Microsoft partners with Linspire for increased interoperability

Microsoft's announced a new partnership with Linspire that'll see the two companies work together to ensure greater interoperability between the two operating systems, as well provide some all-important intellectual property assurance. Among other things, that'll apparently see various measures put in place to increase document compatibility between Microsoft Office and OpenOffice, along with the inclusion of Windows Media 10 audio and video codecs in future releases of Linspire, increased compatibility between instant messaging clients, and the licensing of Microsoft TrueType fonts to Linspire. Linspire users will also soon find Windows Live Search as their default option. To round out the deal, Microsoft and Linspire have also worked together on a framework to provide so-called patent covenants from Microsoft, which customers will apparently be able to acquire for a little extra peace of mind, and no doubt a little extra cash.

[tiuk @ Jun 15th 2007 12:37AM]

Interesting times we live in.

[Ian @ Jun 15th 2007 12:53AM]

Within one year I bet we will hear that there is now a "Linux Business Unit" at MSFT along side the Mac BU. That'd be a good day for MS, and I think for Linux. 'Cause OpenOffice sucks monkey balls.

[matthew @ Jun 15th 2007 12:54AM]

whores!

[... @ Jun 15th 2007 1:11AM]

Have you ever used OpenOffice?

OpenOffice is at least as good as if not better then MS office. Writer increases efficiency by quite a bit with their predictive word completion thing. Also it is very easy to use sub/super scripts which is very important for scientific papers. And the formatting options are much better such as with numbering. Much easier to reset to 1 and so on.

Oh and did I forget to mention it's free?

[michael @ Jun 15th 2007 1:18PM]

What are you? An ad for OpenOffice?

I love my Office 2007. It looks nice, functions very well, and has been much more improved with it's new UI. It's just easier to use. You can find Office 2007 for reduced prices in some stores, and if you're a college student, or it's for family use, they have a more cheaper price, and have muliple license included with it.

Plus, some people complain that OpenOffice could be hacked a lot one day, and that it might install malware into your computer. There's a reason why something is free, right?

So sorry, your ad for OpenOffice is not going to work.

[Carlton @ Jun 15th 2007 4:33PM]

@michael: "some people complain that OpenOffice could be hacked a lot one day, and that it might install malware into your computer."

Hahahahah! That's the funniest thing I've heard all day! You've clearly demonstrated you don't know the first thing about either OpenOffice, nor, it seems, open source.

As to the original poster, I agree with you on the sub/super thing! That and making formulae in MS Word is such a pain in the ass! Not to mention that OO can export right to PDF. OO is really as good, if not better than MS Word/Excel (the Power Point app, Impress, still has a bit of a way to go), for almost everyone. The only reason I use Office at work is that every one else here uses it and, in the past, OO has felt "slow" in Windows, since the Windows Java client has been slow (course that was in the past). Naturally, it runs very fast on my Linux machine at home.

Unfortunately, I think a lot of people have been (mis)informed like michael here and that is the primary reason for keeping OO down. Fortunately, with more people realizing there *are* alternatives to MS software out there (seeing the surge in Firefox users in past years), maybe there will be a surge towards OO (one can hope).

[aStopperBy @ Jun 16th 2007 8:29PM]

@michael

Any full time student at Indiana University can download Office 2007 for FREE.

http://iuware.indiana.edu/

[PaulG103 @ Apr 21st 2008 6:34PM]

I have used Open Oppce Spreadsheet and found it NOT to be even close to being as functional as Excel. My formulas will not run unless I use simple ones like a1+b2.
I will be using Excel always.

[DAZA @ Jun 15th 2007 1:18AM]

Interesting turn of events. It was Microsoft who bought the trademark 'LindowsOS', where they then changed their name to Linspire. Didn't think they had a very friendly relationship.

[Carbonize @ Jun 15th 2007 4:29AM]

Open Office could do with some improved MS Office support but how is MS working with Linspire going to improve Open Office unless they are willing to submit their code to Open Office?

And does anybody actually use Linspire? Personally I use Ubuntu.

[jsanders4484 @ Jun 15th 2007 4:13PM]

Eh I used linspire for a short time, and took freespire for a test drive as well. To be honest I wasn't at all impressed...I'll be sticking with ubuntu studio for a while.

[guilt+1 @ Jun 15th 2007 4:35AM]

So that's 2 major linux vendors living in Microsofts pocket. I wonder which one will be the next to "interoperability" and "patent covenants"

Sell-outs.

[guilt+1 @ Jun 15th 2007 4:36AM]

So that's 2 major linux vendors living in Microsofts pocket. I wonder which one will be the next to gain "interoperability" and "patent covenants".

Sell-outs.

[ultim8fury @ Jun 15th 2007 5:03AM]

So that's 2 major linux vendors living in Microsofts pocket. I wonder which one will be the next to gain "interoperability" and "patent covenants".

Sell-outs.

[Andir3.0 @ Jun 15th 2007 6:17AM]

Extend.. Embrace.. Extinguish..

:(

[Andir3.0 @ Jun 15th 2007 6:17AM]

Extend.. Embrace.. Extinguish..

:(

[PEZ @ Jun 15th 2007 7:03AM]

Interesting how you didnt mention how Linspire got their name. A sarcastic hint: they used to be called Lindows. Gee, no.... G.E.!

[akijikan @ Jun 15th 2007 7:37AM]

WHAT HATH WE WROUGHT?

[EYEPOPER @ Jun 15th 2007 10:02AM]

What the Hell is this? Havent M$ a few years ago just went to the Judge cause Lindows was using their somehow name???? And M$ loses also the game. And now their 2 just partnert? What is it with M$? M$ really sucks Ballszz

[jgs @ Jun 15th 2007 10:32AM]

"Linspire users will also soon find Windows Live Search as their default option."

I just barfed all over myself.
Hopefuly PCLinuxOS will never bow to MS FUD.

[Josh @ Jun 15th 2007 12:24PM]

pardon my poor choice of words, but Lindows/Linspire was always sh*t.

I got a copy of Lindows free with some cheap computer i bought and it was the only linux distro you ever have to PAY to add stuff onto. As a result I was never even interested in trying Linspire.

Seems like that guy that invented MP3.com could've done a better job, but instead he failed.

[M Burke @ Jun 15th 2007 1:17PM]

Is it April First again!?

[awesome.taylor @ Jun 15th 2007 2:34PM]

I hope this means i can start using my Zune on Linspire ;)

[Gored Bushed @ Jun 17th 2007 12:08PM]

AAAAHHHG, THEY KILLED LINUXY!

[PaulG103 @ Apr 21st 2008 6:35PM]

I am a newbie at Linux. Is there a SIMPLE way to install programs? Maybe like just clicking and running a program? I haven't found one yet and am completely frustrated at the convoluted way to do this on this platform.
I hate Linux and any version thereof and am going to FDISK the machine and install a much more friendlier OS. MS Windows!!