SoftMaker Office 2021 announced (free beta)

[Tuxman]

Available for Windows, macOS and inferior "systems", SoftMaker has already released their first Office 2021 beta version into the wild. I'm currently trying it on macOS and it seems to work just fine. Currently, a paid license enables me to install it on "up to five computers", so my two Windowses and my one MacBook would be covered. The only thing that prevents me from instantly buying it is that SoftMaker has already started to introduce features which are only available in the subscription version "Office NX" and I hate subscriptions...

[Dormouse]

I hate subscriptions

-Tuxman (May 22, 2020, 08:24 AM)

I don't know - I've quite come to like them. Sometimes.  Depends on the value,  depends on them working every year, and depends on whether I feel close enough for a regular commitment.
I think Office 365 is good - many programs,  multiple devices,  multiple users, 1TB each user. Even though I'm not a massive user of any of them.
I'm OK with Evernote,  though the higher prices were too much for me and I stepped them down. I do use it every day.
I wouldn't subscribe to Directory Opus, even though I've always upgraded and I do use it quite often. Here i like to make a decision about whether to upgrade or not.
I can see that something like Trello can only work on a subscription model  - and it's nice that the free version is so good.

I do have Softmaker licences, but can't see myself subscribing. Always feels as they are constantly trying gouge a bit more income.

[Tuxman]

Office 365 has a shitty user interface, which drove me away from MS Office in 2007 in the first place.

[tomos]

The only thing that prevents me from instantly buying it is that SoftMaker has already started to introduce features which are only available in the subscription version "Office NX" and I hate subscriptions...

-Tuxman (May 22, 2020, 08:24 AM)

I skipped the 2018 update and was going to go for this one when it comes around -- this will make me reconsider...

I do have Softmaker licences, but can't see myself subscribing. Always feels as they are constantly trying gouge a bit more inco[me].

-Dormouse (May 22, 2020, 03:05 PM)

I do sympathise a bit with the office software producers in general: the software is very mature, there often seems to be little reason to upgrade i.e. I suspect it must be hard enough for a company like Softmaker to do well.

[Dormouse]

Office 365 has a shitty user interface,

-Tuxman (May 22, 2020, 03:08 PM)

Maybe,  but that wasn't the point. I don't use it much myself - OneNote excepted, some years anyway - except on occasions when I'm sent stuff to edit or review on it. I doubt I'd be willing to pay a once off price, but I'm comfortable with a subscription.  With other software I might not be willing to pay a subscription even though I use it regularly. Annual and major version upgrades aren't necessarily very different to a subscription.
I used to dislike the idea in general,  but I've come to the idea that it is sometimes the model I'm happiest with. Though it does all depend on pricing.

[Dormouse]

I suspect it must be hard enough for a company like Softmaker to do well.

-tomos (May 22, 2020, 04:02 PM)

True.  The company seems to be floundering towards a viable financial model. There are the fonts. There was the inclusion then exclusion of em client from their suite. There was the Android HD version, but then not maintained. The perennial 'sales'.
But still, to my mind, too much flitting about to consider as a subscription.

[Tuxman]

New customers (or those getting the upgrade in a few days) will get Paint Shop Pro for free. I asked the SoftMaker guys whether I could get WordPerfect Office from the same vendor instead. They didn’t answer ...