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An offline version with ads and no ability to store data locally sounds like an online version to me.
I think here, offline refers to the non-cloud based approach...
What is OneDrive if not cloud-based?
Cloud-cringe
You're using cloud based storage. That's not the same as having the entire application in the cloud...
This is a completely disingenuous argument.
non-cloud based approach…
You’re using cloud based storage
Pick one.
Something which is entirely cloud means the application is accessible from the browser. Cloud based could mean portion of the application is on the cloud. This is the technical answer.
But if an application requires cloud to function properly, it's practically a cloud app.
A server/client solution is absolutely not offline. You need a connection to save your doc, I mean please.
I'm not sure if people are purposefully being ignorant, but this shit is crazy...
There's a serious difference between having an entire application in a cloud environment (office365) and an entire application on your local PC (office) with the inability to save locally... That's not a server/client setup.
For the life of me I cannot understand why everyone here is being seemingly as disingenuous as possible. It's honestly fucked up.
If you can't use it without a connection to the cloud, it's cloud based.
What you mean by not cloud based is that it's a native application rather than a webapp.
What others mean by not cloud based is that it can be used... Without the cloud being involved.
It's not disingenuous. There's multiple definitions of "offline" being used here, and just because some people aren't using yours doesn't mean they're ignorant or arguing in bad faith.
Your definition of "offline" is encompassing just the executable code. So under that definition, sure, it's offline. But I wouldn't call an application "offline" if it requires an internet connection for any core feature of the application. And I call saving my document a core feature of a word processor. Since I wouldn't call it "offline" I'm not sure what I would call it, but something closer to "local" or "native" to distinguish it from a cloud based application with a browser or other frontend.
Would you say that your game can be played entirely locally of you can't save your game while offline?
I cannot fathom even using a software that ties a critical feature such as the ability of saving your work to an Internet connection.
At that point, if your software relies on the Internet to accomplish an important task, it doesn't matter if the app is native or runs some code in your browser if some critical features depends on someone else's system to work as expected.
Can you define offline.
This is the argument you are purposely ignoring.
How is that different from the Office 365 installation I have at work? Other than the fact that it can actually operate entirely offline for a significant time, unlike what the article describes?
Or did you redefine O365 to only mean the web version?
I haven't seen this application yet, but is the difference that you can install word locally instead of using it in a web browser?
Yes, that's correct. You download an msi installer, install Office, and you have fully functioning Microsoft Office on your desktop without an internet connection. They say that they've removed the ability for you to save locally, but I can't see how that's possible so I highly doubt there's no fallback.
It's not a cloud solution.
You're right that it's not cloud-based, but it's still "always online" software. It's the same as a video game that doesn't function without the internet. I don't think you need to be such an ass about the distinction.
They say that they've removed the ability for you to save locally, but I can't see how that's possible
It's quite simple really: think of it as a "demo". You can be offline, start it, mess around, copy&paste stuff... close it and lose all your changes... or go online and save the file to OneDrive.
It is "not cloud" only in the sense that a cloud solution sends the code to run the app to your browser, which most likely will save it to local cache, then read it from there unless there is an update online.
Meanwhile, if you browse to draw.io, you can have your browser download the app to its cache, optionally "install locally" then go offline, open the app, load and save from local, go online, load and save from cloud... is that a "cloud" solution, or a "local" solution? What is a PWA?
microsoft released a single-player game, "microsoft office".
it runs offline, but you cannot save games locally at all. can only save games or progress to the 'cloud'.
i am confident that everyone in this discussion understands technically what is happening. the contention is, for reasons i cannot comprehend, that apparently "connects to and cannot function without the internet" is somehow the same as "offline".
Isn't that worse though? They use your computing power but they still get the data :). At least with cloud apps you get the benefit of not having to run the app locally (this was the idea behind low powered chromebooks).
I wouldn't call that offline.
Microsoft
you're not going to like it
Tell me something new.
That's not offline...
I swear "quietly" is the new "slams".
Just waitin' to be cracked and have those features re-enabled
This isn't the first time they've had an ad supported Office for free. Anyone remember Office 2010 Starter, that shipped with only Word and Excel and also had a permanent ad banner.
Yep, that's what moved me to OpenOffice and now libreoffice
I installed OnlyOffice for a family member and they have no complaints. They were happy to learn they don't need to worry about subscriptions anymore either
Why OnlyOffice and not LibreOffice?
The UI mostly, and because the layout is familiar to them
Just gonna add my “I use it for the ui” to the pile. Libreoffice is great in capability but it feels so unpolished visually. At least on Linux.
I used LibreOffice and before that OpenOffice and recently switched to OnlyOffice. I find OnlyOffice more pleasant mostly because I like the UI.
Being able to launch it locally if you can't save open or locally seems extremely pointless.
Their desktop version of office has more features than the cloud web versions so this doesn't sound that bad. Also might mean the O365 small business license might be able to use a desktop client now instead of being web only.
Can't dislike it if I never try it
Mark my words: Office Online will "adopt" these advertising and cloud-save only features within 2 years.
(If this happens and I remember this comment I will try to link it).
Why… would anyone use this? There are plenty of other perfectly capable free word processors…
Lots of people like Microsoft and/or don't know any better.
Wait a second, if you have to save it to onedrive, and have the onedrive app on your pc, it then will sync to your local storage if the onedrive settings are set to "make all folders available offline" automatically, or did i take crazy pills this morning and am missing something?
that's the hook. they are mandating having and using onedrive cloud storage, and having its requisite microsoft account, in order to use this 'free' application.
OneDrive comes with 5GB free storage, if you want to use the app, you gotta sign up for the MS account, no different than litteraly a million other apps out there. Might rub the anti Microsoft folks the wrong way, but if you read the article, one of the major point is that there's no local storage, which is not true, as the OneDrive app stores everything locally if you set it to.
this 'new' and oh so 'generous' thing....
comes on the heels of killing-off the totally free, previously already installed on every fucking windows pc since version one point oh, no obligation, no online account required, no cloud forced upon you, and good enough for literally millions and millions of people, wordpad.
so no, microsoft does not get a pass here. absolutely not.
ok dude, whatever don't use it, fuck. lol.
Linking Microsoft and allowing them to read into everything you write is a massive privacy hit.
But their target audience is indeed not the privacy-minded folks. It's still an unfortunate precedent of Microsoft mandating the use of OneDrive and injecting ads, which may get worse and even get included in some form in paid products.
Isn't this what a Pi-Hole is for? Unless it needs to autheticate each time you use ot from the same servers the ads are served from you should be able to safely block the ads.
I'm sure you'll have to log into a Microsoft account to use it so your data will still be theirs.