Microsoft Money – Help!
Published by: Codrut Nistor, in News
August11th2008
If you ask me about "Microsoft Money," I would usually answer "Well, Microsoft has a lot of money, since they were willing to buy Yahoo," but that would be completely wrong. Have you ever used Microsoft Money? I am not talking about the money that usually go into Bill Gates' accounts, since there's also a personal finance software called this way. Unfortunately, it seems we're talking about an endangered piece of code here, and today we're going to find out why...
Most recent version of Microsoft Money is Microsoft Money Plus, released in August 2007, while the first one dates way back in 1991. Since everything comes to an end, Microsoft decided to cut costs involved in keeping this application alive even more, after discontinuing localized versions of Microsoft Money for a few countries.
Now, here's what the Redmond giant is saying about this software veteran: "We've decided against releasing a 2009 version of Money Plus boxed product. Microsoft Money Plus distribution efforts will focus on selling software online via download, and we have discontinued traditional box sales of the software at retail. I doubt this surprises many of you, especially those who've discussed with me how annual releases don't make much sense for a product that's in its 17th version. The time seems right for this shift. Last year's sales of the software via download outpaced in-store sales for the first time. In fact, software downloads accounted for more than 50-percent of Microsoft Money sales."
These being said, I guess the boxed edition of Microsoft Money Plus 2008 will soon become a precious collectible, as this is going to remain the last version shipping in nice shrink-wrapped boxes...
Unfortunately, this is not only about Microsoft - in a few years, boxed copies will become as vinyls are now for the music industry. If this is good or bad, that's what remains to be seen, but I think nothing can replace the feeling of holding a new box of your favorite software application, especially when comparing this to a message saying "Download complete. Install now?"
Most recent version of Microsoft Money is Microsoft Money Plus, released in August 2007, while the first one dates way back in 1991. Since everything comes to an end, Microsoft decided to cut costs involved in keeping this application alive even more, after discontinuing localized versions of Microsoft Money for a few countries.
Now, here's what the Redmond giant is saying about this software veteran: "We've decided against releasing a 2009 version of Money Plus boxed product. Microsoft Money Plus distribution efforts will focus on selling software online via download, and we have discontinued traditional box sales of the software at retail. I doubt this surprises many of you, especially those who've discussed with me how annual releases don't make much sense for a product that's in its 17th version. The time seems right for this shift. Last year's sales of the software via download outpaced in-store sales for the first time. In fact, software downloads accounted for more than 50-percent of Microsoft Money sales."
These being said, I guess the boxed edition of Microsoft Money Plus 2008 will soon become a precious collectible, as this is going to remain the last version shipping in nice shrink-wrapped boxes...
Unfortunately, this is not only about Microsoft - in a few years, boxed copies will become as vinyls are now for the music industry. If this is good or bad, that's what remains to be seen, but I think nothing can replace the feeling of holding a new box of your favorite software application, especially when comparing this to a message saying "Download complete. Install now?"
Loading ...
Want to add something? Post your comments