Microsoft's Web-based Office goes live

[Rart]

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/1825/8551word5f00thumb5f0014.pngMicrosoft's Web-based Office goes live
June 8, 2010

" Officially joining the browser-based productivity game, Microsoft late Monday released the browser-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

The Office Web Apps, as the programs are dubbed, are slimmed down versions of the desktop counterparts, allowing for document viewing, sharing, and lightweight editing. Consumers get free access to the tools, along with 25GB of storage as part of Windows Live, while businesses can also host their own version of the Web Apps using the latest version of Sharepoint. The main catch is that using the browser-based versions require an active Internet connection.

"We'll have more to share next week when Office 2010 is released to consumers, including how Office 2010+SkyDrive+Office Web Apps give you the best productivity experience across the PC, phone, and browser," Microsoft's Jason Moore said in a blog post. "In the meantime, if you live in the US, UK, Canada, or Ireland, you can head over to Office.live.com today to start viewing and editing Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote documents right in your web browser-and share them with your friends."

Actually, people outside those regions can also use the Web apps, although it may not be in their preferred language.

The launch of the Office Web Apps comes as Google has been making the case that businesses should just skip this version of Office, and add Google Docs in addition to their old version of Office.

Microsoft's Web apps are designed to work on Macs, Windows PCs, and Linux-based computers using Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari (though Google's Chrome and other browsers may work as well). The programs have been available in a limited technology preview since last year. The free consumer versions are designed to be ad-supported, though Microsoft has said that for the foreseeable future it expects to show ads that encourage people to buy the full version of Office.

Microsoft has also built the Web apps into a new version of Hotmail and created a labs effort called Docs.com that allows the sharing of Office documents over Facebook.

Meanwhile, the desktop versions of Office went on sale to businesses last month and are due to hit retail shelves next week. "

:source: Source: Microsoft's Web-based Office goes live (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20007080-56.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1):view: Homepage: Cnet News (http://news.cnet.com)

[bobbintb]

last i saw you had to install some plugin or other such crap. IMHO that kind of defeats the purpose. especially when i can just use my google docs.

[Blackbeard]

Microsoft security fails and they would just spy on you and hand over the info on you and your files.

[ulun64]

I still prefer Google Docs, I still don't like to use Microsoft Office product, I don't trust Microsoft at all.

[Skiz]

You guys are worried about security, so you use Google Docs over Microsoft? Do you not see the irony in that? :dabs:

Have you not seen how Google is getting caught in nearly all of their ventures for spy? Be it Street View, the wifi debacle, emails, etc. They've been caught spying on all of those fronts. Do you think they offer these services just to be nice? They're harvesting information obviously.

[LtAda]

You guys are worried about security, so you use Google Docs over Microsoft? Do you not see the irony in that? :dabs:

Have you not seen how Google is getting caught in nearly all of their ventures for spy? Be it Street View, the wifi debacle, emails, etc. They've been caught spying on all of those fronts. Do you think they offer these services just to be nice? They're harvesting information obviously.

Harvesting information? Google doesn't have humans reading this mail; it has programs reading them

[Expeto]

Harvesting information? Google doesn't have humans reading this mail; it has programs reading them

don't be such naive... Microsoft is an honest and greedy company, Google is a greedy asshole who tries to look like our friend, with their fake attitude. Do you know their cookies expire in 20-30 years?

You are partly right, problems read the data, but do who know who reads the output of the that programs?
Google spends millions on data mining technology, the technology reads your all your mails and history in seconds and give a plain output like;
"this guy likes anal porn, indian food, classical music, technology ..."

I usually hate when people make conspiracy claims about CIA, FBI and alike. Yet when you have such a great amount of intel on the almost everybody on the world, probably the greatest, somebody will be reading it.

[Skiz]

You guys are worried about security, so you use Google Docs over Microsoft? Do you not see the irony in that? :dabs:

Have you not seen how Google is getting caught in nearly all of their ventures for spy? Be it Street View, the wifi debacle, emails, etc. They've been caught spying on all of those fronts. Do you think they offer these services just to be nice? They're harvesting information obviously.

Harvesting information? Google doesn't have humans reading this mail; it has programs reading them

:dabs:

[ulun64]

At least Google is better than Microsoft, they don't go around suing ppls like Microsoft.