Is Microsoft getting ready to bring Office online?
Posted 4 March 2008 at 1:22PM by Ian Betteridge in Doing business online
Microsoft, the 800lb gorilla of the software world, maybe about to embark on the biggest transformation in its history: moving its market-dominating suite of office applications from your desktop to your web browser.
According to author and commentator Nicholas Carr the company is set to announce the change of strategy in the next few weeks. This will mean that, instead of buying Office as a package which you install on your PC, you'll be able to use it via a web browser, from any machine connected to the internet. Whether you'll have to pay for the privilege - and how much - remains to be seen.
Over on BT Insight, we've talked before about the advantages of this kind of model of using software for business, and it is clearly something that Microsoft has been putting a great deal of thought into. While some of its competitors - most notably Google - have already launched online office suites, Microsoft has held back. This is probably because it already has an existing Office business, and needs to work out what the implications are for its overall business of effectively cannibalizing its own existing revenue.
This kind of radical transition is always hardest for the company which dominates the market. Microsoft has a lot to gain from moving software from your desktop into online services, but as the market leader it also has the most to lose if it gets things wrong. Clearly, it has decided that the risk of not moving online is now too great - and has decided to act. It will be interested to see how things shake out.
Tags: bt, bt broadbandoffice, hosted apps, microsoft, saas
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Comments
2. At March 4, 2008 2:56 PM, Hulk 'The Real American' Hogan wrote:
Vincent Mcmahon, I could not agree more, it is about time all those hulkamaniacs at Microsoft done what was good for their business for once, and moved forward, not backwards, oooooh yeah! This hulkster is very happy indeed! Maybe you can take a leaf out their book for the WWE? Surley we can benfit from this!
- Hulk Hogan
3. At March 4, 2008 7:06 PM, Dark Djinn wrote:
First of all I think the Hulkster should be talking to the Ultimate Warrior and not us Hart Foundation types.
Just when we thought the Office suite was beginning to get sorted, it may now be thrown open to all the wolves on the Internet. Try working with your document online and find out that it is being read somewhere else.
Personally, I think it's another dodgy voyeuristic attempt to invade people's privacy by government/big corp types.
4. At March 5, 2008 9:48 AM, Hulk 'The Real American' Hogan wrote:
In response to Dark Djinn, listen here 'brother', the Ultimate Warrior and I have resolved our bad blood, oooooh yeah! We are going for the tag team championship. I challenge you!
As for the government / big copr types invading our personal privacy and reading documents as we create them, are you not just being paranoid on the whole thing?
- Hulk Hogan
5. At March 5, 2008 3:11 PM, Wrestling is for kids wrote:
What if t'internet goes down, then workers dont have access to docs?!?
6. At March 5, 2008 3:46 PM, Hulk 'The Real American' Hogan wrote:
In responds to 'Wrestling is for kids', a lot of adults watch and participate in Wrestling, ooooooh yeah. All those holkamanaics are there, hulking away, surley that counts for something.
As for the whole internet being down, I doubt it very much so, as the changes of that happening are a global power cut or a world wide EMP going into action.
7. At March 5, 2008 3:51 PM, vincent mcmahon wrote:
t'internet?
who says that?
what a commoner
8. At March 6, 2008 10:47 AM, Carl wrote:
I thnk its ignorant to operate on one internet connection anyway. Seems like a large risk to take. Heard of something called contingency plan incase your one internet connection fails, surely a company reliant on internet would have one.
I think its a good idea from microsoft.
9. At March 6, 2008 11:31 AM, anjanesh wrote:
Carl - absolutely right !
have a second option for internet access is an excellent idea when companies depend on internet for most their business (it does'nt even have to be adsl broadban either)
10. At March 6, 2008 12:35 PM, Is wrestling fixed? wrote:
Ignorant or not many businesses do still rely on only one internet connection and of those that have a backup it's often only for email and thus not capable of supporting a number of workers using an online application. Suffice to say that moving Office applications online presents a whole host of new challenges.
11. At March 6, 2008 1:02 PM, Gary wrote:
I work for an ISP and the amount of business customers that only have 1 net connection but claim their business can't work without internet to the cost of tens of thousands a week is really unbelievable.
If you make that much, or even if you make a lot less, have a second or even a third connection in place if your business relies on the web so much. That way your business won't collapse due to a lack of forethought.
12. At March 6, 2008 1:06 PM, Trackback wrote:
heard of a company that might not rely on an internet connection?!? they may though need the office suite for taking orders or whatever line of business they run. e.g plumber or something where the net isnt needed. I wouldnt be suprised if its a ploy on microsoft's part to defeat piracy.. needing a legit login every time to access word or excel e.t.c
13. At March 6, 2008 4:38 PM, Carl wrote:
Just to clear up my last post, I was responding to "wrestiling is for kids" when implying that if you rely on one internet connection you may want to have a contingency plan, and further more, you would still be able to utilise your existing office suite in conjunction with the internet based application anyway.
14. At March 7, 2008 10:29 AM, Trackback wrote:
re "carl" but the point still stands, why should someone need a backup connection if they DONT ususally rely on the internet. they just use it from browsing the odd website but DO rely on the office suite.
15. At March 7, 2008 2:07 PM, Carl wrote:
Re to Trackback.
Thats why they still have their office suite on PC and not the net. "Wrestling is for kids" was protesting the use of office no the net and that he wouldn't have access to it if the bnet went down. Try reading the posts properly, and yes I do agree that you dont need a backup for the net if you dont rely on it.
16. At March 10, 2008 9:07 AM, John wrote:
A couple of things I would be really worried about is security with a web based application are security and pricing. With the internet the biggest problem has to be security. Microsoft could end up overcharging for it once most companies become dependent on it. I would still prefer my Office applications on my computer rather than on the internet.
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1. At March 4, 2008 1:52 PM, vincent mcmahon wrote: