DailyTech noticed that Microsoft has launched a new testimonial-based advertising campaign to attack open-source software. The software giant's ad claims using OpenOffice can lead to bad grades, and insinuates that open source software is unreliable and has higher support costs.The video then jumps to select industry sources complaining that OpenOffice increased their support costs and was unreliable, compared to Microsoft's Office suite. It also complains that OpenOffice is slow, requires additional training, has poor support for macros in its Spreadsheet software, and features poor document conversions to-and-from word.
And the ad also targets a group that frequently makes use of OpenOffice due to budget reasons -- students. Tisome Nugent, a public school teacher comments, "I've had students that have turned in files that they've converted from OpenOffice with formatting problems that affect their grade negatively."
One commenter even blasts "open-code" in general, while another recalls he and his co-workers breathing a "collective sigh of relief" when his workplace ditched OpenOffice.
