订阅软件(Subscription software)是一个相对较新的概念。尽管许可协议始终明确表明您实际上并不拥有您认为自己购买的软件，但人们总是倾向于忽略这一点（如果他们完全阅读了EULA）。因此，您没有物理副本并且每个月都必须付费使用的软件概念在首次引入时引起了一些麻烦。微软通过(Microsoft)Office 365大举进军订阅软件(subscription software)，并且越来越受欢迎，尤其是在商业用途(business use)方面。Office 365 for Dummies，第二版(Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition)，开始展示订阅模式的原因(subscription model)是商务人士的绝佳选择。它是否成功地完成了它的使命？阅读此评论以找到答案：
说服怀疑者
本书以对云计算和订阅软件(cloud computing and subscription software)的冗长和非常透彻的解释开始。作者在识别可能的反对意见并以清晰和事实的方式处理它们方面做得很好。我必须承认，我开始读这本书时是持怀疑态度的，我认为这对于那些在 60 年代的第一台计算机是IBM 大型机(IBM mainframe)的人来说是很自然的。🙂 但是当我继续阅读时，我发现Office 365 For Dummies, Second Edition很快开始改变我的想法。
虽然书名没有这么说（封面上是小字），但这本书是针对企业用户的，而且很快就明白了为什么订阅软件和云计算(subscription software and cloud computing)对企业有巨大的优势。我自己作为一个大部门中唯一具有计算机知识的人的经验支持了这样的想法，即让Microsoft(Microsoft)的专业人员在后台无缝地处理软件升级、补丁和维护要容易得多。
现在，诚然，微软(Microsoft)在搞砸事情方面并没有一尘不染的记录（我不会在这里谈论我母亲的装有(spotless record)Windows ME的电脑，尽管它确实在我的最初对Office 365持怀疑态度），但这本书很好地解释了为什么无论他们过去多么错误地配音，让微软(Microsoft)维护你的关键业务软件(business software)比把它交给一些人更好工作过度的IT 人员(IT person)，他们可能具有也可能不具有相同的技能水平。此外，使用Office 365当公司采用更新版本的Office时，公司中的任何人都不必坐下来重新映像所有内容(re-image everything)。只需登录(Just sign)，它就在那里，准备好了。
对可用的各种Office 365计划进行了很好的描述，因此潜在的订阅者可以看到他们的钱能得到什么。
说真的，如果你仍然不相信云计算和订阅软件(cloud computing and subscription software)值得考虑，那么仔细阅读本书的第一部分将大大有助于说服你。它当然说服了我。
进入云端
在对该概念进行专家推销之后，Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition仔细解释了企业如何在没有太多压力和痛苦的情况下迁移到(stress and anguish)Office 365和云计算(cloud computing)。同样(Again)，重点是让读者相信这一举措的好处，而且作者再次做了细致而彻底的工作。他们回顾了Office 365的优势和功能，并解释了为什么进行迁移是有意义的。
企业将不得不改变主意的不仅仅是云计算和订阅软件。(subscription software)由于Office 365的某些版本包括内部聊天应用程序(in-house chat application)、名为Delve的类似 Pinterest 的应用程序以及创建公司范围内的 Facebook 式页面（以及其他功能）等新方法， Office 365 的作者为Dummies，第二版(Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition)不遗余力地解释了为什么这些社交媒体应用程序可以对企业产生非常有益的影响。对于习惯于告诉人们他们不能在公司时间在社交媒体网站上胡闹的经理来说，这可能会很困难(company time)了解为什么特定于公司的私人社交媒体网站实际上可以提高生产力和公司协作(productivity and company collaboration)，但我相信作者很好地阐述了在公司的Office 365帐户上设置这些内容的案例。诚然，微软(Microsoft)将他们的聊天应用程序命名为 Yammer 的非常不幸的决定可能会给了解 Yammer 的人带来一些问题。🙂
通用介绍性销售宣传章节之后是Office 365各个组件的介绍性销售宣传章节。在每种情况下，作者都仔细阐述了Office 365方法优于传统购买许可证方法的案例，并且他们做得很好。每个组件（SharePoint、Exchange、Skype for Business、OneNote、Word、Excel和Powerpoint) 有自己的章节，详细说明了自己的优势。然后介绍了使用每个组件的基础知识，这应该足以让人们启动和运行。但是，要更详细地了解每个组件的所有功能，您必须找到不同的参考。老实说，如果每个组件都有完整的解释，您将不得不用叉车拿起这本书。
同样，如果您对此持怀疑态度，您可能会发现，当您阅读完每个组件可以成为真正的生产力助推器(productivity booster)的原因时，您会以不同的眼光看待事物。
开始做生意
介绍、推销和概述占据了本书的一半以上。然后，Office 365 for Dummies，第二版准确解释了为从(Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition)内部软件(in-house software)迁移到云计算需要做什么。这不仅仅是一天使用 Office 的公司许可证(Office)和(company license)第二天登录Office 365的问题。为了确保尽可能顺利的过渡，必须采取明确的步骤。这些都是按顺序排列(step order)的。并且为可能希望为特定业务用途(specific business use)定制界面的开发人员提供信息。SharePoint 作为系统的骨干，获得了发展篇章(development chapter)都是自己的。当然，对这些信息不感兴趣的人可以跳过它。
作者再次解释了为什么每个步骤对成功至关重要，以及为什么适当的准备是使Office 365为您的企业服务的关键。同样(Again)，那些认为“我们不可能使用它，我们不需要它”的人可能会想“嘿(Hey)，这对我们有用，让我们试一试吧。” 由于Office 365的不同版本具有不同的组件和不同的价格，因此提前了解您想要订阅的内容是关键（尽管您可以随时更改订阅包(subscription package)以满足您公司的需求）。
“满足 Office 365 要求”("Meeting Office 365 Requirements")一章列出了设备、互联网带宽(internet bandwidth)和个人技能方面的必要条件。作者对迁移到云的利弊非常诚实。这并不全是乐趣和游戏(fun and games)，他们对此很坦率。这一章真的应该是必读的。下一章将引导读者决定哪种计划最有效。这也应该是必读的，因为云计算对读者来说可能是一种全新的体验，并且拥有有关所有计划的所有信息是一个加分项。
有章节介绍了迁移准备、实施Office 365（包括让每个人都做好准备的必要步骤）和管理Office 365（包括Exchange、Skype for Business 和 SharePoint(Business and SharePoint)）。同样，这不是一个完整而详尽的参考指南(reference guide)，但它应该让人们克服困难并进入日常使用(day use)。
十和十
For Dummies书中最好的部分之一是最后一章或几章，(chapter or chapters)称为“ The Part of Tens”。在这种情况下，有三个这样的部分。一个代表“十个迹象表明您是时候迁移到Office 365了”，一个代表(Office 365)Office 365对您的组织具有难以置信的价值的十个原因，一个代表十个提高生产力的技巧。除了有趣的阅读之外，这些章节还很好地推销了产品的价值，这有点像蛋糕上的糖霜。
优点和缺点等等
以下是我认为Office 365 for Dummies 第二版的优点和缺点：(Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition:)
优点：(Pros:)
- 与大多数For Dummies书籍一样，由知道自己在说什么的人写得很好
- 我可以肯定地说，产品的出色“推销”有助于说服怀疑者
- 从一个主题到另一个主题的逻辑进展，每个主题都建立在前面的主题之上，这就是为什么本书应该从头到尾阅读而不是逐篇阅读的原因
- 足够的(Enough)基本信息让您开始使用每个组件
- 大量有用的附加组件和附加信息链接（我查看了Kindle 版(Kindle edition)）
缺点：(Cons:)
- 书名(book title)应明确说明这主要是针对商业客户的
- 我谋生的一件事是编辑，我必须说我对书中的语法错误感到恼火。也许因为我的工作，我比其他人更挑剔，但是诸如“我能不能(Can)更轻松地完成我的工作”之类的东西很烦人（据记录，应该更容易(more easily)）。哦，我们可以从英语中(English language)删除“功能”这个词吗(please)？它是技术性的，几乎在每一个实例中都可以用更好的东西代替。
请记住：(TO KEEP IN MIND:)如果您想要的是有关使用Office 365的所有组件的详细信息，那么这不是本书。但是，如果您需要的不仅仅是本书提供的内容，任何优秀的Office参考书都会详细介绍。(reference book)
判决
Office 365 for Dummies，第二版(Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition)很好地向我证明了我对订阅软件(subscription software)的偏见是没有根据的。我现在可以看到订阅模式(subscription model)对商业用户有明显的优势。这本书确实没有谈到对家庭用户的好处，这就是为什么我认为标题应该清楚地说明它的重点是什么。
它还向我展示了在商业环境中使用社交媒体组件的优势。可惜(Pity)我以前的雇主从未读过这本书。🙂
这是一本很好的读物，如果您是依赖Office的企业的一部分，那么您绝对应该注意其内容。
Book Review: Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition
Subscription software is a relatively new conceрt. Εven though licensing аgreements haνe always made it quite clear thаt you don't actually own the software thаt you belіeve yoυ have bought, people have always tended to ignore that (if they read the EULA at all). So the notion of software that yоu haνe no physical copy of, and that you haνe to pay a fee to use every month, raised some hackles when it was first introduced. Microsoft got intо subscriptiоn software in a big waу wіth Office 365, and it has been іncreasing in popularity, especially for business use. Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition , sets out to show why the subscription model is an excellent choice for business. Does it succeed in its mission? Read this review to find the answer:
Convincing the skeptics
The book begins with a lengthy and very thorough explanation of cloud computing and subscription software. The authors do a great job of recognizing the possible objections and dealing with them in a clear and factual way. I must admit that I began reading this book as a skeptic, which I think is natural for someone whose first computer was an IBM mainframe back in the 60s. 🙂 But as I read on, I found Office 365 For Dummies, Second Edition quickly began to change my mind.
Although the title does not say so (it is in small print on the cover) this book is aimed squarely at business users, and it also quickly became clear why subscription software and cloud computing have huge advantages for businesses. My own experience as the only computer literate person in a large department backed up the idea that it's a lot easier to let the professionals at Microsoft take care of software upgrades, patches and maintenance seamlessly in the background.
Now, granted, Microsoft doesn't have a spotless record when it comes to messing things up (I'm not going to stray off the path here by talking about my mother's computer with Windows ME, although it did play a large part in my initially skeptical approach to Office 365) but this book does a very good job of explaining why no matter how much they've flubbed the dub in the past, it's still better to have Microsoft maintaining your critical business software than to turn it over to some overworked IT person who may or may not have the same level of skill. Plus, with Office 365 subscriptions nobody in the company is going to have to sit down and re-image everything when the company adopts a newer version of Office. Just sign in and there it is, ready to go.
There's a good description of the various Office 365 plans available, so potential subscribers can see what they'll get for their money.
Seriously, if you remain unconvinced that cloud computing and subscription software are worth considering, a careful read of the first part of this book will go a long way toward convincing you. It certainly convinced me.
Entering the cloud
After the expert sales pitch for the concept, Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition carefully explains how a business can move into Office 365 and cloud computing without too much stress and anguish. Again, the emphasis is on persuading the reader of the benefits of such a move, and again, the authors do a careful and thorough job. They review the benefits and features of Office 365 and explain why making the move makes sense.
It's not just cloud computing and subscription software that businesses will have to change their minds about. Since some versions of Office 365 include such new approaches as an in-house chat application, a Pinterest-like app called Delve, and the ability to create company-wide Facebook-like pages (among other things), the authors of Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition go to great lengths to explain why those kinds of social-media apps can have a very beneficial effect for businesses. It may be difficult for managers who are accustomed to telling people they can't mess around on social media sites on company time to understand why company-specific private social media sites can actually boost productivity and company collaboration, but I believe the authors do a good job of laying out the case for setting these things up on the company's Office 365 account. Granted, Microsoft's extremely unfortunate decision to name their chat app Yammer might cause a few problems for people who know what yammering is all about. 🙂
The general-purpose introductory sales-pitch chapters are followed by introductory sales-pitch chapters for the individual components of Office 365. In each case, the authors carefully lay out the case for the superiority of Office 365's approach over the traditional buy-licenses approach, and they do a good job. Each component (SharePoint, Exchange, Skype for Business, OneNote, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint) gets its own chapter detailing its own advantages. And then there is an introduction to the basics of using each component, which should be enough to get people up and running. However, for a more detailed look at all the features of each component, you'll have to find a different reference. Honestly, if each component got a full explanation you'd have to pick up this book with a forklift.
Again, if you are skeptical about any of that, you may find that by the time you've read through the reasons why each component can be a true productivity booster you'll see things in a different light.
Getting down to business
The introductions, the sales pitches and the overviews take up more than half the book. Then Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition explains exactly what needs to be done to prepare for a move from in-house software to cloud computing. It's not just a matter of one day you use the company license for Office and the next day you sign into Office 365. There are definite steps that have to be taken in order to assure the smoothest possible transition. These are laid out in step by step order. And there is information for developers who may want to customize the interface for a specific business use. SharePoint, as the backbone of the system, gets a development chapter all its own. Of course, people who aren't interested in that information can just skip it.
Once again, the authors explain why each step is essential to success, and why proper preparation is the key to making Office 365 work for your business. Again, people who go into it thinking "We can't possibly use that, we have no need for it" may come out thinking "Hey, that would work for us, let's give it a try." Since there are different versions of Office 365 with different components and different prices, knowing ahead of time what you want in your subscription is key (although you can change your subscription package at any time to suit your company's needs).
The chapter "Meeting Office 365 Requirements" lays out what is necessary in terms of equipment, internet bandwidth and individual skills. And the authors are very honest about the pros and cons of moving to the cloud. It's not all fun and games, and they're upfront about that. This chapter really should be required reading. The next chapter guides the reader through deciding which plan will work best. That too should be required reading because cloud computing may be an entirely new experience for the reader, and having all the information about all the plans is a plus.
There are chapters on preparing for the move, implementing Office 365 (which includes the steps necessary to get everyone ready for it), and managing Office 365 (including Exchange, Skype for Business and SharePoint). Again, this is not a complete and exhaustive reference guide, but it should get people over the hump and into day to day use.
Tens and tens
One of the best parts of a For Dummies book is the final chapter or chapters called " The Part of Tens". In this case, there are three such parts. One for "ten signs it's time for you to move to Office 365," one for ten reasons why Office 365 can be of incredible value to your organization, and one for ten tips to increasing productivity. Besides being entertaining reading, those chapters do a good job of selling the value of the product, which is kind of like frosting on the cake.
Pros and cons and more
Here's what I feel are the good and bad points about Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition:
Pros:
- As with most For Dummies books, well written by people who know what they're talking about
- Excellent "sales pitch" for the product that I can say with assurance is good for convincing the skeptics
- Logical progression from one topic to another, each building on the previous topics, which is why this book should be read from beginning to end rather than piece by piece
- Enough basic information to get you up and running with each component
- Plenty of useful links to add-ons and additional information (I reviewed the Kindle edition)
Cons:
- The book title should make it clear that this is primarily for business clients
- One of the things I do for a living is copy editing, and I must say I was irritated by grammatical mistakes in the book. Maybe I'm pickier than other people because of what I do, but things like "Can I do my job easier or not" were annoying (for the record, it should be more easily ). And oh, can we delete the word "functionality" from the English language, please ? It's technobabble and in almost every single instance can be replaced by something better.
TO KEEP IN MIND: If what you want is detailed information about using all the components of Office 365, this is not the book. However, any good reference book for Office will go into the proper detail If you need more than this book provides.
Verdict
Office 365 for Dummies, Second Edition did a great job of proving to me that my bias against subscription software was unfounded. I can now see that the subscription model has clear advantages for business users. The book really didn't go into the advantages for home users, which is why I believe the title should have made it clear what its focus is.
It also showed me that there are advantages to using social-media components in a business setting. Pity my former employers never read this book. 🙂
It was a good read, and if you're part of a business that depends on Office, you should definitely pay attention to the content.
