Microsoft is thinking of responding to Google’s web based word processor Writely and Google Spreadsheet by giving away a basic version of Microsoft Works. Currently priced at $50, Microsoft Works includes a word processor, spreadsheet, calendar and email applications. But a big question remains. How this can be achieved without hurting Microsoft Office sales? Microsoft Office contributes a noteworthy amount of revenue and a free Web-based service can diminish these revenues.
The potential service could be branded under Windows Live, will probably be supported by advertisements and could somehow be integrated with Windows Live Mail. Senior analyst Joe Wilcox from JupiterResearch warns Microsoft that such a move could hurt Microsoft if it is aimed at businesses. He suggests that Microsoft should not attempt to answer every signal of competition to their products. Office Live is currently aimed at getting small businesses online.
View: Neowin Forum Discussion
Link: Google Writely | Google Spreadsheets
Link: Microsoft Works | Microsoft Office Live
News source: BetaNews
The potential service could be branded under Windows Live, will probably be supported by advertisements and could somehow be integrated with Windows Live Mail. Senior analyst Joe Wilcox from JupiterResearch warns Microsoft that such a move could hurt Microsoft if it is aimed at businesses. He suggests that Microsoft should not attempt to answer every signal of competition to their products. Office Live is currently aimed at getting small businesses online.

He meant they may save them on their servers and thus available for them to look at.
I don't use web-based email for anything I need kept secure. Are you that niave that you think anything stored on a 3rd party server can't be spied on? It's happened numerous times before, and Google doesn't even hide the fact that it spies on the content of your email. You should read their TOS.
Microsoft, Google, and everyone else jumping on the "web apps" bandwagon seem to think that just making these apps will guarantee a market for them. No one except maybe people in the 3rd world with their $100 hand-crank laptops will ever use these apps, and they may use something made by some other companies or use open source anyway.
1. Any business or project worth a damn will use their own secure servers, with their own collaboration software. Who is Google and MS kidding, they think any business wil host their sensitive documents on 3rd party server!?
2. Consumers will continue to use the desktop versions, including the FREE Open Office.
How much money is Microsoft and Google throwing away on these web-app projects? I guess when you have billions to throw around it doesn't really matter. But it might have been better if M$ spent a little more effort on improving Windows, rather than cloning everyone else's apps and interfering in their markets.
I don't use web-based email for anything I need kept secure. Are you that niave that you think anything stored on a 3rd party server can't be spied on? It's happened numerous times before, and Google doesn't even hide the fact that it spies on the content of your email. You should read their TOS.
Nothing is 100% secure. I know my email can be spied on if some hacker wants to thats just one of the games of life, the same can be applied to my checking/savings account at the bank.
So you have your own servers but what about the receiving end of your email, do you worry that much not to send a email based on what email service (or their own server) is used on the receiving end?
Sure this web based document app are not for serious business work but its a nice little convenience for some folks, everyone is diffrent. And if someone want to spy on my anthropology report then go ahead i have backups so do your best (some creationist hacker marks my report up about how im going to hell bet yet he/she want to break into peoples accounts and steal info
How much money is Microsoft and Google throwing away on these web-app projects? I guess when you have billions to throw around it doesn't really matter. But it might have been better if M$ spent a little more effort on improving Windows, rather than cloning everyone else's apps and interfering in their markets.
Been saying that for years now. With every Vista delay that rolls on by, just makes me laugh at all these half-ass Microsoft craplets they keep pumping out in an attempt to glom onto all things computing.
You want people who write these craplets to write Vista kernel instead, do you?
Maybe mobilize game developers too?
The more people the better kernel they'll write...
You want people who write these craplets to write Vista kernel instead, do you?
Maybe mobilize game developers too?
The more people the better kernel they'll write...
No, I want Microsoft to regain their focus, which they've lost. Jack of all trades, master of none, that should be the new slogan at Microsoft.
I don't use web-based email for anything I need kept secure. Are you that niave that you think anything stored on a 3rd party server can't be spied on? It's happened numerous times before, and Google doesn't even hide the fact that it spies on the content of your email. You should read their TOS.
Nothing is 100% secure. I know my email can be spied on if some hacker wants to thats just one of the games of life, the same can be applied to my checking/savings account at the bank.
So you have your own servers but what about the receiving end of your email, do you worry that much not to send a email based on what email service (or their own server) is used on the receiving end?
(Truncated)
All internet communications are monitored anyway, for specific keywords and phrases and all those kinds of 'goodies.' Same with your telephone lines.
Neither do I since they never format what I'm typing properly
I too prefer desktop applications for speed (I'm on a slower connection) and stability (so far they havent been all too reliable yet) but they certainly have a place. This (and similar doc editors) combined with some online storage could become extremly useful one day and they will only become more powerful.
Id they release MS Works for free, it would hurt more Open Office/Start Office than Google's Writely that's for sure.
If you are on the road, you can't use your "online" word processor or spreadh sheet app anyway (for the fortunate that have internet connection on the go, God bless you).
If you are doing any kind of work sensitive information you can't trust your files being on a server somewhere around the world (possibly scanned for ads as you're working on it).
If you want immediate access to your files and you have 500 mb of word documents and you're in a rush to get all that on your laptop to work on the plane, you're screwed.
If you really need to save some piece of text while you're online and away from your own computer, there's always email for that.
So I don't understand why people are into using online word processing/spreadsheet tools.
You'll start installing MS Office? How long it will take?
You can just post it to some forum. it's easier
Do you like installing LICENSED Office on all PC where you need to use your files?
Works seems to be bundled with 99% of consumer PCs already. Most people I know who've recently bought a PC have a copy of the Works Suite - and it's still in the shrinkwrap, because it's just not Office, which they've gone ahead and bought (or blagged) a copy of. My workplace certainly would rather use Office 97 than the latest'n'greatest version of Works.
I can't see a free online version of Works hurting anyone much - except anyone attempting to use it, perhaps.
Then how would you trust Yahoo!, Google, MSN with your personal/business e-mails.
In some ap[plication, yes. Many home users would no longer have any need for office. But i imagine this software would be a lot simpler and less powerful, so businesses and certain consumers would still use office.
When I was doing techie work I don't know how many friends and family members asked me to install Office for them, and thought for some reason because they had a computer that they were entitled to the software for free. I'd refuse and have to explain licensing to them and let them know what their options were. At $150 you can get Word and Excel which is what most people need anyway.
At least Microsoft will generate ad revenue from this and it will sway people who would normally have just pirated the software.
and a free copy of works doesn't sound that bad, i mean it's a decent suite of aplications, to some part.
Besides, don't they pretty much give Works away anyway? Does anyone actually buy it? Doesn't it just come bundled on brand-name machines, along with Quickbooks Lite and McAfee 30 day trial?
1. do the paper in the dorm/home, print the paper at school library (see point 2)
2. you can edit (share) the paper much easier now (anywhere with any computer by anybody without remember to delete your paper, saw few people left the computer without delete the document)
3. doing a group paper, so everyone can edit the document, (professor can comment the paper before it was submit)
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