MSN Docs; Competition for Google Docs?

MSN has announced an open beta for their Microsoft Office Live Workplace. The idea behind the new service came from millions of Office users requesting access to their files via the net.

Could this be due to Google Docs ability to share your personal work with a group or collaborate on a project together, regardless of your OS over the internet? Well if that was what sparked the idea, Microsoft sure buggered it up.

Yes you have access to your files, and yes, you can even access other file and image types. The catch is the same as it has always been with Microsoft; you need to have Office.

I have some free advice for you Microsoft (Guy Gilbert): Try not being such a corporate miser.

If you truly want to compete with Google, you’re going to have to give more than “free access” to the Office Live Workplace. The only thing that I need to take advantage of Google docs, other a computer with a connection to the internet, is a Google account (it’s free, you can use your current email address, and any browser.)

Personally, I see a huge opportunity missed here. Non-Office users may want to try this out, but can’t without making a purchase of MS Office.

What I would have done is provide free access to a web application that simulates the user interface of Office; allowing the user to benefit from the “Live” version of Office, while at the same time exposing them to the product. You kill two birds with one stone. The current users are happy and Microsoft has gained exposure to people who may have never given Office a second look. As for the quality… well, I don’t use it, so I honestly can’t say (my Xbox 360 is the only MS product to make it into my house.)

I started this post off with a question and I think I answered it too. While I do favor Google, I also want to see their competitors keep them on their toes. (Yah, I’m talkin’ to you too Yahoo! with your “Open Search”)

While I’m at it, I’d like to mention the awesome new features that are provided with the new Excel in combination with AdCenter. Same catch as above, you must have the new Excel program. While I thank you for the invite to check it out, I am quite happy with what AdWords has to offer. Come up with something web based, and we can talk.

11 comments

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March 4, 2008 at 9:08 pm

Shirley Tipsy

LMAO – CLASSIC!! “Yah, I’m talkin’ to you too Yahoo! with your “Open Search”

You put this really well… can’t wait to see how you rank for “Corporate Miser” keywords.

March 6, 2008 at 9:47 am

Bryan Siegel

Here is some incentive (Microsoft sent me via email) to use Microsofts live workspace,

“Hello bryan,

You’ve automatically been entered in the Office Live Workspace Sweepstakes for a chance to fund an education, start a business, support a charity—the choice is yours—with a $100,000 grand prize! Over 30,000 other prizes will also be awarded to help you share, work, and play.

Now you can get bonus sweepstake entries* just by using your workspace!

• Bonus entry #1: Go to your workspace and upload your first document.

• Bonus entry #2: Share your first document or workspace.”

I’ve been a fan of the office live workspace ever since they were in Alpha testing. There are many different types of templated workspaces to choose from. For example my wife uses the household workspace to keep track of grocery lists, bills and other to-do’s around the house. Since you have the ability to share a workspace I’m up-to-date on when, if and how much my monthly bills are. By keeping track we’ve been able to save 550 dollars a month vs. living paycheck to paycheck. We saw where the money was going and devised a budget every week using the workspace.

From an SEO standpoint it’s hard keeping track of usernames and passwords and general findings. I’ve been using project workspace to keep track of logins and general analysis I’ve noticed.

The Office live workspace is targeted towards buisness professionals. Google is having a hard time migrating people from MS Office to Google docs because of one Integration and two there’s a learning curve. If you are a big buisness you might have your database (CRM) integrated with microsoft word so that everytime you send out a memo it syncs with the database program to keep tabs on a particular client. Or if you need to run a report on how many widjets you sold across a year you can download the data from your server and sync it with excel.

Google docs doesn’t have that ability, which is why I migrated away from that platform. The Google spreadsheets is very slow and cannot scale on a development standpoint.

March 6, 2008 at 9:53 am

I forgot to reference where you can find more information about MS Office development for those interested in what MS Office can do,

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/developercenters/default.aspx

March 10, 2008 at 9:23 pm

Adam Moro

I’m trying to move away from Microsoft completely. As of now, I only rely on one of their overpriced software which is Windows. Can’t say I’m too far away from complete independence though (Ubuntu is really cool!). Anyway, the last of their products to go for me was Office when I switched over to Open Office (h**p://www.openoffice.org/) and so far haven’t looked back. As far as storing my docs/data where a corporate body (miser or not) can easily access them – I don’t care who does it or how they do it, I’m not interested.

March 11, 2008 at 12:54 am

Glen Allsopp

I’m still not happy with the Presentation feature on Google Docs so just missing that might tempt me away to microsoft.

March 12, 2008 at 10:04 am

Adam Moro wrote….

“I’m trying to move away from Microsoft completely.”

-good luck-

March 12, 2008 at 10:09 pm

Ha! I smell a corporate miser!

March 17, 2008 at 4:41 am

Iconic

..and whoever thought anyone would compete against Microsoft? It’s amazing that Microsoft has to play catch up…… again yet this time can’t afford their prey

Google docs still needs some improvements. I hope they dont stop developing because its a great tool.

March 25, 2008 at 9:43 am

Zak Nicola

If there is one thing I learned about Google at SES NY 08, it’s that they really listen to their users. If Google Docs is something that you think can be better, tell them, or blog about it, they do listen. (more than we’d like perhaps)