Google Presently Coming Soon
The name is a little funny, but it is influenced by Google's Writely online document editor. This now gives Google a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation package that can all be used online.
Many people feel that this challenges Microsoft to make versions of their Office applications available for use on the Web. There is no doubt that is one form of pressure they are putting on Microsoft. I actually see two other ways that this pressures Microsoft.
To me it is very obvious that Microsoft needs to continue to innovate with their Office apps if they want to keep people upgrading. They didn't make big strides until they released Office 2007. I'm sure part of the pressure to make sweeping changes was because of the competition from the online apps as well as other desktop apps. It also came from the fact that many users were not upgrading from the older versions of the Office suite. Given that Office is a huge cash cow for Microsoft, they will fight to stay ahead of the competition to keep the cash flowing. All of this pressure is good for Microsoft Office, but it also helps keep the competitors innovating as well.
Now for the conspiracy part of the theory. Google is the dominant player in search and Microsoft wants in on the game. Google thus develops an online office suite to push Microsoft to innovate with their own suite. This takes away resources that Microsoft could use to work on search. Basically Google is just doing this to protect their own cash cow. This isn't a conspiracy worthy of an Oliver Stone movie, but I do believe there is some truth to it.
I'm looking forward to how it all plays out. I can only hope that Google creates a really cool online app and that Microsoft can push PowerPoint to even greater heights.
Many people feel that this challenges Microsoft to make versions of their Office applications available for use on the Web. There is no doubt that is one form of pressure they are putting on Microsoft. I actually see two other ways that this pressures Microsoft.
To me it is very obvious that Microsoft needs to continue to innovate with their Office apps if they want to keep people upgrading. They didn't make big strides until they released Office 2007. I'm sure part of the pressure to make sweeping changes was because of the competition from the online apps as well as other desktop apps. It also came from the fact that many users were not upgrading from the older versions of the Office suite. Given that Office is a huge cash cow for Microsoft, they will fight to stay ahead of the competition to keep the cash flowing. All of this pressure is good for Microsoft Office, but it also helps keep the competitors innovating as well.
Now for the conspiracy part of the theory. Google is the dominant player in search and Microsoft wants in on the game. Google thus develops an online office suite to push Microsoft to innovate with their own suite. This takes away resources that Microsoft could use to work on search. Basically Google is just doing this to protect their own cash cow. This isn't a conspiracy worthy of an Oliver Stone movie, but I do believe there is some truth to it.
I'm looking forward to how it all plays out. I can only hope that Google creates a really cool online app and that Microsoft can push PowerPoint to even greater heights.
posted by Foster D. Coburn III at
10:12 AM
1 Comments:
pretty damn cool.
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