Just a note from the developers today to wish me a happy new year, and let me know that the desktop Beta is kaput ( Shhh, I didn’t even get around to installing it).

SoftMaker Office 2008 for Windows has started shipping in mid-December
and all pre-ordered copies have been sent out.
If you are still using the free beta version, we would like to point
out that it expires today and cannot be used in the new year anymore.
In order to continue working with SoftMaker Office 2008, you should
consider ordering either the full version or the upgrade to SoftMaker
Office 2008.

Remember when the Beta was announced in October and everyone downloaded it to give it a go, and hopefully get the full version free for contributing to it’s development. Did any one get the free full version? Anyway, your beta not going to work now, but SoftMaker offers the full version for

a steal as a full copy at only EUR 69.95 / US$ 79.95.

If you have an earlier version the cost is considerably lower, only EUR 39.95 / US$ 49.95, if you own any of these previous permutations;

- any version of SoftMaker Office on any operating system
- any version of TextMaker or PlanMaker
- any version of Ashampoo Office

Find out more at the SoftMaker site, I still think it’s a good cheap alternative to “the Devil we know”. 

Happy New Year to you all………….