Google announced earlier this month that they will be offering Sun Star Office free as part of their Google Pack. The product previously sold for $70 while Open Office has been free. So what does that mean for Sun and Microsoft? According to Don Dodge, Director of the Enterprise Business Team at Microsoft “Over a decade, Open Office / Star Office has not challenged Microsoft’s supremacy, and a free, unsupported version from Google won’t have much impact.” Is it just me or does this statement seem overly arrogant and short sighted? Mr. Dodge goes on to talk about Microsoft’s commitment to their Office products. While I would agree that MS Office brings a lot to the table it also carries a hefty price tag.
Don’t underestimate the power of Google. Being part of the Google Pack offers a huge credibility boost to Star Office. People are already familiar and comfortable with their other applications such as Google Earth.
I know I will continue to use MS Office for business but will likely move over to the free Star Office at home. How many of you will give it a try? Might this move effect Microsoft’s market share in the long term?
Visit the Google Pack site to download Star Office free. For more information read our Star Office review.