Microsoft has started the fight back against Google and Zoho by launching its cloud-based versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint to a select handful of beta testers on its SkyDrive service. Microsoft has promised that the final version of Office Web Apps will be available to the half a billion users of Hotmail, MSN Messenger and Windows Live services.
Microsoft is adamant that the new beta is a taster and nowhere near the finished article but is equally adamant that it will not sacrifice quality and will offer the end user a service and functionality equal to its desktop products.
Despite seemingly being caught with its pants down and running behind Google and Zoho, not everyone thinks that Microsoft is playing a difficult game of catch-up.
Rob Helm, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, told Computerworld.
“Google is trying to catch up with Microsoft’s desktop applications, maybe cover 80 per cent of their functionality. But they’ve got a long way to go. Microsoft is instead trying to promote an adjunct to Office to use when you’re collaborating with people, and to handle some commenting and formatting, and maybe entering a little text.
“Microsoft has a much narrower view of what web apps are supposed to do. They’re very carefully limiting the web apps, so they really aren’t a substitute for the desktop.”
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