Microsoft has finally released Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student and we have to admit that the enhanced software applications included in this edition have totally outclassed the previous edition.
For a head-on comparison, we would suggest you to take a look at Office 2007 vs 2010 and figure out why should you buy newer Office version.
Here’s a closer look at what’s included in Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student edition and why should you care about it…
Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student
In Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student edition, the applications included in the suite are as follows:
- Microsoft Word 2010
- Microsoft Excel 2010
- Microsoft PowerPoint 2010
- Microsoft OneNote 2010
While most of the popular office applications are inclusive of the package offered in Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student, a number of Office applications are missing, few of which might allure you to buy Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Business or Microsoft Office 2010 Professional.
The price for Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student is pretty competitive as well, costing just $149.99 per copy.
Apart from having this native office application suite of Office 2010 Home and Student, there’s a web based edition of Office 2010 called Office Web Apps, which lets you view and edit Office docs on the web, with near-100% document fidelity.
Some details on Office Web Apps
Microsoft is employing its own cloud service, SkyDrive to facilitate Office Web Apps to end consumers. Now, Microsoft wants to facilitate a free web based office application suite (to kill Google Docs, of course) and simultaneously wants to keep the revenues flowing from the sales of desktop Office application suite as well.
Possible Solution ?
Striking right balance between desktop and web based applications and tapping the revenues from both the ends.
Case I
If somebody is not a buyer of Desktop Office application suite, he can still use Office applications online using a Windows Live ID, for no charges at all. In this case, Microsoft would keep the revenues flowing by monetizing this audience with online advertisements.
Case II
If somebody buys Home/Student edition of MS Office 2010 then the desktop application suite would be cheaper to consumers. The same consumer can still use the Office web apps using Windows Live ID. In this case, Microsoft loses out few bucks on every Home/Student edition of Office 2010(as it’s cheaper than Standard and Professional Plus editions) but makes up by monetizing these customers through advertisements when these users use Office Web apps through Windows Live ID.
Case III
If somebody buys Standard/Professional edition of Office 2010 then Microsoft gets the full benefit from every such sale and need not monetize these customers through advertisements. Hence, Microsoft offers Office web apps via SkyDrive account (No advertisements) to Standard/Professional edition buyers of Office 2010.
In all the above cases, Microsoft gets to have its revenues flowing and consumers also get both the utilities(desktop and web based), one way or the other.
But one major development in this regard is the launch of Microsoft Office 365, a subscription based productivity solution to SMEs. This offering gives a viable choice to those consumers who want much more out of cloud based productivity solutions and not just basic stuff offered under Office Web apps.
For some brushup of Office 2010 before you start using this application suite, it’s better to go through Microsoft Office 2010 training. And in case, you’re still unsure of buying your way to Microsoft Office 2010, you can certainly download and use office 2010 trial, without shelling a penny out of your pocket.
And if you’re one of those who bought a new PC or notebook and got a basic version of Office 2010 pre-installed on it, then you will have to buy Microsoft Office 2010 product key card, to be able to convert the basic version into full version.