Microsoft to allow advertising on PC's

Not exactly a very accurate headline

Reading the article it mentions they've signed agreements to allow for ad funded versions of Office to be installed on some machines.
Which basically means that if you don't want to pay for a normal version of office (currently £55 for a 3 user home and student edition at amazon), when you buy a new machine you'll have the option of going for a model with the ad funded version of office already installed.

I guess I'm another wondering what the fuss is all about? How many people come on here asking for a free version of MS office? I'm all in favour of letting someone else (advertiser) paying for it and seeing some ads...well..I'm not, personally, but I see it as a better solution for MS than people stealing it.

anewhope wrote: »

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.

If you don't want your desktop being branded, don't install the custom themes. Simple. Providing a version of Office supported by advertising is a lot more useful to people than a trial that expires after sixty days.

I think most of the online services I use are supported by adverts somehow. Never bothered me that much.

or use add free and free open office

adds dont bother me either, but then I dont see them, Firefox and addblocker :T

Mobeer wrote: »

I think you should have titled this "Apple to allow advertising on PC's"

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/16/intrusive_apple_ad_patent/

Apple have thousands of patents, most of which never see the light of day.

alanrowell wrote: »

Like any successful technology company, Apple regularly files experimental patent applications, many of which never make it off the drawing board. But fans are concerned that this particular piece of software has backing which goes right to the top of the company.
Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs, who has been battling ill health in recent years, is the first of five people named on the patent application, something which has only happened four times in the past 30 applications on which he has been a co-inventor since March 2008.

That may be the case, but the patent is for "without limitation, portable and desktop computers, servers, electronics, media players, game devices, mobile phones, wireless devices, email devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), embedded devices, televisions, set top boxes, etc.".

There are already ad-supported apps for the iPhone; this patent just allows Apple to charge developers a royalty for doing it in the manner described.

Clearly, advertising is big business, and there were rumours that Apple were in talks to purchase AdMob before Google ultimately did so. But it seems pretty unthinkable that Apple are going to plaster all their software with obtrusive ads that can lock you out of your computer.