Microsoft makes the ‘quality’ argument regarding draconian activation on Mac Office
Microsoft on Mac Office’s draconian product activation (which makes the product literally unusable if you don’t activate it within 15 days):
Microsoft Product Activation tries to reduce counterfeit software, and to make sure that Microsoft customers receive the software quality that they expect.
(Source: Macworld.)
Compare this with Apple’s iWork, which as of iWork ’09 even ditched licence codes entirely. With iWork, you just install the app and it works. However, having used iWork ’09 and Office 2008 extensively, I can say the former definitely has more ‘quality’ than the latter; so unless Office 2011 is an absolutely massive improvement to go along with its stupid new activation, Microsoft’s taking shit.
Additionally, how long will it be before Office 2011 is cracked? Once again, those who’ve legally bought a product will be saddled with a worse user experience than those who torrent the thing. So, well done, Microsoft, for joining the boneheaded brigade. And extra points for turning the two-computer install from Office 2008 into a single-computer install for 2011, forcing those who have a back-up machine or use a desktop at home and a laptop at work to buy an extra licence. Stay classy, Redmond guys.
Actually the whole thing about Office for the Mac is that the “famously Mac-focused” team that created it have erased the only real reason to prefer it over iWork: if you’re familiar with Office for the PC, you’d expect the Mac version to work in the same way. But oh no, none of that! We’re independent! We don’t care if you’ve used PC Excel for 20 years and have alt+= programmed into your bones; we’ll make you create a SUM formula in a DIFFERENT way!
Well, fuck that. If I have to learn a new way to create a spreadsheet, I’ll just learn Numbers.
I guess it depends on your line of thinking. Your argument is the one Adobe’s currently using regarding its ham-fisted attempts to create some kind of Adobe OS within its CS suite; personally, I’d rather have applications tailored to the platform, rather than stuff that works the same across Windows and Mac OS X. However, in terms of shortcuts, there’s not really any excuse, and there’s no real reason why Microsoft cannot provide multiple sets. Mind you, shortcuts in Office 2008 were horribly broken, and I’ve no idea if Microsoft’s Mac Business Unit fixed that for the latest release.