Comments on: Google Apps – Software as a Service to SMEs http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/ The small business blog of SmallBizPod - inspiration and practical advice for entrepreneurs Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:03:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Small business cloud computing, China and invisible SaaS | Alisoft Shopkeeper launch http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-151308 Small business cloud computing, China and invisible SaaS | Alisoft Shopkeeper launch Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:16:55 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-151308 [...] years ago now I anticipated google gears before it appeared. Syncing between the cloud and the desktop was always going to be the killer app [...] [...] years ago now I anticipated google gears before it appeared. Syncing between the cloud and the desktop was always going to be the killer app [...]

]]> By: Google Gears Changes The Game For Small Business | SmallBizPod - small business blog http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-26105 Google Gears Changes The Game For Small Business | SmallBizPod - small business blog Fri, 01 Jun 2007 09:47:06 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-26105 [...] an easy call, but back in February I tentatively predicted what has turned out to be Google Gears: What does that application [...] [...] an easy call, but back in February I tentatively predicted what has turned out to be Google Gears: What does that application [...]

]]> By: David Terrar http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-2062 David Terrar Wed, 07 Mar 2007 08:33:59 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-2062 Hi Alex, Our views on this are closely aligned, however I still don't think Office will be dead for quite sometime. Until we get to an "always connected" world I'll need to work off-line as well as on-line, and so I see M$ Office becoming part of a hybrid solution with Live, and other variants like ZOHO and and ThinkFree taking a hybrid approach too. This will be particularly true with business users rather than consumers. To misuse a Frank Zappa line he used on Jazz - "Office is not dead, it just smells funny". Hi Alex,
Our views on this are closely aligned, however I still don’t think Office will be dead for quite sometime. Until we get to an “always connected” world I’ll need to work off-line as well as on-line, and so I see M$ Office becoming part of a hybrid solution with Live, and other variants like ZOHO and and ThinkFree taking a hybrid approach too. This will be particularly true with business users rather than consumers. To misuse a Frank Zappa line he used on Jazz – “Office is not dead, it just smells funny”.

]]> By: Alex Bellinger http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1993 Alex Bellinger Tue, 06 Mar 2007 20:58:38 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1993 Hi David, your points mirror an email exchange I had this morning with Dennis. As I said to Dennis: the 'death of Office' meme is one of those typically blogospheric hyped angles, but does have a seed of truth, even if not in the immediate future. Office Live could be very much alive and may yet bury Google Apps the same way IE did Netscape. Even if that is the case Office will still be dead and Google Apps will have precipitated it. Hi David, your points mirror an email exchange I had this morning with Dennis. As I said to Dennis: the ‘death of Office’ meme is one of those typically blogospheric hyped angles, but does have a seed of truth, even if not in the immediate future. Office Live could be very much alive and may yet bury Google Apps the same way IE did Netscape. Even if that is the case Office will still be dead and Google Apps will have precipitated it.

]]> By: David Terrar http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1947 David Terrar Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:10:16 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1947 Hi Alex, Gmail is absolutely excellent and would work fine for most organizations. The rest of the family (maybe aapart from Jot) are pretty weak - I agree with Dennis. I'd also like to add that, when you look at what M$ is doing by creating products like Windows Live Writer for the blogging world, or promoting the .NET based SaaS solutions with their Emerging Business Team, or with the rest of the Live family (both office and applications), I think they'll be around for quite a while yet. The mix will change, and maybe they won't be so dominant in Office apps, but business users will stay using combinations of Office and Live for quite some time. Hi Alex,
Gmail is absolutely excellent and would work fine for most organizations. The rest of the family (maybe aapart from Jot) are pretty weak – I agree with Dennis. I’d also like to add that, when you look at what M$ is doing by creating products like Windows Live Writer for the blogging world, or promoting the .NET based SaaS solutions with their Emerging Business Team, or with the rest of the Live family (both office and applications), I think they’ll be around for quite a while yet. The mix will change, and maybe they won’t be so dominant in Office apps, but business users will stay using combinations of Office and Live for quite some time.

]]> By: Alex Bellinger http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1891 Alex Bellinger Tue, 06 Mar 2007 11:16:12 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1891 I wonder. Other than the offline issue, the corporations I've worked in could easily have used Gmail and Docs. Both strike me as fit for purpose. Spreadsheet is way under spec, agreed, and powerpoint non-existent, although a Google presentation tool is on the way. I wonder. Other than the offline issue, the corporations I’ve worked in could easily have used Gmail and Docs. Both strike me as fit for purpose. Spreadsheet is way under spec, agreed, and powerpoint non-existent, although a Google presentation tool is on the way.

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1876 Dennis Howlett Tue, 06 Mar 2007 08:42:06 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1876 Alex - the world and his dog is predicting the demise of M$. While that might be an interesting idea, it has no basis in reality, nor in historical precedence. Google Apps testing will send most folk scuttling back to the Blue Monster pretty quickly. It's underpowered, (you're right when you say lightweight) and barely fit for purposes. They've already had to provide a 1 month freebie because of outtage issues. That's before we talk about basic features and abilities. Most of which can be outclassed by Zoho and ThinkFree. When Google can demonstrate that it understands the needs of business applications, then it might stand a chance. Not yet. These are baby steps. Alex – the world and his dog is predicting the demise of M$. While that might be an interesting idea, it has no basis in reality, nor in historical precedence.

Google Apps testing will send most folk scuttling back to the Blue Monster pretty quickly. It’s underpowered, (you’re right when you say lightweight) and barely fit for purposes.

They’ve already had to provide a 1 month freebie because of outtage issues. That’s before we talk about basic features and abilities. Most of which can be outclassed by Zoho and ThinkFree.

When Google can demonstrate that it understands the needs of business applications, then it might stand a chance. Not yet. These are baby steps.

]]> By: Soulpress.net » Blog Archive » Is Google Finally Storming the Castle? http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1653 Soulpress.net » Blog Archive » Is Google Finally Storming the Castle? Fri, 02 Mar 2007 20:16:47 +0000 http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/02/22/google-apps-software-as-a-service-to-smes/#comment-1653 [...] Here is Alex Bellinger at the UK-based smallbizpodcast: Ultimately, though, Google is on the verge of an application that will kill Microsoft Office. What does that application need to be in order to convert business users en masse? Well in my opinion, it’s a light desktop synchronization tool that let’s you read and write your Gmail and Google Docs offline and have everything sync up when you connect. Google must be planning this, surely? [...] [...] Here is Alex Bellinger at the UK-based smallbizpodcast: Ultimately, though, Google is on the verge of an application that will kill Microsoft Office. What does that application need to be in order to convert business users en masse? Well in my opinion, it’s a light desktop synchronization tool that let’s you read and write your Gmail and Google Docs offline and have everything sync up when you connect. Google must be planning this, surely? [...]

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