StarOffice Zealot? You think not?! Well, why not Mr. Kunicki?
I wondered why Chris said he’d rather fight than switch and he thinks companies should feel the same. So I started to think... but more so from the personal level... not the company, after all it’s the users, not the companies that really reap the benefits (or the pains).
Let’s start with cost... I mean I get the difference... really I do and it’s not incidental amount, it’s for real. And that means something... most people prefer to save money... when they do, they expect to get less for it but they balance the tradeoffs. Air travel for example, pay more and get a leather seat and a drink before take-off. Pay less and get your knees in your throat and half-a-can of soda. I mean you both get to the same place right? (Well first class does get off a few minutes sooner but...)
So StarOffice has less features... sure it does... It’s like flying cargo class but it still gets you there and you are a few bucks the wiser. I can create my document so that an Office user can open it and I can open up theirs too. All looks good on this surface...
Say I need help... how about a book? No software ships with books anymore so I jump over to Amazon, I searched on “StarOffice” and 153 books pop up. This is good... means I have choices and there are experts in the field. Out of curiosity, did the same for “Microsoft Office”... 11,863... hmm... Ok... let's try something else...
OK... Google Groups... Searched on StarOffice and got some groups back... Feeling good... Did the same with “Microsoft Office”... whoa... got way too many groups; got scared; went back to StarOffice... easier to navigate there... must be ‘cus StarOffice users have less problems and don’t need to post on them. That’s it... less problems... yeah.
Feature comparison. Yeah we know MS Office has so many you never use them all... kinda like the luxury SUV with all those features... nobody wants those either. StarOffice, relative price of a Yugo and the features to boot. Don’t go trying to confuse me Mr. Gates... Now in Star 7.0 I can close my document and keep the application open too ya know...
Yes, Office is more mature; with more established features, wider user base, deeper knowledge base, broader tool base, etc. which has a tendency to close quickly on the true cost value benefit as the product pushes near absolute standard-status. Companies get that and users get it too. The hard cost difference of the products is the only truly measurable difference but the fact that everyone ‘knows’ Office is its advantage in practicality. And while lots of folks may take advantage from a lower hard-cost effective competitor, I’m not convinced this is a mainstream view – and it will hardly ever be.
www.StarOfficeZealot.com
You do know the domain is available, Mr. Kunicki, don’t you? Probably not a coincidence either. I have never bumped into a StarOffice Zealot. Have you? But I am sure they are out there? Silent? possibly... Lonely? perhaps... Maybe out there spending the money they saved over Office... or as you would say Mr. Kunicki, saving up to their money to pay for the next version of the suite that was too expensive to buy the first time around... oh well.
StarOffice Zealots!... let us know if you exist... we are all really curious.... afterall, the rest of us are truly thankful for the competition.