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Office competitors circle

By mwelch March 13, 07 11:16 AM

Source: Slate

googleapps.jpg zoho.jpg

Ironically the FAA is "contemplating dumping Microsoft Office in favor of the browser-based Google Apps suite." Ironic because you can't use web software in the air. But even for FAA desk jockeys, Harry McCracken doesn't recommend it. Google Apps doesn't yet have equivalents to PowerPoint, Access or Publisher and it still lacks some of the functionality we've been using for decades. But McCracken points to a company that's farther along with web-based alternative to Office: ZoHo, and reviews it favorably.

Why do people like the idea of web-based apps? Price is a big reason. It starts out free, which is a good price. Then upgrades for Zoho, for example, are $295 for "a 25-user, one-year subscription to Zoho Virtual Office. That's "100 bucks less than one copy of Office 2007 Standard."

Another reason? Upgrades. You subscribe and the software is constantly upgrading via the Web and you don't have to deal with software on your hard drive.

Related:
Google's web Office strategy
Ozzie at the helm
Google bigger than Microsoft by 2010?
Google Office
Trusting the new web
Writely goes Google
IBM software-as-a-service
The rise of software-as-a-service

http://www.slate.com/id/2161519/

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