Whenever I start to read a review for a new “bloat-free” MS Office competitor, I know what the script is going to be:
- Office is overpriced and “bloated” with too many features that you “don’t need”
- Luckily, <company X> made a smaller leaner one without all the bloat
- But I’m never going to use it, because it doesn’t have <insert my favorite feature> or word count.
It’s actually quite amusing how often this exact script, including the “word count” gripe, recurs. Here’s one from 2001. And another from 1997. Oh, look, it happened again.
Remember, kids, the trouble with the “everyone only uses 20% of the features” myth is that everybody uses a slightly different 20%, and the journalist who has to review your exciting new BloatFreeWrite has been told to write a 250 word story.
(For review: Bloatware and the 80/20 myth. No matter how much it bothers you neat freaks, the market always votes for bloatware.)
