Why don't you all journalists write about Apple's products that can do like Microsoft? I respect Microsoft which I used their products since Win95 instead web based apps that wouldn't last very long compatibility issues in a long run.
TALK ABOUT APPLE or DON'T WRITE ONLY ON MICROSOFT which it shows that you are biased on one side. Its not good for readers to be educated in different platform.
Ben Gold
· 2 years ago
Hey I'd talk about apple if it were appropriate for this situation, but it wasn't.
Yourgay
· 2 years ago
boo hoo no one talks about Mac crap.
Thats because Mac is for fags only.
Go have an iLife you fag.
Ben Gold
· 2 years ago
Oh, now shush. Macs are fine machines.
DaveMcQ
· 2 years ago
Is there a moderator in the house?
chriskalani
· 2 years ago
I don't really agree with most of this. Most of the alternative web based apps will not be used by the average user. Take my parent's for instance. Heck even a lot of users such as myself don't really use most of those anyways. Plus there is a rather large portion of people in the industry who still enjoy having desktop versions opposed to web based.
I love google and use gmail and gtalk like crazy... but I really don't enjoy using any of their docs... they are nice for collaborative works and things that need to be online but other than that it is pretty pointless. I don't think it will take over. It will probably get more popular but I don't see it taking down any big time software companies.
Pete Cashmore
· 2 years ago
And the thing is, the world needs only 5 computers.
Avatar X
· 2 years ago
"killing"? hahahahahaha.....right..
and then there is a little think called Live desk in the future..
competing?, sure, replacing? no, killing?, not in a million years if you know the joy of office ultimate 2007 or if you actually think in global terms
Ben Gold
· 2 years ago
yeah killing might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the truth is when you use some of these apps it's pretty incredible how good of a user experience you can get with them. I personally no longer have Office installed on my mac (well mainly because office for mac sucks) because I use google docs to write things. I will however admit that Office 2007 is amazing, I have it running on my PC and they really did a great job with it.
Avatar X
· 2 years ago
ah, you have not seen the demo for office 2008 for mac then.. seems as good as in PC.
and, yeah i know that the headline sells..
Ben Gold
· 2 years ago
i have seen the demo, it sucks.
connectionfailure
· 2 years ago
Can anyone direct me to some kind of comparative list of what exactly is missing or so bad about Office for Mac? My boss is switching back-and-forth between Office 2003 for Windows and Office 2004 for Mac and she asked me what was different about the Mac version, as there are some UI differences. After searching for ages, I could only find some vague references to Visual Basic- which she doesn't use- and that it was slower calculating large spreadsheets. In all honesty, the online apps will be fine for the majority of users, as they have no knowledge of the missing high-end functions anyway. I mean it's hard enough to get people to use linebreaks, page breaks or styles in MS-Word. And lastly, the web versions are always current- all the upgrades are done on the server!
Wal
· 2 years ago
I started using Google Docs a month ago and I'm happy with it. It's sufficient for my basic word processing and spreadsheet needs. An advanced user will probably still need the desktop app, but that will not be for long because the online applications are advancing fast and will eventually provide all the features you find in a desktop application.
Marc
· 2 years ago
Microsoft Project is currently deployed by 7% of all Office users. This is an enourmous number and until Projity there was not a complete web-based alternative. Project-ON-Demand has equivalent functionality, familiar user interface and simply opens existing Microsoft Project files in the browser. It gives access to teams anytime/anyplace and on Linux, Unix, Mac or Windows. A replacement of Project should somehow make your list of 0 solutions.
Mary Bresticker
· 2 years ago
Holy free software Batman! I actually had a conversation with a friend of mine at Microsoft familiar with the desktop office applications, and he was keeping mum about Microsoft's foray into web based apps. My guess is that they're developing them, but I wonder if they'll come out soon enough to kill growing interest in the alternatives.
-Mary from BINC
DaveMcQ
· 2 years ago
I know it requires a download but I just couldn't stand not seeing OpenOffice.org mentioned. MS Office is obsolete, unless M$ starts giving it away... sometimes I daydream about things that will probably never happen.
In spanish you have Computadora.de basically a Windows-like desktop in your browser, plus applications: 1G storage, MP3 player, openoffice tools, e-mail account, blog editor, web page editor... I have started to test it a few days ago, and works fine. Excelent post, Ben!
I think we're now getting into an area where people with sensitive information might not trust it to an online service that they don't really know. I've frankly been surprised that nobody has been really concerned that their sales information is sitting on Salesforce.com's servers, alongside their competition's. But Benioff has created a pretty solid, credible brand, I guess. But how many people are gonna write a business plan for a new idea that's gonna rock the world or put their ssn into a Zoho application, trusting it's hackproof or that the company itself isn't reading it, if only to serve you context sensitive ads alongside it?
Rob
· 2 years ago
Wow another lets bash MS for the sake of it, these apps are not killing Microsoft the same as a Mini or Nissan Micra are not killing Aston Martin sales.
The majority of the latest Microsoft applications and servers are the best available on the market and for that you pay decent money, Microsoft make money and companies get decent dedicated support.
There is no such thing as a free lunch and until capitalism dies fee software will not make it big as there is no 'big' money to be made.
John
· 2 years ago
Hi! This sure sounds like a declaration of war to any MC employee ;) Well, I guess they'll survive it.
I'm a little surprised that there is no mention of Skype! It probably on the most popular replacements for MSN, and should definetely be listed as a top alternative!
Good list though ,thanks!
Arvind
· 2 years ago
Nice post & thanks for including Zoho in many of the categories, Ben! There are more apps in the Zoho stable like Zoho Writer (word processor) and Zoho Chat (web chat).
Hmm..killing is too much. die trying maybe. google docs cannot be used offline. that means we have to depend on internet, and so are others. If killing is the purpose, offline application come free is the key. Most of of web app is free, and relying on support + advertisement to survive. The result will be. "not so user friendly app, and slow loading web page"... long life desktop app.
All Comments
TALK ABOUT APPLE or DON'T WRITE ONLY ON MICROSOFT which it shows that you are biased on one side. Its not good for readers to be educated in different platform.
Thats because Mac is for fags only.
Go have an iLife you fag.
I love google and use gmail and gtalk like crazy... but I really don't enjoy using any of their docs... they are nice for collaborative works and things that need to be online but other than that it is pretty pointless. I don't think it will take over. It will probably get more popular but I don't see it taking down any big time software companies.
and then there is a little think called Live desk in the future..
competing?, sure, replacing? no, killing?, not in a million years if you know the joy of office ultimate 2007 or if you actually think in global terms
and, yeah i know that the headline sells..
After searching for ages, I could only find some vague references to Visual Basic- which she doesn't use- and that it was slower calculating large spreadsheets.
In all honesty, the online apps will be fine for the majority of users, as they have no knowledge of the missing high-end functions anyway. I mean it's hard enough to get people to use linebreaks, page breaks or styles in MS-Word.
And lastly, the web versions are always current- all the upgrades are done on the server!
-Mary from BINC
Take it for a spin. ;-)
basically a Windows-like desktop in your browser, plus applications: 1G storage, MP3 player, openoffice tools, e-mail account, blog editor, web page editor...
I have started to test it a few days ago, and works fine.
Excelent post, Ben!
Alejandro.
http://ajaxwidgets.com/Blogs/thomas/ajax__one_m...
.t
The majority of the latest Microsoft applications and servers are the best available on the market and for that you pay decent money, Microsoft make money and companies get decent dedicated support.
There is no such thing as a free lunch and until capitalism dies fee software will not make it big as there is no 'big' money to be made.
This sure sounds like a declaration of war to any MC employee ;)
Well, I guess they'll survive it.
I'm a little surprised that there is no mention of Skype!
It probably on the most popular replacements for MSN, and should definetely be listed as a top alternative!
Good list though ,thanks!
long life desktop app.