The last time I looked, mobile devices were outselling desktops and notebooks by a comfortable margin.

So, no, he's not outnumbered.

I use a desktop (or laptop) for doing work. The most I will do on my phone is send a short email reply, as the interface is so inferior for getting any "real" work done.

You're not everybody. When you send email to someone else, your preferred mode of working doesn't really enter into it.

I'd rather not have bloated Word files sucking up my data plan.

And neither are you or the OP. In fact, I'd hazard a guess that you are in actual fact a minority. Before you assert higher mobile sales again, think on how many people use their device for anything more than the very basics; photos, messaging and social networking etc.

You are missing the point completely.

No one is trying to tell you you can't use Word to your heart's content on your own machine. When you send email to another person, though, you can't assume that they're going to have it. Especially not now.

"In fact, I'd hazard a guess that you are in actual fact a minority."

Smartphones that do have email and don't have Microsoft Word are a minority?

How do you figure that? Neither iOS nor Android comes with the ability to view Word documents.

>"Smartphones that do have email and don't have Microsoft Word are a minority?"

You, as already stated, are missing the point. It has been explained and you continue to miss, or obtuesly ignore the point.

>"Neither iOS nor Android comes with the ability to view Word documents."

Bullshit. iOS can read doc files natively.

> "...as the interface is so inferior for getting any "real" work done"

Bullshit. Depends on what "real" is.

Writing documents / code, as opposed to writing whatssap and facebook.

OK, I am sure a small minority do use their phones for "real" work. But the majority of their use is as a media consumption device.

You're absolutely right, in the comparison you choose to set out.

I was probably being vague: I wasn't really looking at this in terms of mobile/desktop usage, more considering the average HN readers's expectations of the non-HN reader's technology preferences.

They like Microsoft Word, and there's more of them than us.