InfoWorld reported yesterday that IBM intends to migrate Microsoft Office to Linux. This is audacious and incredibly smart...if it's true, and possible at all
It could seem quite an odd initiative, as OpenOffice/StarOffice are both maturing well and are largely compatible with MSOffice.
That said, OO/SO are different to MSOffice. There's no getting away from the fact that they're not MSOffice. In fact, they're stridently different to Microsoft's product. And therein lies the rub.
Most users are comfortable with MSOffice's interface and functions. At best, OpenOffice tries to keep up. I've used both and I keep feeling uncomfortable with OpenOffice because of its cosmetic differences. The fact that certain functions are in different menus means that it takes longer to do what's simple and quick on MSOffice. And that's just a simple example. There are others, such as compatibility concerns, desktop configuration management costs, and so on. The truth is, people don't like to re-learn what they already know, especially when the reason for that re-education is a migration to a less-capable product (OpenOffice; sorry folks, but it's true).
One could argue that IBM's negating the great work done by Codeweavers with their CrossOver line of compatibility products. However, this is all emulation-based stuff. CrossOver doesn't deliver to Linux users a native application that's absolutely equivalent (in terms of interface, functions, and feel) to the PC Office application -- an application with which the vast majority of users feel very comfortable.
I suspect that this is why IBM's pursuing this project. If they can move the major desktop application to Linux (and MSOffice is indeed that application) then the value proposition for Linux in the enterprise is significantly enhanced. Having committed to invest $1 billion in Linux, IBM's placing some interesting bets to back up their rhetoric.
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