Comments on: Google: So Bad, It’s Good

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:46:15 +0000

Earl: given Google always labels these offerings as beta and gives no assurances or guarantees about data security, backup, or availability, you’re probably right. However, I think that ultimately much of our data will in fact move online, even business data. But we’ll need to have strong assurances about our data as well as recourse in case something happens.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:42:54 +0000

Michael: so much for my career plans
Mathew, I was thinking along those lines, too especially when I saw Nick Carr arguing that Google wanted to sponge off of Microsoft, not destroy them. Yeah, today it might not be full-featured enough to suck off a large part of Excel users, but what about in the future, when no one wants to hassle with desktop software anymore? Google as Gretsky, yes.

By: Earl Moore

Earl Moore — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:41:47 +0000

For the time being I believe Google will only attract the casual user and as such will be of little competition to any of the smaller free spreadsheets much less Microsoft Office.

I don’t know of any business or professional user that would trust their critical, confidential, or personal data to a Internet based spreadsheet. I certainly would not.

By: michael bernstein

michael bernstein — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 21:20:50 +0000

Regarding the commoditization of nurses aides, try doing a search on ‘robot nurse’.

By: Mathew Ingram

Mathew Ingram — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 19:47:29 +0000

I think your central point is a good one, Anne. Let a thousand spreadsheets and online Office apps bloom, I say (although Shelley has a point too about how unsuccessful many Google services are — things like Froogle and Orkut and Reader totally suck in most cases).

I think Google wants to compete not with Microsoft’s Office as it is now, but as it might be in the future, when Internet access is more ubiquitous (which it almost certainly will be) and people are even more comfortable living online. As someone said of Wayne Gretzy, he was better because he didn’t skate to where the puck was, he skated to where it was going to be.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:56:59 +0000

Shelley: right, OpenOffice already has a free spreadsheet, but I guess since it’s not pushed by the current godzilla of the web it’s not so threatening. To me, what’s exciting about Google’s offering is that it’s a service rather than a desktop app. I prefer online services to desktop apps for the most part, but that’s because I use tools like graphics manipulation or spreadsheets very lightly. I think that’s the market Google can get, along with parts of the international one, like prakash mentioned. How much of Microsoft’s office business is that? I don’t know.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:53:52 +0000

James, wouldn’t that be interesting if Gartner did open-source their content. I’m thinking that’s not gonna’ happen, at least not until they’re pushed into a desperate corner and they can’t think of anything else to do.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:51:13 +0000

Prakash - I could see Google chipping away at Microsoft’s office hegemony, starting with casual spreadsheet users like myself who don’t need the full power of Excel and international users, like you mention.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:48:48 +0000

Tom - if that’s the only strategy and everybody’s successful, then I guess the cash cows die. We’ll all be put out of work and have to get jobs as nurse’s aides to the elderly–can’t really commoditize that! At least we will be able to blog when we have time off, though. Thanks for the comment; nice to see you here.

By: Tom Foremski

Tom Foremski — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:32:07 +0000

The business strategy these days is protect your own cash cow and commoditise those of others.

It can only end in one way…