Hype is like cancer that spreads until it obliterates all facts in their wake.
Currently the Google word processor is being hyped as the alternative to using MS Word.
About two years ago I tried to use Open Office. MS Word was going to cost me an arm and a leg and I had every incentive. A month of painful struggle and irritation at what was an inferior and ultimately unusable product as compared to MS Word, I shelled out the big bucks.
Google Docs is an impressive piece of web software, and certainly superior to wordpress’ text editor widget. However, I am pretty sure, that I prefer using MS Word if I ever have to write any document.
Nonetheless, this document was written using google doc.
My next task is to see if I can get MS Word to publish directly to my blog….
And for the record, Open Office was far more usable.
Give things time. I agree that MSWord is a much different experience than the Web editors out there. But that is like commenting how Latek beats HTML.
Different people want different features. Realize too that the web products in general are very very very young. Give them time.
One thing a hot shot silicon valley engineer may also miss is that MS products are expensive. You also generally have to be part of a company that will give you the latest and greatest or know someone at Microsoft or have a lot of cash to get them. I think Word retails for several hundred dollars a seat.
One reason I know some folks prefer the non-MS solution is just cost. They don’t need all the windows features and they don’t have laptops or companies that will back up all their documents on things like Filers.
Personally I think writely is ok as an alternative to Word, but that’s because I have never needed the features that word provides. On the other hand I worship MS Excel. And I don’t think any app right now on the web comes close.
IMHO in five years I think Microsoft and most companies will be putting this stuff in the browser. If you have a network connection it just solves too many enterprise problems.
I also think the trend will make Netapp a ton of cash. Since it allows companies to really leverage their filers like never before.
So I don’t disagree that MSWord is more expensive, but I think if I had to choose a text editor for document processing that was cheaper than MSWord, I would choose Open Office over any current Web based tool.
Time may change that equation. But right now I am impressed with the hype.
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