<p>Microsoft Office is the gold standard used by almost every content creator on the planet. Office proficiency, where relevant has become a base line skill expected of any employee.</p><p>Traditionally it runs on Microsoft Windows (92% of all desktops/notebooks), Mac as well as Microsoft Phone and RT tablet operating system.</p><p>As the gold standard it means that all files created in the Office suite have to look the same on any device. Any serious work processor contenders have to be able to at least maintain basic compatibility with its file type, fonts, tables and formatting. Microsoft does not quite have a monopoly but it has done very well for it.</p><p>From my experience iOS and Android alternatives to Word, Excel and PowerPoint have varying degrees of Office compatibility. Without exception these will cause some corruption or loss of formatting, fonts, underline, bold, tables, tables of contents, links and hyperlinks, pagination, graphic placement, embedded audio/video and much more, especially if a document is being passed back and forth from an iOS/Android tablet to Microsoft Office for further editing. But these work-alike products are getting better, especially the ones you pay for.</p><p><a href="http://www.itwire.com/your-it-news/mobility/59489-microsoft-delays-office-for-ios-and-android-yet-again">Keep reading...</a></p>