Should Microsoft Put Office On the iPad?

theodp writes "Microsoft is working on a touch-friendly version of Office for Windows 8, writes GeekWire's Todd Bishop. But what about Microsoft Office on the iPad? 'The decision,' Bishop says, 'will say a lot about Microsoft's priorities in this new era. The company can give Windows 8 a boost if it makes Office exclusive to Windows-based tablets. But that's also a risk. The iPad's momentum not only in the home but in the workplace opens the door for Office alternatives to take hold on the Apple tablet, posing a challenge to Microsoft Office.' Over at Minimal Mac, Patrick Rhone feels Microsoft has bigger problems than the lack of Office apps for iOS and Android. 'Like the curtain finally falling from the Wizard of Oz to find just a small, frail, man pretending to be far more powerful and relevant than he really was,' writes Rhone, 'Microsoft's biggest miss was allowing the world to finally see the truth behind the big lie — they were not needed to get real work done. Or anything done, really. And that will be what ultimately kills them.' Perhaps, but BusinessInsider — which finds it just can't quit Excel — also makes a case for why Microsoft should put Office on every platform. Speaking of the future of Office, did you ever notice how people use MS-Word to convince people to use Google Docs?"

Ah, Excel

[fph il quozientatore]

Ah, Excel, the most abused piece of software in the world. Is there a problem for which it is the right solution?

Auto Correct

[thammoud]

Witch one will ween?

Re:I'm not sure I see the need

[MisterSquid]

Except that 'Metro' isn't just Windows 8, it is the future UI paradigm for Windows/Microsoft. IE 10 will have two versions, Metro and 'traditional'. I don't think MS is going to continue to create two versions in the future. Windows 9 will take things one steep further

MS has not yet announced a release date for Windows 8, which makes me suspect Fall 2012 is an early (and unlikely) target. Given this speculation, Windows 8's UI paradigm will not be available to the general public until more than 16 months after Android's ICS and 6 months after Mac OS X Mountain Lion (which integrates additional features from iOS to OS X).

It's not even like MS is even aiming for a moving target anymore but, instead, is taking square aim at a horse that will have died long after having left the barn.

(Don't worry about that last paragraph. My English doctorate licenses me to mix metaphors.)

Re:woo!

[symbolset]

You might get it on if you try a little less Wine.