The new version of Office for Mac (2016) came out a few weeks ago and I finally got around to downloading the software this morning. Seeing as how I've transferred most of my work to run on Google Drive these days, this wasn't as big a deal as it used to be, but it's still always memorable when you upgrade the Office suite. I remember getting Office '03 on my first college computer and since then upgrading each cycle in 2007, 2010, and Office for Mac in 2011. Though most features remain the same, there's one really big change: the price.
It used to be that the "full price" for the Office suite was somewhere around $500...though as a student I only ever paid about $120. In the new pricing model, however, it runs as a subscription service of around $10 per month...or, in the event you're a student or a teacher, the entire suite is free. A product Microsoft used to charge hundreds of dollars for is now a free download provided you have the right type of email address. Pretty amazing if you were to look back a decade.
All of this really goes to reflect the change in commerce especially when it comes to software and content. People now expect these "basic" services like Office productivity to be provided gratis, leaving money to be made through subscriptions, ads, and clicks. While I'm certainly a fan as a consumer, I'm curious how this will affect the overall quality going forward. When you're giving away something like this for free, there's always a catch at some point or another.
It used to be that the "full price" for the Office suite was somewhere around $500...though as a student I only ever paid about $120. In the new pricing model, however, it runs as a subscription service of around $10 per month...or, in the event you're a student or a teacher, the entire suite is free. A product Microsoft used to charge hundreds of dollars for is now a free download provided you have the right type of email address. Pretty amazing if you were to look back a decade.
All of this really goes to reflect the change in commerce especially when it comes to software and content. People now expect these "basic" services like Office productivity to be provided gratis, leaving money to be made through subscriptions, ads, and clicks. While I'm certainly a fan as a consumer, I'm curious how this will affect the overall quality going forward. When you're giving away something like this for free, there's always a catch at some point or another.
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