Microsoft Testing "Pay-As-You-Go" Software

seriouslywtf writes "Microsoft has quietly rolled out a pay-as-you-go software system in a few countries (South Africa, Mexico, and Romania) to test out how the public reacts to software rentals. Part of the current service includes a ~$15 fee per month to use Office 2003. If the service goes over well, Microsoft is considering extending the program to include other software or other countries. From the article: 'Are we moving towards a rental model for software? Despite the success of programs like Software Assurance, and the FlexGo program, it doesn't seem as if the traditional model of software sales is ever going to go away. Consumers still like the option of buying complete software packages. However, for places where the price of software keeps obtaining legitimate versions out of most people's reach, a rental program may be a useful alternative.'"

Wrong business model

[Anonymous Coward]

Part of the current service includes a ~$15 fee per month to use Office 2003.

Heck, I'd pay more than that just to not have to use Office at all!

the best part of all...

[User 956]

I saw a demo of this. It went something like: "I see you're trying to enter your credit card information so you can edit this word document. Would you like some help?"

Pay and Go

[dalek_killer]

So if I don't pay will it go away?

Oh No Clippy!

[aquatone282]

You WHORE!

<sob!>

Re:what about my data?

[paeanblack]

What about my data? If I agree to a "pay as you go" software model, will you allow me to create documents, data, etc., in an open format guaranteeing me free access at anytime I decide not to continue the subscription?

That's the idea behind pay-as-you-go.

As you go to another product, be prepared to pay.

Re:the best part of all...

[User 956]

After all, what happens when the rental period expires and you just want to quickly read one of your own documents?

That's what I call "Rent-to-0wned".

Re:Leveraging The Goog's 2/22 press release

[644bd346996]

Enter "I'm a terrorist" in Google Apps 5000 times:
Advertisments for cheap explosives show up in the margin the next time you open the document. If you click on one of the links, Google gets paid a few cents.

Enter "I'm a terrorist" in MS Office 5000 times:
Clippy offers to show you how to look up synonyms for "terrorist". He then proceeds to reformat your list as he pleases.

So?