What I dont get, is why Microsoft doesn’t just focus on what its good at instead of trying to always build apps that compete with Google.

Let them have there Writely, sure 2% of the internet will use it. But if I’m typing up my financial info - there is no way writely is going to get my vote.
Plus it is going to take the Writiely team a century to get the level of Microsoft Word. There is so much “but I can use it away from my PC” - I travel ALOT and I dont think i have ever needed to use something like writely. People have managed for the last 25 years no problem without online apps like this, and I really dont think that there is going to be a huge business change until more features are added.

If writely built in a “paid” version that offered superior security etc etc then maybe. Until then - useless…….

The one thing that irks me - the Beta meter hasn’t moved in months. I’m not sure but I can’t say I’ve seen any new features. Anyone know?

The legal bugle boys at Google (see how I rhyme) would be seriously sweating if it could be proven in court that Google Calendar crushed the entire web-based calendar sector and its Writely killed off all other online word processors. It’s safe to assume that Google wants to avoid the nightmare Microsoft lived through when they were hit with multiple anti-competitive suits by the likes of Netscape, Sun, Apple, WordPerfect, EU, and our own government.

On the other hand, if that were the case, these lawyers would have job security for years to come, but that’s a different movie.

I agree with Yoda that there’s no online word processing market sector. Writely’s squashing ants while the elephants are running overhead.

–rj

Powerful online word processor.

I know now why Google adquired it

In the scenario where the service is hosted on the intranet, the no-cost aspect goes out the window and suddenly that option looks a bit less attractive.

I really doubt these web-centric software will gain any significant traction in the corporate arena. Besides, I’m sure it’s easier to add online-awareness to Word than to make Writely as sophisticated as Word. So, when all is said and done, the Word stronghold will probably suffer very little disruption.

In a third-party to enterprise solution (Writely) - you’re screwed. In an intranet setting - no problem.

Why didn’t entreprises choose GMail has their email service but instead host their own email servers?

That summerizes it, it is a web wordpad.

Same concept as with IP phones… Phones have existed well before the internet - but combining the two makes a more innovative product.

I think we can both agree on the fact that thin-client computing won’t be taking over the consumer market anytime soon…

That’s true with any disruptive innovation… But eventually, there will be a point where the pendulum doesn’t swing back. My bet is that we’ll be in a solid thin-client mode by 2015 (i.e. next 8-12 years).