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August 15, 2007

Google Lends Credibility To Sun StarOffice

Duncan Riley

49 comments »

googlepack1.pngGoogle has officially begun distributing office suite and Microsoft Office competitor Sun StarOffice as part of the Google Pack.

The proprietary office suite is based on the same code base as Open Office and was previously offered for $70.

The move was first revealed August 11 but was officially announced August 15.

Don Dodge, Director of Business Development for Microsoft’s Emerging Business Team not surprisingly went negative on the move, writing “What has changed? Star Office has been around for 8 years and has gained no traction.”

To answer Don’s question: credibility.

Google offering StarOffice is a massive credibility boost for the package. The benefits of desktop Microsoft Office alternatives have been promoted for years and although among niche communities they might have found some market share, nothing so far has come close to gaining traction against Microsoft.

General consumers have long since accepted packaged downloads from Google and for good reason; packages such as Picasa and Google Earth are quality offerings that have gained wide acceptance. StarOffice will now benefit from not only becoming a standard download as part of the Google Pack, but also due to the positive consumer sentiment given to most (if not all) downloadable products from Google. Expect StarOffice to have a bigger user base than OpenOffice within 12 months, and at least a measurable marketshare in a similar time frame. It probably wont be double figures, but it will make an impact.

There was no word from Google whether future editions of StarOffice would sync with Google Docs and Spreadsheets.

  • Sphere It

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Comments

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  1. Textbook Case

    August 16th, 2007 at 12:12 am

    Is it any faster than OO?

  2. Jimmy

    August 16th, 2007 at 12:12 am

    Welcome back…

    It’s good to have you back Duncan. Don’t listen to jackass who don’t like you. I have killerapp to show you soon. I won’t give to Mike Arrington & Nick.

  3. A Million Dollar Girl

    August 16th, 2007 at 12:23 am

    I don’t really think Google brings credibility at all to StarOffice. There’s nothing but bussiness…

  4. Colin Klinkert

    August 16th, 2007 at 12:52 am

    I have open office, is this better or just the same with a different name?

  5. Derrick

    August 16th, 2007 at 12:53 am

    Well i’m sure Google will sync with the sunoffice versions. Can you imagine people downloading a Google distributed Sun Office that contains “vulnerabilities”?

  6. quadszilla

    August 16th, 2007 at 1:14 am

    Credibility?

    If you use open office over MS office, you have no credibility.

    OO is crap compared to office 2007.

    You can put lipstick on a pig, dress it up and take it to dinner but it’s still not the same as a fine woman.

  7. Michael Camilleri

    August 16th, 2007 at 1:20 am

    I would think the new people Star Office are likely to reach are, for want of a better term, regular people. Unless these are people who are using their computer for the first time one would expect they have access to some sort of office productivity application in some shape or form.

    I’m not sure if there’s anything compelling about StarOffice that would make someone who is already using an alternative (be it web-based or desktop-based) want to switch. That it’s included in the Google Pack doesn’t change the software or make it any more attractive.

  8. Damian

    August 16th, 2007 at 1:34 am

    Any credibility gained is complete negated by the inclusion of RealPlayer.

  9. Damian

    August 16th, 2007 at 1:37 am

    Em, sorry, let me rephrase that… because GooglePack includes RealPlayer, the credibility gained in negligible.

  10. Techticles

    August 16th, 2007 at 1:55 am

    Duncan,

    I don’t think you have any idea what does it mean to run Ms Office in the enterprise neither why people actually pay hundreds of dollars for Ms Office than use a free Office software.

    Google doesn’t bring credibility. The only thing it brings is good press release and that is because they make lots of people rich with their adsense. Without it, they would get the same level of criticism that Microsoft gets.

    Users are not as dumb as you think they are. They would get Star Office because of the google colored logo in it.

  11. Duncan Riley

    August 16th, 2007 at 2:42 am

    Techticles
    I never said this would replace enterprise level installs of MS Office. Blind Freddy would know that it wouldn’t (and BTW I’ve managed businesses before with Win/ Office installs so yes, I’ve got some idea as to what is involved). What this will appeal to is the moms and dads general level consumer market (ie: not Silicon Valley or WallStreet). Google does bring credibility: this market isn’t sure about the alternatives because they don’t read blog after blog talking about the virtues of Open Office and others over MS Office, but they will look at a download from Google in the same way that they’ll run Picasa or Google Earth or Google Toolbar; being offered by Google gives it instant credibility in this segment.

  12. Mario Ruiz

    August 16th, 2007 at 2:43 am

    In a meeting at the time of McNeely I asked him: Let me think, Solaris (because it is the only way their boxes run) and that is it. You can’t sell software. Less natural for Sun to distribute software for PC’s?

    Scott said: What about Java. My reply was: Don’t tell me you are now selling Java.

    StarOffice: So many years Sun has been developing and marketing without any result. Being relaunched by Google means Sun gave up to his effort to compete with MS in the distribution channels?

    Mario Ruiz
    http://www.oursheet.com

  13. Jeff

    August 16th, 2007 at 2:46 am

    I’m going to agree with Damian here. Although I use the Google branded apps in the Google Pack (GP), I think the inclusion of RealPlayer is a credibility chink in the GP armor.

    When Real started trying to take over the computer upon installation it became a second class application next to spyware — in my opinion.

    Luckily the GP lets you only install what I wish.

  14. Perun

    August 16th, 2007 at 2:47 am

    @Colin,

    I have open office, is this better or just the same with a different name?

    OpenOffice-Website tells me:

    Differences between StarOffice and OpenOffice.org

    The source code available at OpenOffice.org does not consist of all of the StarOffice code. Usually, the reason for this is that Sun pays to license third-party code to include in StarOffice that which it does not have permission to make available in OpenOffice.org. Those things which are or will be present in StarOffice but are not available on OpenOffice.org include:

    Certain fonts (including, especially, Asian language fonts)
    The database component (Adabas D)
    Some templates
    Extensive Clip Art Gallery
    Some sorting functionality (Asian versions)
    Certain file filters
    Commercial spell checker, synonym dictionary
    Management tools

    For more information on the current features of OpenOffice.org, please see the “Features” page.
    A detailed comparison datasheet is available at Sun Microsystem’s web site about OpenOffice.org.

  15. JustCheck

    August 16th, 2007 at 2:56 am

    ThinkFree Office Desktop is a good alternative.

  16. Pinto

    August 16th, 2007 at 3:30 am

    Is this available only in the US? I cannot see it here in India.

  17. Elliot Yates

    August 16th, 2007 at 3:47 am

    Hey, well I don’t actually care how Google moves forward in that respect. All I care about is the eventual crushing of Microsoft. If Office is phased out for free alternatives, so be it.

    Hehe

  18. Duncan Riley

    August 16th, 2007 at 3:51 am

    Pinto
    It’s available in Australia but I’m not sure about India, but I wouldn’t see why it wouldn’t be.

  19. Its A Trap

    August 16th, 2007 at 4:23 am

    God, google has its hands in all the best free software.. open office.. firefox.. their taking over!

  20. Seoz87

    August 16th, 2007 at 4:36 am

    Here is some more

    http://seoz.wordpress.com/2007.....ft-office/

  21. Elad Kehat

    August 16th, 2007 at 4:50 am

    While I agree with the general notion that this is good for StarOffice, I don’t think that it’s because of increased credibility. Rather, it’s the increased awareness. The general consumer market outside Silicon Valley or WallStreet that you’re referring to, probably doesn’t even know that there is a viable MSOffice alternative out there. If some are using google pack, then Inclusion in it would generate awareness.
    Nevertheless, the biggest hurdle facing any MSOffice alternative, is that it requires users to learn a new software, after years of getting used to Word, Excel, etc. (i.e. learning where to find all the commands they need in the menus). For most (me included), this constitutes a switching cost that just ain’t worth saving a few hundred bucks.

  22. JustCheck

    August 16th, 2007 at 5:07 am

    Pinto - Is this available only in the US? I cannot see it here in India.

    Mr. Pinto: download from http://www.thinkfree.com/ desktop version. It is free. Also, you can purchase online $50.

  23. JustCheck

    August 16th, 2007 at 5:09 am

    Pinto - Yes I am in India and downloaded from the above site.

  24. Punchy

    August 16th, 2007 at 5:48 am

    More thought should be given to those “regular users” previously mentioned. Considering the cost, learning curve, vulnerabilities and daily maintenance of a standard MS Office install, Sun’s Star Office may be a viable install for millions.

    Many school boards up here in Canada having been including Star Office for years in primary and secondary public schools. Inevitably those students use PC’s at home and will have learned on Star Office. What do you think they will install?

    My hope is that Sun and Google take Star Office straight to the web and turn it into a full featured web enabled office productivity suite for the masses. I worked on a project with Open Office and Wine and we almost had it there, I am sure Google’s minions will be able to figure out the rest.

    It’s where we need to be heading anyway, maybe they can get it there.

    Punchy

  25. Amon Borland

    August 16th, 2007 at 6:09 am

    “You can put lipstick on a pig, dress it up and take it to dinner but it’s still not the same as a fine woman.”

    Quadszilla, that’s the funniest thing I’ve read in a while, and I think it nails what we’re talking about here…

  26. Useful Concept

    August 16th, 2007 at 6:09 am

    With my newest computer I have opted to avoid MS Office if feasible. So far I have had NO need for a word processor or spreadsheet. I can do the little I need with google docs. I use the google for domains to have my branded email run through gmail. I am not a google lover or advocate, but they make it easy and free. Nor am I a MS hater. I see little reason to drop MS Office on existing machines, but for many people if their computers came pre installed with openoffice or staroffice they wouldn’t bother with MS office at all. Its all about who gets installed first, familiarity, ease of distribution and yes creditability. I expect this will help some, but what would really help is default pre installs.

    Then there is the price. While many readers here would have no problem paying the full price of Office (not the student version you can get at best buy), most people out there really would like to spend that money somewhere else. We may be more knowledgeable and have more spending money, but we are not the majority.

    I laughed out loud when I saw realplayer was included. It is the first thing I remove from any new computer these days. Goes to show that even by including software into the pack, doesn’t mean everyone will instantly like or use it.

  27. Shambhu Borah

    August 16th, 2007 at 6:27 am

    Doesn’t this subtract credibility from Google Docs, something for which that Google is now apparently charging businesses? If I was a marketing guy, I would say this is a big positioning mistake.

  28. Bill

    August 16th, 2007 at 6:53 am

    I’ll keep my pig and save $200 thank you! Star Office does everything Office 2007 does minus the eye candy.

  29. Howto Monster

    August 16th, 2007 at 7:02 am

    I like Star Office and Open Office.
    It’s at least another step towards free software and away from Microsoft.

  30. Jake

    August 16th, 2007 at 7:18 am

    details on the differences between openoffice and staroffice are here:
    http://cybernetnews.com/2007/0.....om-google/

  31. Scott Rafer

    August 16th, 2007 at 7:50 am

    It’s too little, too late as an attempt to keep Facebook Platform developers out of the enterprise applications arena.

  32. Phil

    August 16th, 2007 at 7:56 am

    It will be free… for awhile.

  33. anantara

    August 16th, 2007 at 9:43 am

    Yeah. I am from India and downloaded it. I have also had a few mom and pop types who asked me if it made sense for them to uninstall their MS Office (which most likely was pirated) and I said yeah for your uses yes. I mean most of them were using MS Office 95.

    Duncan is right. There is no doubt that this is a big bullet that chinks the armor of MS.

    And more interestingly we will have to wait and see how much google invests to update this product to MS 2007 kinds.

    That would be the killer.

  34. the buxr widget

    August 16th, 2007 at 12:57 pm

    I’ve tried to get on the Open Office bus, but I have to agree with commenters here.. It’s not a credibility issue at all - it just doesn’t stack up with MS Office.

  35. danny

    August 16th, 2007 at 2:10 pm

    Yeah realplayer has totally rebuilt their rep because of its bizarre and souless inclusion in the pack. Truth is, no package with that POS has any credibility and is probably a negative for google.

    Othe rthing is, while I actually don’t actually know who is downloading the google pack I doubt that it is the same people who are buying Office so I agree with Shambhu - seems more like a knock against google docs than office 2007

  36. valleyblogzine

    August 16th, 2007 at 2:12 pm

    Duncan,
    I am still not sure just having a Google brand name would help revive (or should i say jumpstart) staroffice. I find Google’s strategy on this a bit muddled. They have a low end office productivity suite and now star office. Would they plan to improve the low end productivity suite to provide enterprise features or would they be just happy to compete with Microsoft Works on that front. Other than the fact that they have identified the Office App business to be a money making machine there is not much merit to their strategy thus far. Here is more on my take on this
    http://valleyblogzine.blogspot.....s-cpr.html

  37. Jorge

    August 16th, 2007 at 5:02 pm

    Duncan’s obsequious Google-whoring (a.k.a. gwhoring) is really destroying the credibility of Mike’s blo.

    If you want a job with Google’s marketing department, just apply already so these inane posts will stop.

  38. Ian Danforth

    August 16th, 2007 at 5:11 pm

    I understand people don’t like Realplayer, however having just installed the new beta I can report that there is no “Message Center” installation and as far as I can tell doesn’t try and leave any services running when it’s not explicitly asked to play a media stream.

    Perhaps they heard your cries of loathing?

    -Ian

  39. Jon

    August 16th, 2007 at 5:14 pm

    Although this is a great thing - I wonder how this will affect Googles plans for a virtual “office replacement”? They already have a few slices of the pie figured out.

    Jon

  40. Zach Wingo

    August 16th, 2007 at 5:43 pm

    I agree with Duncan, this brings credibility to people like my parents and friends who aren’t techies. Why? Because they look at anything from big names like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, etc. as being safe. They figure if Google’s offering it it must be a good product, even if they get frustrated at learning a new product and give up, they’ll at least try it.

    I’m a big supporter of Open Office, I’ve donated money to the foundation and have been using it for several years. But it still doesn’t compare to Microsoft Office. Maybe someday it will, but not at this point.

    Also, don’t forget, Microsoft isn’t the only thing people will be comparing it too. I know many people who buy dell computers only use Corel Office Suite because it comes pre-installed. They see no reason to upgrade, so these people will be comparing OO to Corel Office Suite and OO is much better than OO, IMHO.

  41. iMarketingGuru (SEO/SEM Wiki)

    August 16th, 2007 at 6:51 pm

    Has anyone used StarOffice yet? I’m going to check it out in a little while. Another thing: how will these companies make money from their work? Shouldn’t they just take the work from the open source and build upon it for later releases? Also, what about ad integration? Could it be possible that one day, Google Docs and Spreadsheets start showing ads on the side or something to that effect? It kind of sounds like a good idea, there are only the privacy issues and the fact that most people are just too set in their ways.

    The only way to change people’s ways is to blow advanced technologies in their face that make the past applications not work at all — Without this aspect, most technologies would not ever work for the curve of acceptance is too steep

  42. Blake Brannon

    August 16th, 2007 at 7:50 pm

    This really doesn’t make much sense to me. The only thing I can see is that Google has a better brand name than Sun.

  43. Dave

    August 17th, 2007 at 9:45 am

    And yet colleges keep teaching the MS Office Suite.

  44. rcfee

    August 20th, 2007 at 11:44 pm

    We use OO for sometime in my office. For day to day documentation, writing letter, filling form, ect., it work just fine.

    When it come to very long report, academic paper, I would prefered MS.

    But for many small business OO is a considerable alternative.

    Many universities now have their computer lab with visitor section using old PC loaded with Linux, and open source office suite - and it seem that students, visitors are quite please with the OO.

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