RSSOffice 2003 Released to Manufacturing
By Nate Mook | Published August 19, 2003, 5:24 PM
After ten months in beta testing, including a last-minute Beta 2 refresh, the final Office 2003 code has been released to manufacturing. Microsoft says that more than 600,000 beta testers took part in the development effort - one of the largest in company history.
"The release to manufacturers of the Microsoft Office System is a milestone, not only in terms of the unprecedented development and testing work that went into it, but also because it enables customers to piece together data and operational aspects of their business where the real work happens: at individuals' desktops," said Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president of Microsoft's Information Worker Group.
Microsoft will ship Office System to volume licensees and OEMs by the end of September, with a retail launch slated for October 21. A gala event in New York will be held to kick off the new Office suite.
"We wish to extend a hearty thank you for your participation in the pre-release program," Office beta coordinators wrote in an e-mail to testers. "You helped make Office 2003 Editions, FrontPage 2003, OneNote 2003, Visio 2003, Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager, SharePoint Portal Server 2003, and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services GREAT!"
As a way of thanking beta testers, Microsoft will send out a gift package by October.
Pricing for Office 2003 remains unchanged from Office XP. The full versions of the suite will run $399 USD for Standard Edition, $449 USD for Small Business Edition and $499 for Office 2003 Professional.
A Student and Teacher Edition, which can be activated on up to three computers and used in any household with a student or teacher, will be available for $149.
Office newcomers InfoPath and OneNote will each retail for $199, although a $100 mail-in rebate is available to OneNote customers. Visio 2003 pricing is set at $199 for Standard and $499 for Professional.
Microsoft has posted detailed pricing information to its Office 2003 preview Web site, as well as comparisons between the different Office editions.
here look for yourself:
http://www.microsoft.com...ew/choosing/default.asp
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|I am currently using a beta version of office 2003. When using send & receive in outlook i always have a mass of mail for sending, (last time over 6500000 messages). The truth of the matter is I am oftne not really sending anything at all, these are ghost messages. Where are they being generated and how can I stop them. Anyone any ideas? I am guessing that I am looking at a registry issue here but hoping someone will be able to help.
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|whats the final build?
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|They made OneNote (the only truly useful new feature) a separate program costing an extra $100.00. The price is too high for the lack of value.
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|Ok... this is the LAST time.
They do make a version for home users, it's called Microsoft Works. Try doing at least some research before you blast.
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|First of all Microsoft Works is just filler. Seriously, who uses MS Works? Not to mention, that the version of Word in Works DOES NOT work with the version of Word in Office (gee, why would Microsoft not make its own software comp. with its own software). You should see how many people from home who use Works come to school and try to open their .doc in Office and it just wont work. There are some ways around it, but give me a break. Moreover, if Works is the home version of office and just as "useful" why is it $200-$300 less than Office. Hmmmmm...
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|The point is Works isn't as useable (read, powerful) as Office, simply because the average home user only has very basic needs.
If someone has Office at work, and they need to do work at home, then they need to request an Office license from their employer.
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|Did we really accept Microsoft to be a deal??? I usually tell people to buy the Student/Teacher Edition. A majority of PC users (homeusers) only use Microsoft Word and Powerpoint. Access and Excel are mostly used in business enivornments. Those that need Access and Excel can usually get a copy from their employer if they really need it for their work at home. I have Office 2002 Professional at home and haven't even used Outlook, Frontpage, Excel, nor Access. The Teacher/Student Edition will cater to the average PC user and since all you need is a student and/or teacher I'm sure most will be able to meet that requirement.
The problem with all MS Office packages is that they are priced for big business. The consumer gets lost in this pricing scheme. I honestly wouldn't have a problem paying $150 or $200 for Office 2003 Pro, but anything over $300 is a joke.
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|I don't know if the restriction is still in place, but originally the Student/Teacher version carried the restriction that it was not upgradable. If you're suggesting it to peopel you may want to warn them so that they aren't surprised if they later purchase an upgrade copy to the next version and it refuses to apply.
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|...but I doubt I will be buying it. The price is just too steep and while it's better is it that much better?
that's the rub--if Microsoft would price it within the means of more people, Office wouldn't be among the top two or three most pirated software packages.
I'd shell out $200 without hesitation--I'd buy it on the first day, but when you hit $500 that's nuts.
I will probably buy the standalone of Excel, since I use it and many of its features, but Word 97 still gets the job done for me, and I almost never use Powerpoint and Outlook. I'd love to have the new Access, but don't use it enough to warrant the cost. And Publisher?
Who the heck uses Publisher? It's actually very nice, but the people who do dtp use Quark or InDesign, and people who don't do dtp probably use the basic stuff they give away for free with printers and cd-burners.
At $500, it's just not very compelling. Sell more at a lower cost, make more overall.
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|"that's the rub--if Microsoft would price it within the means of more people, Office wouldn't be among the top two or three most pirated software packages."
ROFL Oh yeah....right.
How do you square that claim with the fact that two of the top 5 most pirated software packages are under $30?
People who pirate it don't do so because it's expensive....they do so because they are lowlife scumbag theives.
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|Open Office 1.1/Star Office 6.1 are very good!
Give them a try!
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|Jesus, anything over $300 for Microsoft Office is MUCH too steep; especially when you consider that you could use a competing productivity for MUCH less or absolutely FREE. Most people will not even use close to half of MSOFF functionality so they should probably stick to Wordpad. The student and teacher discount is nice and all but, for a product that has a bit of a short life span, there should be other price ranges that take into consideration those of us that actually WORK for a leaving (not to say that teachers do not, of course ). How about a Techie Aficionado price? Yeah.. I like how that sounds. Charge the huge companies that fat price tag. Hmmmm.. I see many warez servers being bogged down at zero hour. =oX
Ooooh.. Last-minute thought: offer a mid-range price for techies and they may very well recommend your product to their clients, friends, and family; WHAT a break-through concept!
/me thinks Microsoft needs better marketing people
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|GEEBUS!! Pardon my accent... I meant to say "living", not leaving. I think that I may be subconsciously wanting to leave.. No.. Wait.. I CONSCIOUSLY wish to leave my job now. MEH... =o\
/me has eyes set on Vision 2003
/me is disgusted by price tag
/me uses FreeDraw and is happy
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|If you don't use all the features in Office, and other apps offer the same features that you use for a lower cost, then by all means, you should use the other product, if it works better for you.
But you have to realise the world doesn't revolve around you. Office has many offerings, all of which can be bought separately, none of which is useless.
The fact of the matter is, Office is bar far the most advanced, powerful, and useable Office suite to date.... but only use what you need to use, if you can get something for free and it works for you, get it.
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|It's also worth nothing that The Student and Teacher Edition is an amazing deal, especially considering the number of households with either. And you can use it on three machines. That's a complete steal and well outweighs the trouble of using a free Office suite (unless one suits your needs).
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|Unfortunately after one graduates you must buy the full retail edition to replace it if you continue to use it. I wonder how much longer till the free office packages erode their marketshare and force lower prices.
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|"/me thinks Microsoft needs better marketing people"
Why? Based on MS Office revenu I'd say the current ones are doing fine.
Remember, it's about maximizing revenue. Would more people buy it if it cost 1/3 as much? Sure. But would over three times as many do so and therefore increase revenue over what it is now? Probably not.
And Microsoft isn't suffering from losing the customers who refuse to pay what MS Office costs. It's still so widely used that its file formats are the unofficial "standard" that anyone competing with it has to support in order to even have a chance.
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