Microsoft sorry over quiet Office Mobile 2010 beta kill date

Microsoft has apologised to Windows Mobile 6.5 users this week after it killed a beta of Office Mobile 2010 some had been running on their devices. The software giant quietly released the beta last year and it expired on April 5, but Microsoft didn’t adequately warn users of its imminent demise. The company only provided …

[Tzael]

It's all Google's fault

Hardly a 'cockup'. Why on earth do people think they can install beta software and then proceed to use it productively indefinitely? Unfortunately due to the nature of some less than honest tech companies out there people nowadays assume that beta = free lunch.

Thank you Google, thank you for screwing up people's expectations. Now the real software developers have a hard time convincing people that beta software is only for experienced organisations and individuals to help find PROBLEMS before the final release of the PAID-FOR (or in a few refreshing instances - freeware) version.

[DaveShaw]

Reset

A Backing up your documents and performing a factory (hard) reset Factory Reset should get you your previous version back for free (I've not see a shipped firmware without Office Mobile).

Dave

[Argh]

No need for hard reset in this case

If it's pre-installed in the firmware, you shouldn't need to hard reset. The beta installation files are just an overlay on top of the firmware files, so just uninstalling them would bring back the default firmware files (which can't be deleted). This is explained in the article.

[James 127]

not Microsoft's fault!

They DID tell users it's a Beta release and that it has an expiration date.

I'm afraid it's the user that is at fault and so should not complain!

....sorry!!!

[riCh chestMat]

maybe but...

... I'd expect a new beta, pre-release or final version by now to upgrade to (even for a price)

[Kanhef]

Stupid, lazy programmers

A nice company would have put out an update - either manual or automatic - that pushes the expiration date back until July. This would let users buy the released version, install it over the beta, and continue working without any interruption. But Microsoft prefers to force people to buy an older version, then the new one as well just a few months later. Yet another reason I refuse to use their products.