Haven't used an optical drive in years... non issue for me. That said, it is pretty dumb of MS to expect that out of the average user.

Umm
 

That is a fact of economics, more than 50% of users have laptop and/or desk top CPU's over 10 years old.
If MS and others want to reduce their market, that is fine with me.
Websites are the same, they get 3 seconds to load a page, if it is too bloated with trash = I am gone...

OK, I forgot to mention.
This month I have been testing a maxed out "Alienware M17x", with several OS boot options.

My opinion remains, MS Office 2013 is limp bloated dreck.

I would junk all of my desk top CPU's, if I could keep the Laptop. :D

.

Clearly you don't work with large datasets.

No but I help people who do.

Office 2013 is indeed bloated, but when run on a modern PC is should not be an issue.


Economics is a poor argument for having an antiquated pc, you can buy so much computing power for hardly anything these days that is not even relevant anymore. A modern smartphone has more computing power than the average 7-8 year old PC.

This still doesn't change the arguments against the horribly misdesigned click-to-run install which ass-u-me's that everyone has 10 mb/s Internet access.

Furthermore -- "You can lease a new Kia for $99/mo that will outperform your W123. Why are you still driving that obsolete, inferior W123 and spending $75/mo on repairs?" If it ain't broke...

I used to have binders filled with OS and software install discs . . . Now, not so much and there's no issues with the PCs and Macs in the house.

I'd rather have a few thumb drives filled with install images and product keys. If my hard drive or SSD shytes the bed, I can reinstall within minutes rather than waiting hours for a streaming install. Yeah, yeah updates -- software WORKS without them and they can be done on my own time.

Hours to stream? You must be so in love with that Hayes Smartmodem . . . :D

I've never seen Orifice click-to-run install in less than an hour -- the bottleneck may be at MS's end. The process seems to be download a bit, install a bit, download some more, rather than downloading the whole package at once.

I'd rather have a full install that's a known, fully functional entity. Once install says it's done, it should be 100% done. Click-to-run is basically an evil combination of the worst traits of online and 1.44mb floppy-disk distribution systems, combined with Microsoft's typical lack of transparency.

I agree. This is a poor argument. Trying to support that much legacy stuff can be crippling.

I tried OpenOffice once. It was a clunky piece of crap.

I dont see any problem with this method of download some packages, install and go to the next package..

Thats pretty much how linux works when you install/upgrade software.

The current versions aren't any slower nor worse to use than MS Office.

The difference is that the Linux installs readily indicate what stage they're at. Additionally, they don't imply functionality before the download of a package is fully completed, whereas Office does.

At the very least, there should be a "full install" option that indicates completion when downloading and installation are done.

Or write embedded software in x86 Assembly Language.

NO
 

My view of smart phones:

* The cost is insane.
* They are stupid delicate.
* I wear glasses now = screen too small.
* They are outdated before reaching market.
* Dead zones = IMO worse than basic dumb cell.
* The planned obsolescence cycle is two years or less.
* All insurance I have found, refuse to cover more than two replacements per year. (five dumb cells in 2012).


.