[besson3c]

There seems to be so much emphasis and attention placed on document sharing and collaboration, and seems that many demand new and improved ways to share Office related data.

I haven't looked too much into the features that the Windows version of Office offers now, but it seems to me that there would be some hurdles and obstacles to overcome with a client to client or client to server model, especially once you want to leave your own LAN. This may be why many have talked for years about web based applications replacing Desktop ones.

It may take several years, but for now it does seem that the web has a head start in the data sharing arena over what can be easily done with Desktop applications. If Office running on a company web server is to be our future workflow, what will happen with the current Desktop version of Office?

It seems to me that while there may be ways to make a Desktop application useful in this scenario, this would require a complete gutting and reworking of the current version of Office. For many, maybe the Desktop edition of Office will cease being a compelling product in the future?

I'm not suggesting that all Desktop apps will simply go away, or that web-based applications have a clear advantage over Desktop apps. I can see us using Desktop apps for many years to come. However, I do see a change. This change represents an opportunity for all sorts of people. Historically, Microsoft hasn't done extraordinarily well in coming up with web applications, it looks like Google is strongest in this area right now.

What do you think? Can you see us using MS Office in its current form in 10 years from now? 15? 20?

[lpkmckenna]

I still have Office X, and I have no reason to update it. There are simply no reasons for me to even consider it. As a home user, Office is already far more than what I need.

Do office users need to update? I couldn't say.

[CharlesS]

I don't like the idea of all my applications (including a word processor, which may be necessary for work/school) becoming unavailable if my ISP has a temporary outage.

I don't like the idea of not being able to use a word processor on a laptop if I'm in an area that doesn't have WiFi (indeed, I often seek out such a place when I'm writing a paper for school, so as not to be distracted by e-mail and such).

[Kenneth]

How many people use Google Docs & Spreadsheets? I tried it once and that's it. Not that I don't like it, but I hardly use any word processing or spreadsheet software. Meanwhile, it's nice to have a copy of the software on my local hard drive.

My workplace has a volume licensing agreement with MS, so I can get a copy of MS Office without paying for it. On the other hand, I just installed Office 2007 on my parents' notebook since my mother prefers the MS Office suite than OpenOffice. Since MS changed the file format, I kept the old style 2003 .doc format to avoid any problem.

[shifuimam]

I'm pretty sure that SharePoint server/client software provides that kind of remote collaboration.

I've used other office suites (including Corel and OpenOffice), and while they're fine for basic tasks, I'm going to be using Office 2003 for a long time. It would be difficult to develop a web-based application that provides as many advanced features as the Office 2k3 apps. The amount of customization that can be done with Office just isn't matched by other apps.

[Wiskedjak]

With the quality of OpenOffice, and that they're gonna start work on porting a native Mac version, I'm I'm inclined to agree that MS Office is nearing the end of it's useful life.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

I'm pretty sure that SharePoint server/client software provides that kind of remote collaboration.

But you would still need to deal with opening up the necessary ports in your firewall, securing this data transmission, etc. What happens if you jump on another network? You would be faced with these questions and issues again...

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by CharlesS 

I don't like the idea of all my applications (including a word processor, which may be necessary for work/school) becoming unavailable if my ISP has a temporary outage.

I don't like the idea of not being able to use a word processor on a laptop if I'm in an area that doesn't have WiFi (indeed, I often seek out such a place when I'm writing a paper for school, so as not to be distracted by e-mail and such).

Web based applications are no panacea in this regard in part because of these sorts of reasons, but then again, network access is being required more and more for all sorts of company workflow. If you are committing to being tethered to a network, this just seems like one other ingredient.

I'm sort of ambivalent to a lot of this stuff, but it does seem like some changes are on the horizon.

[mduell]

The problem with web apps is when you're offline or on a slow connection.

Google Documents and Spreadsheets are greaty for easy collaboration, but I can't use them when I'm on a plane.

This isn't a technologically infeasible situation (better/more advanced browser caching would fix it), but no one seems to me making progress toward a standard for fixing it.

Also, for businesses to use it, they need to be able to host the web service themselves. Many won't or can't trust document security to another company.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by mduell 

The problem with web apps is when you're offline or on a slow connection.

Google Documents and Spreadsheets are greaty for easy collaboration, but I can't use them when I'm on a plane.

This isn't a technologically infeasible situation (better/more advanced browser caching would fix it), but no one seems to me making progress toward a standard for fixing it.

Perhaps in the future there will be standards for checking in/out work from the web server, and perhaps run the app through a local web browser?

You actually could do this now, it's probably just uncommon.

[analogika]

As far as I'm concerned, the end of MS Office's useful life was Word 5.1a.

Everything after that was patently useless.

[selowitch]

Just try MarinerWrite or AbiWord and you'll never go back to MS Word, which is one of the most hideous, bloated, unusable pieces of junk anyone has ever come up with.

[mac128k-1984]

Nah, I think having office aps as web based is a bad idea and office for the mac is servicable, I really have no complaints with them. They do seem to be the ugly step children of the Microsoft suite, but all in all there still a need.

I think having web based office apps presents too many issues like connectivity (what happens when my broadband goes down - it has happened in the past) What about backups and document retention. Some things are better left on the desktop.

If you take this one step further and think about businesses using web based office apps then you open more complications, like security and information visability.

Nope, I'll never use any sort of web office and if it means never upgrading MS office so be it.

[OldManMac]

I can see a business using a web based office type suite, but for the consumer/home market, I don't see it for a long time. There are still far too many people who don't have high speed web access. Even though I have Comcast, the service is not as speedy or as reliable as other providers I've had, and one of the factors that will be considered when I make my next move will be who the provider is.

There's also the issue of ownership to consider. I want the discs; if I have a problem with my computer, which admittedly doesn't happen very often as it's a Mac , I want the discs. We like to own things also; we like pretty packages and a sense that the product is ours. As Bilbo said: "It's mine!"

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by mac128k-1984 

Nah, I think having office aps as web based is a bad idea and office for the mac is servicable, I really have no complaints with them. They do seem to be the ugly step children of the Microsoft suite, but all in all there still a need.

I think having web based office apps presents too many issues like connectivity (what happens when my broadband goes down - it has happened in the past) What about backups and document retention. Some things are better left on the desktop.

If you take this one step further and think about businesses using web based office apps then you open more complications, like security and information visability.

Nope, I'll never use any sort of web office and if it means never upgrading MS office so be it.

What if the web app allowed you to check out data, and you could have it do this automatically and have it cached somehow?

There are problems with the model, but also advantages, such as having people work on the same file, handling revision control, etc.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by KarlG 

I can see a business using a web based office type suite, but for the consumer/home market, I don't see it for a long time. There are still far too many people who don't have high speed web access. Even though I have Comcast, the service is not as speedy or as reliable as other providers I've had, and one of the factors that will be considered when I make my next move will be who the provider is.

There's also the issue of ownership to consider. I want the discs; if I have a problem with my computer, which admittedly doesn't happen very often as it's a Mac , I want the discs. We like to own things also; we like pretty packages and a sense that the product is ours. As Bilbo said: "It's mine!"

Yet many people are more than happy for their email to live on some server where you cannot get to your data (or your data is in some sort of proprietary format). People are happy having their photo galleries on Flickr as well. Not everybody feels that strongly about owning their data.

If given a choice where the two products are otherwise similar, people would probably choose owning the product, but if a web based version offered compelling features that the Desktop version didn't, I can see there being a shift here.

Your point about home ownership is a good one though, because the collaboration features are probably not as compelling there.

[mdc]

Take my Mom for example. She lives in Cape Town, South Africa and high speed internet down there is expensive. She uses Office (Excel mostly) a lot, and in her position, using a web based application like Google Docs is not feasible.

Isn't Microsoft working on Office Live or something; which is a Google Docs type online Office suite?

Personally, I like the idea that I have the "freedom" to use the application whenever I want and where ever I am, regardless of internet connection. In this country having an high speed internet connection is almost a given, but there are those times when one isn't available. I still want to be able to use my computer however I want to.

Originally Posted by KarlG 

There's also the issue of ownership to consider. I want the discs; if I have a problem with my computer, which admittedly doesn't happen very often as it's a Mac , I want the discs. We like to own things also; we like pretty packages and a sense that the product is ours. As Bilbo said: "It's mine!"

I'm the opposite. I like the idea that I don't need to remember where my cds are to install software. A lot of the software that I use everyday is shareware and readily available to be downloaded. I like that.

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by selowitch 

Just try MarinerWrite or AbiWord and you'll never go back to MS Word, which is one of the most hideous, bloated, unusable pieces of junk anyone has ever come up with.

AbiWord makes MS Word look like a beauty queen.

[OldManMac]

Originally Posted by mdc 

Take my Mom for example.

Is she available?

[mitchell_pgh]

I just wish there was an open source alternative that was gaining momentum. But there isn't.

Open Office just doesn't hack it. That being said, I use Text Edit all the time!

[Chuckit]

The new Windows Office interface is just plain bizarre, but assuming the Mac unit keeps up how they have been doing, it'll still be light years ahead of its open-source competition.

I also don't think Web-based apps are going to take off to the degree that really deeply involved people are predicting. I think we will see more of a convergence between desktop and Web-based apps (desktop apps in particular will become more and more interwebs-friendly), but we're not going to replace the desktop until we really do have a network connection going into our toasters.

[ajprice]

I'm not a heavy user of Office or similar apps, but NeoOffice (OS X Port of Open Office) is doing me fine, and its free.

[mac128k-1984]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

What if the web app allowed you to check out data, and you could have it do this automatically and have it cached somehow?

There are problems with the model, but also advantages, such as having people work on the same file, handling revision control, etc.

Seems like more work then just starting word and loading a document.

I agree with you on the having many people work on the same document but really how often does that happen. Does it occur more then an single individual working on a document.

In my office there are a handful of of documents that could be considered collaborative, maybe 5% of all documents. Very small and consider this, I'm involved in three separate major upgrades if there were a need for collaborative documentation its during the upgrade projects. Even with that on, there has been little need.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

What if the web app allowed you to check out data, and you could have it do this automatically and have it cached somehow?

There are problems with the model, but also advantages, such as having people work on the same file, handling revision control, etc.

A Web-based office app seems like ridiculous overkill for this requirement. All you'd need to do is just add the ability to grok Word files to Subversion and integrate checkout functionality into the desktop program. This is way simpler than completely reimplementing Word (and in a relatively immature language to boot, unless we're talking about a Java applet).

[mdc]

Originally Posted by KarlG 

Is she available?

Hey now

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

A Web-based office app seems like ridiculous overkill for this requirement. All you'd need to do is just add the ability to grok Word files to Subversion and integrate checkout functionality into the desktop program. This is way simpler than completely reimplementing Word (and in a relatively immature language to boot, unless we're talking about a Java applet).

True...

Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait and see whether web applications start to replace Desktop ones sometime in the future. It could be many years in the making, or not at all...