Microsoft wants to change its distribution strategy for Office suite and the company is already working to implement it. Recently, Microsoft has notified their OEM PC partners that Windows 8 will not come with Office Starter 2010. This is a switch from the software vendors previous stance on providing free Office Starter software with pre-installed OEM versions of Windows 7. Users of Windows 8 would have to buy a separate license of Office suites.
Office Starter 2010 was packed with basic document viewing and editing options for Word 2010 and Excel 2010. The Office Starter was specially designed for replacing the Microsoft Works trial, it was preloaded on new OEM PCs. Microsoft wanted to lock the users into the Office ecosystem with the Office Starter package, and monetize from the lock down later on. However, the company won’t follow this approach with Windows 8.
A spokesperson from Microsoft has confirmed and explained, “We will begin to phase out the shipment of PCs with Office Starter 2010. After Windows 8 becomes available, most new PCs shipped will not have Office Starter. People who use Office Starter 2010 today will continue to be able to use the product for the life of their PC. For Windows 7/Office Starter 2010 users who want to upgrade their PC to Windows 8 and continue using Office Starter 2010, they will have to install an update to Microsoft Office 2010 which is available today.”
Source: ZDNET
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