Microsoft's Web-based Office goes live • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft's Web-based Office goes live

#21

Post by robryan » Wed, Jun 09, 2010, 10:17 AM UTC

robryan wrote: post #19

snprbob86 wrote: post #3

To try them: http://office.live.com/?docsf=1 They are pretty impressive. A bit slow and far from feature complete, but definitely in the same league as Google's suite. If Microsoft keeps their foot on the gas, they may be able to block Google's assault on Office. EDIT: I heard that they would have support for rendering 100% of offline Office's documents/features. Is that still true? Would those parts of the documents…

I'm getting a "Complex Document: Optimise editing in Word" type message, suggesting they might not be completely confident in 100% of the offline features yet?

And on a large document it is a lot less usable currently, not just within the document but the interface to, seemed quiet snappy on a short document, IE and FF seem about the same, bit faster in chrome (about the usual amount).

I'm surprised their not using this to push silverlight actually, seems like a good way to prove it's worth.

Re: Microsoft's Web-based Office goes live

#22

Post by clark-kent » Wed, Jun 09, 2010, 10:42 AM UTC

mkuhn wrote: post #18

clark-kent wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you need Word installed on your computer to use this. And it probably requires I.E.

It is almost ironic that you spread FUD[1] to discredit a Microsoft Product. Your statement is plain and simple wrong. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt

Its not out of fear its just that Microsoft Docs with Facebook required Office installed when I tried it. MS Adcenter(https://adcenter.microsoft.com) still requires requires Windows. Try adcenter from linux you get a non-supported pop-up. Its good news if they support all browsers with this product.

Re: Microsoft's Web-based Office goes live

#23

Post by thunk » Wed, Jun 09, 2010, 3:09 PM UTC

endtime wrote: post #9

thunk wrote: post #5

They're cannibalizing their biggest cash cow just to compete. They must be terrified.

I'm not sure I agree about the cannibalization. I see the web apps as more of a value-add than a full replacement for Office. I probably wouldn't want to use the Word web app to create an entire document (unless I had no choice), but it's super handy for making edits/fixes from a machine without Office.

I guess I don't see why MS would do this at all if they didn't see it as an eventual Office replacement. Acclimating users to web-based Office apps tangentially benefits Google by validating its approach. So restricting web Office to lightweight auxiliary functionality for the native Office mothership seems like a loss for MS. I think they're going all in.

Re: Microsoft's Web-based Office goes live

#24

Post by endtime » Thu, Jun 10, 2010, 9:07 AM UTC

thunk wrote: post #23

endtime wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure I agree about the cannibalization. I see the web apps as more of a value-add than a full replacement for Office. I probably wouldn't want to use the Word web app to create an entire document (unless I had no choice), but it's super handy for making edits/fixes from a machine without Office.

I guess I don't see why MS would do this at all if they didn't see it as an eventual Office replacement. Acclimating users to web-based Office apps tangentially benefits Google by validating its approach. So restricting web Office to lightweight auxiliary functionality for the native Office mothership seems like a loss for MS. I think they're going all in.

I think it's a matter of retaining mindshare vs. Google Docs. The Office web apps are seen as complementing (and complemented by) Office.