Word ban threatens industry? Not mine

PC World, along with several other sources, reported today on Microsoft's dire warnings that an injunction imposed on Word sales would threaten an entire industry. In particular, the Microsoft statement that made me chuckle was

"Even if the injunction will not affect Microsoft's existing Office customers, consumers and businesses who require new copies of Office and Word would be stranded without an alternative set of software."

Really? Believe it or not, I have acknowledged that Microsoft Office is good enough to buy for power users. However, to say that there are no alternatives is obviously ridiculous. Can you say OpenOffice? Google Apps? Zoho? StarOffice? Lotus Symphony?

If Microsoft can't sell Word then most organizations (and certainly academic institutions) will keep using cheap volume licenses they already own or will migrate elsewhere. How many schools are already using Google Apps extensively (the answer is a lot). It's hardly the only game in town, though.

We also have the advantage of being schools. Not only are most of us looking to shave costs, but the majority of our users are highly flexible students with far more loyalty to their Web browser than to Office. Working in the cloud, Open Office, or whatever other application we stick on their screen is pretty easy for the average digital native.

I don't think Microsoft is actually going to lose this one. This is, after all, the Microsoft Office juggernaut. However, I can't say that I'm the least bit worried. My users are happily spending most of their time in Google Apps anyway or use OpenOffice. For my power users who rely on some of the features in Office, I'll have plenty of time to look at alternatives and provide training as needed on the off chance that future purchases end up being Office-free.