one (which happens to be free).
    Reply