Enterprise pros - explain to me the logic of modern device management

[sekker]

We are being forced to go online using web-based apps for our Outlook and other office apps like OneDrive.

There is no way these are more productive for even a minimally trained user than our existing purchased Office 2016 suite.

So there has to be a reason - I keep thinking it's literally to make it HARDER for a user to use. In that way, it means I cannot actually move large files around or do anything nefarious, in the eyes of IT 'security'.

The problem is that it is MY JOB to move such files around - I am a scientist, and we GENERATE and MODIFY and even SHARE large files.

Office is not a great tool for sharing such files, of course. But once we've trimmed the data down to smaller units, Office could at least be used. But now - now, we have turned these fine Macs into GDMED glorified Chromebooks.

So I ask - what was WRONG with computers that ran dedicated programs rather than a browser-based, cloud hardware. If I had WANTED an iPad, I would have BOUGHT an iPad.

I am serious - tell me, oh wise MRFers, what is the logic around crippling modern computers? Is it REALLY that hard to have 'managed' hardware? If they want to record every keystroke and leave the camera on, I would hate it but it would sure be boring for them. But at least, living is such a fish bowl, I could work rather than trying to drink digitally through a tiny straw.

[Sarcany]

sekker wrote:
We are being forced to go online using web-based apps for our Outlook and other office apps like OneDrive.

There is no way these are more productive for even a minimally trained user than our fully Office 2016 suite.

So there has to be a reason...

I haven't seen enterprises or government offices move to cloud-based apps, but they are moving more and more to using OneDrive to store and share files because it's cheap and easy and it integrates smoothly with existing Active Directory services.

Small offices move to cloud-based apps because of the pricing. It's roughly 1/3rd the price per user for an Office license that only includes "cloud" versions of the apps.

[sekker]

Sarcany wrote:
[quote=sekker]
We are being forced to go online using web-based apps for our Outlook and other office apps like OneDrive.

There is no way these are more productive for even a minimally trained user than our fully Office 2016 suite.

So there has to be a reason...

I haven't seen enterprises or government offices move to cloud-based apps, but they are moving more and more to using OneDrive to store and share files because it's cheap and easy and it integrates smoothly with existing Active Directory services.

Small offices move to cloud-based apps because of the pricing. It's roughly 1/3rd the price per user for an Office license that only includes "cloud" versions of the apps.
They blocked OneDrive as a native app, so the only way Macs can access is through a web app.

Cost cannot be the only factor - we already own the perpetual 2016 licenses to Office they are deprecating and/or abandoning.

And this is not a 'small' business.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

Businesses like subscription software as opposed to purchased software for a number of reasons:

- Subscription software is typically treated as an operating expense as opposed to a capital expense, which makes funding much easier to come by;
- For the same reason, developing a budget for annual software expenditures becomes much easier;
- Subscription software often comes with manufacturer support included in the subscription price;
- Subscription software ensures that the latest version of the software is always available to the user;
- If the subscription software is hosted in the cloud, the user is relieved of the need to purchase and support the hardware required to run it. Support costs include labor, electricity and cooling; there is also a cost associated with the space required in the telecomm closet for the equipment;
- All of the above is also true for cloud-based storage.

BTW, Office 365 licensing includes the right to download and run a client on your local computer -- you should be running that on your Mac. I've never heard of anybody using a cloud-based front end for Office client apps.

[C(-)ris]

You should be able to install the native client for Macs and then sign in with your O365 credentials. The download should be in your account when sign in. Unless they got the "free" O365 for EDU which only gives you the online versions and then you have to pay for each client license of the full office suite.

[sekker]

C(-)ris wrote:
You should be able to install the native client for Macs and then sign in with your O365 credentials. The download should be in your account when sign in. Unless they got the "free" O365 for EDU which only gives you the online versions and then you have to pay for each client license of the full office suite.

This is us.

And they have actively shut off features for those of us with active licenses.

Again, the latter is not a cost saving - we already own the software on many tens of thousands of machines.

This ‘transition’ / deprecation has been facilitated by COVID.

All public descriptions for why is this is for ‘security’.

I guess your answers reflect as much confusion as I have.

[Lew Zealand]

C(-)ris wrote:
You should be able to install the native client for Macs and then sign in with your O365 credentials. The download should be in your account when sign in. Unless they got the "free" O365 for EDU which only gives you the online versions and then you have to pay for each client license of the full office suite.

This this this.

You probably have a license for that and can download and install the full O365 Office apps to your Mac. They're pretty much redundant with your perpetual Office 2016 license but they are the full apps.

And about that "perpetual" license. That will be going away in about a year. I work for a similar place and we've been informed that all Office will be subscription model moving forward. Not our choice, Microsoft's. I have an O365 license and downloaded the full Office apps from there.

[macphanatic]

Maybe because they have no idea how users use the software.

[Sarcany]

C(-)ris wrote:
You should be able to install the native client for Macs and then sign in with your O365 credentials. The download should be in your account when sign in...

If they were on an enterprise plan, this is probably going away.

The new/rebranded Microsoft 365 plans for business start with cloud-only subscriptions. It's not just for .edu anymore.

[John B.]

I can think of several reasons, all or none may apply here:

1. Office 365 license plan purchased. Just for example, not every Office 365 plan allows an Outlook client to access the mailbox. Some are browser-only, some allow Outlook to connect (but you have to have purchased the program license separately), some include the Outlook client.
2. Cost (see also #1). The Office 365 licenses that are "browser only" are cheaper than the ones that include local executables.
3. Security. Everyone went home and started using personal machines, and the security team said "we can't put controls around this fast enough, so everyone is going to browser-only to control data loss until we can put MDM and policies in place"
4. Speed of implementation. Huge demand all of a sudden on IT to have people work remote, so they went lowest common denominator and said "we'll teach everyone browser-only to start and figure out the complex stuff later"