Microsoft and Adobe Acrobat are in the software war for a while. Writing from my own personal experience, often time, I see a perfectly workable condition of Adobe Acrobat writer stops working after Microsoft releases a security patch. Then I see Adobe Acrobat releases security update and once I install that, Adobe starts working fine.
In the new Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft is offering XPS file format which Microsoft anticipates will replace Adobe Acrobat in the future. So, how do they stop people from buying Adobe Acrobat Writer? Does a four letter word, “FREE“, makes any sense? Yes they are offering pdf writer for free. Hoping that will stop people from buying Adobe Acrobat. Next Step create a Microsoft environment to use their file format. Every Vista Machine comes with .Net 3.0, which happens to be the platform for XPS documents. You can also download .Net 3.0 from Microsoft site for free. Now you will be able to see XPS documents which is Microsoft version of pdf.
Well, don’t you need a write to write XPS? Yes you are right you do need one. That’s when you need Microsoft Office 2007. There you go!
For Most of us, If all you will have to buy is Microsoft Office, why bother spending extra money on Adobe Acrobat? Makes perfect sense.
The question is did Microsoft really need to create XPS, and if so then Why? They just have to put their claws in every single corner of the software industry. And in the end, all they want you to do is to live in the Microsoft World. Yes all you need is Microsoft. And rest of the world means nothing.
