Courtesy of OSWeekly.com

(Column) - One of the things that I dislike about software is upgrading it. Don’t get me wrong, I love a new version of a good application just as much as any other computer user, but there can be times when compatibility and the actual usefulness of some of the newer features may hinder you from upgrading right away. In addition to those concerns, many software upgrades can be quite pricey, and if what you’re using is working just fine, you may be hesitant to pay to play, so to speak. The worst thing is when you purchase software and then the company issues a newer version only a month or two after you purchased your version. It’s a vicious cycle, but you have to love it.

Microsoft doesn’t have a huge presence on the Mac, but Office is still one of the products that they continue to develop for OS X. Even though other office suite options do exist, Microsoft Office is priceless to many users, especially the ones that have switched to Windows or work in an environment where Windows and Microsoft Office are still the top dogs. The 2008 version of Office for the Mac has been in development for quite some time, and there are people who are anxious for its release.

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This leaves Office 2004 in an interesting position. Many consumers know that the 2008 version is set to be released, so why would they want to spend money on 2004 when it’s going to be outdated sooner than later? After all, Office isn’t exactly the cheapest software collection to purchase. Instead of just sitting back casually and watching sales of Office 2004 continue to decline, Microsoft made an admirable move by starting a promotion that enables anyone who purchases Microsoft Office 2004 for the Mac at this time to also receive Microsoft Office 2008 Special Media Edition for free as long as they’re willing to pay for shipping and handling.

Microsoft didn’t have to do this, but they did, which is fantastic. I think this type of thing should be the new standard for software releases. If a new release is definitively scheduled in a certain period of time to be determined, then everyone who purchases the current version during that time should be eligible for a free upgrade to the new version when it comes out. Now that’s the way to treat your customers. Some companies have done this before, but Microsoft is a giant, and when they do something like this, other companies pay attention.

We would usually expect Microsoft to try and take care of their Windows users, but it’s nice to see them also make an effort to satisfy those of us who are stragglers on the OS X side of the fence. I don’t use Office, so this isn’t a huge deal to me, but it still means a lot for the Mac community as a whole. The suits at Microsoft may occasionally try to downplay our importance as Mac users, but their actions here prove that their forbidden love for us hasn’t died just yet.

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