Topic: Office "needs more than a tune-up", says Gates

[Simon]

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has criticised one of the company's biggest cash cows - Microsoft Office - admitting the package needs "more than a tune-up".

Gates, who recently resigned as Microsoft chairman to become a technology adviser to new CEO Satya Nadella, signalled that the company was set to take even greater risks with its long-standing product lines, suggesting big changes were afoot for Office, and possibly Windows, too.

"Office and the other Microsoft assets that we built in the nineties and kept tuning up have lasted a long time," Gates said in an interview with Rolling Stone, conceivably referring to both Office and Windows.

"Now, they need more than a tune-up. But that's pretty exciting for the people inside who say, 'We need to take a little risk and do some new stuff'."

Gates didn't stipulate what that "new stuff" might be, although Microsoft is known to be working on a touch-oriented version of Office for iOS, which it's expected to release ahead of finger-friendly apps for its own OSes.

Read more: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/387589/office-needs-more-than-a-tune-up-says-gates

[Clive]

That means the new version will not be backwards compatible.   

[Simon]

I'll stick to my Office 2007. 

[Clive]

I'll stick with 2000.   

[Simon]

Luddite! 

[daveeb]

I'll stick with 2000.   

Another luddite here. I use 2000 at home and 2007 at work. Other than not being able to open .docx documents i find 2000 is more more user friendly and intuitive. Pah progress indeed. 

[Clive]

And I've installed Office 2000 on dozens of computers as there is no limit to the number of times you can do it. 

[Simon]

[daveeb]

And I've installed Office 2000 on dozens of computers as there is no limit to the number of times you can do it. 

It'd be rude not too 

[Den]

I have been using Office 2010 since it came out and love it. I had both 2000 and 2007 and I think they all have been good. I always use Outlook for my emails but tend to use Works Database for my alarm customer list as I could not figure out how to transfer to Office database. 

[chorleydave]

I use Office 2010, but only because it is used at work and all staff get a free copy for home use.  Otherwise, I'd probably use Libre Office.