Microsoft is cutting the price of Office and offering the free versions of Word, Excel, and other programs to head off competition from Google and other rivals that offer similar software at little or no cost.
Microsoft has so many promotions for Office that its effective price is $100, down from $150, and even lower in such countries as Brazil and India. But the experience is sparking optimism at Microsoft about the new strategy. The company says unit sales of Office surged 415% in the second half of last year.
The most aggressive price cut has come in China, where Microsoft says 95% of Office installations have been pirated. Since it began testing a $29 offer in China last September, sales have soared more than 800%. Now Microsoft intends to make the low price permanent.
This sure looks like a case of where crime pays big dividends.
How much does it cost in your country? 
“Home and Student” is 1500 roubles, which is about $50. And frankly, no one would have bought it otherwise. People in Russia rarely buy genuine software.
So does this mean we need to promote piracy to get better price on legal software? I’m upset really. I’ve been supporting MS since the early DOS 4 days. Just spent several hundreds of $$ on office, MS Project & Visio. I’m definitely not upgrading to Office 2010, next step would be a freebie (Open Office).
If we are talking office 2007, then here in New Zealand it ranges from NZ$145 for Home and Student Edition to NZ$886 for Ultimate, thats $580 US….
This being the first I have heard about the outlandish small prices that other countries are paying for the same products that I am paying top dollar here in the US is ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUs, and I for one will not stand for it. There are many,many operating systems out there today that do not tie me completely to themselves the way Microsoft does. I can only say this: IF MICROSOFT IS SO INTENT ON CONTINUING TO CATER TO THESE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES AND PROVIDE THEM THE SAME PRODUCTS THAT I HAVE BEEN PAYING “FULL PRICE”, THEN (BY GOD, THEY NOW OWE ME
MONEY). I, AS WELL AS MANY LAW ABIDING CITIZENS OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN, ARE OUTRAGED AT THE REVELATION OF THIS INFORMATION REGARDING MICROSOFT’S EFFORTS, WORLD-WIDE, TO BEAT OTHER DISTRIBUTORS
PRODUCT BY GIVING THEM THEIR PRODUCT AT A MUCH REDUCED PRICE WITHOUT ALLOWING ME AND ALL OTHER “FULL PRICE CUSTOMERS” TO RECEIVE THE SAME DEAL. MICROSOFT IS TREADING ON SOME VERY THIN AND DANGEROUS GROUNDS NOW AND COULD FIND THEMSELVES IN COURT HERE IN AMERICA FOR THESE PROCEDURES. IF I HAVE MY WAY, THE AMERICAN PRICE WILL BE THE “WORLD” PRICE. OTHERWISE, GET YOURSELF OUT OF HERE. WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR SHENAGAN’S AROUND THE WORLD.
DON’T YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT OLD SAYING “YOU DANCE WITH AND GO HOME WITH THE ONE YOU BRUNG”. WELL, BOYS, IT’S TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOLKS RIGHT HERE IS AMERICA THAT GOT YOU TO WHERE YOU THINK YOU ARE TODAY? EITHER YOU GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, AND TREAT US ALL THE SAME, OR YOU MIGHT FIND THAT WE “THE SCREWED OVER PEOPLE” WILL FIND ANOTHER DANCE PARTNER. JUST REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE SOME REALLY SMART FOLKS OUT THERE, WORLD WIDE, THAT DON’T WORK FOR YOU, THAT THEY ARE JUST WAITING TO POUNCE!! IF YOU ALLOW THE WEDGE TO GET IN, YOU JUST MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO STOP IT. JACK