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There are countless sites offering online office suites. Google Docs, and Zoho are few good ones to mention, but none of them have as many features as the commercially available Microsoft Office. However, the only negative aspect of Microsoft Office is that you cannot conveniently share the documents with your contacts over the internet. The only available option is to email your documents or store it in some media and carry it. In an effort to fill this gap, Microsoft has announced a new service called “Microsoft Office Live Workspace“.
It’s an online companion to Microsoft Office. Office users can use the new service to store their documents and share it. A user can control who can view, comment, and edit his documents. Unlike online office suites, Microsoft Office Live Workspace won’t let users edit the document through his browser; instead he will have to use Microsoft Office software to edit.
Microsoft has flawlessly integrated this new service with Microsoft Office. Users will be able to open, save or view the document from Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Microsoft Outlook users can synchronize contacts, tasks and event list.
As we all know, Microsoft Office is commercially available software. Users will have to buy Microsoft Office inorder to use Office Live Workspace. It’s pretty obvious that they won’t let you edit the document through your browser. The service is yet to be released into public beta, so you won’t be able to try it out.
In my opinion, it would have been better if they could have added an option to edit the documents through the browse. The service is anyhow intended to be used by Genuine Office users, so what’s the point in cutting down features? If they could work out some method to authenticate if the person who has signed up for the service is a genuine user, they can easily add this new option. Or maybe, they can even show some ads and allow users to edit documents from their browser. This way, they can earn revenues as well keep users happy. What do you think?
Via: CyberNet
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wrote, on October 4th, 2007
[...] Brad Linder wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptGoogle Docs, and Zoho are few good ones to mention, but none of them have as many features as the commercially available Microsoft Office. However, the only negative aspect of Microsoft Office is that you cannot conveniently share the … [...]
wrote, on October 4th, 2007
[...] schoolly wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]
wrote, on October 4th, 2007
Thanks for the information.
wrote, on October 5th, 2007
this is nothing but a mere storage space for office docs..something on the lines of sharepoint server for enterprises…but i don’t see value in it….
guess microsoft is making all attempts to get people using pirated software….
wrote, on October 5th, 2007
While all of these recent announcements (IBM/OpenOffice, Adobe/Buzzword, MS Office Live, Google Presently, Zoho) are interesting news items, each solution is missing two major components – the offline/online capabilities, and an on-premise solution.
ThinkFree is the only office suite vendor that has these options. We have the widest variety of deployment options of anyone – online, offline, hybrid (offline/online), on-demand (ThinkFree hosted), on premise (hosted by a portal, web service, or behind a company firewall), desktop, portable, and mobile.
ThinkFree Premium allows you to create and edit office documents offline. We also automatically synchronize files between your desktop and online account. None of the other office vendors have this, not Google, Microsoft, or Adobe. After synchronizing the documents online you can share, collaborate and publish your work.
ThinkFree Server runs on premise. Large organizations like the LA City Public Library and Ryder Trucking host the applications in central locations within their own network. Hundreds and thousands of computers then access those servers to run the applications from remote locations. No other office vendor has these capabilities.
Our free service, ThinkFree Online, has the highest level of MS Office compatibility available and the deepest functionality of any online office suite. These capabilities have allowed us to become the second largest online office suite after Google.
wrote, on October 6th, 2007
Wow thats nice, Zogo,Google docs are free services and there is many other web 2.0 apps helps us to edit docs Online within your browser
wrote, on October 6th, 2007
zoho has what you say Jonathan…a plugin is all tgat is needed…go to http://writer.zoho.com/public/.....n/fullpage and see for yourselves…
wrote, on October 18th, 2007
Although there are many online office suites which offer many features eDesk Online is distinct from what others are, they have numerous applications like portfolio tracking, tax calculations, apart from these They have the widest variety of deployment options of anyone – online, offline, hybrid (offline/online), eDeskOnline allows you to create and edit office documents offline and upload them without even loggin into your account(Internet connection required). You can also automatically synchronize files between your mobile and online account. and edit and share and collaborate using eDesk Online.
eDesk Online - Free Online Office Suite