Microsoft to Charge for Office Beta

theodp writes "Beginning next Wednesday, those who download the 2007 Microsoft Office system Beta 2 will be charged $1.50 per download, according to a Microsoft spokeswoman." From the article: "Although Microsoft's Information Worker Product Management Group decided to initiate a fee for new users of Beta 2, the "technical refresh," or update, for current users of the software will remain free, the spokeswoman said. Those who want to test drive Beta 2 to review how it works can access the software for free. But if they need to test it against their internal systems, a download or the CD is required. "

How is any different?

[grolschie]

All MS products are really just betas that are tested on end users. By the time that they are reasonably robust, they drop support for them. :-)

makes sense

[Anonymous Coward]

...they have been charging for betas (e.g. Windows XP Retail) for years!

$1.50 is cheap.

[dirtyforker]

The last Microsoft beta I bought was around $200 although the exact cost was hidden in the price of the computer ...

Re:$1.50?

[Sixtyten]

Wow. You thought it was easier to type this question and enter the captcha correctly than to simply click the link and read the first three sentences. And yes, I'm new here

Looks like you've already got the hang of it more so then I. :( And I've been on Slashdot for almost two days now. It's a very different kind of community. You're forced to make good posts. Why go against internet tradition, anyway?

Why do you all hate microsoft?

[aersixb9]

They're almost giving away a product that has traditionally cost $500. Even though it's labeled beta, I'll bet that this is a pretty good version of office. They've been giving away visual studio for a while now, too. $1.50 for a software download of the most popular software product ever (after windows) is a pretty good deal, I hope more companies follow and offer cheap versions of their software for download. Perhaps software wants to be free?

On the Microsoft hatred topic...why the heck is there so much anti-microsoft sentiments, so much so that visual studio has been excluded from schools? Is it because Bill is a serious competitor against the NATO governments for leader of Earth? (As the richest (or second richest) person he controls a large number of people through paying them to do things, and can control a large amount of the earths production both directly and indirectly through financial manipulation) From what I've read of his books he's very anti-government and pro-freedom, and I'd think you'd all think he was cool.

Beta 3

[wiresquire]

And beta 3 will cost $450 rrp. It's just they will forget to add the Beta 3 to the name and accidentally send it out to the stores

For what it's worth....

[rts008]

At least now they are calling their product a beta, and finally charging what it's worth.

But it still is not as much of a bargain as OpenOffice.

Alright... I'll pay the $1.50

[xLittleP]

But I want a discount when I buy the retail version, dammit!

Re:This doesn't make a lot of sense

[Ohreally_factor]

it's the tubes. They have to buy new tubes so they can send you an internet. Trucks just won't do. They're expensive and highly inefficient.

Re:How is any different?

[NickFortune]

All MS products are really just betas that are tested on end users

I'm just happy that they've finally settled on a realistic price point for office.

Re:$1.50?

[blzabub]

Microsoft products are thoroughly tested before public release, in fact I'm writing this post using their voice recognition system right now and as you can see Dear Aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all it performs flawlessly.