Published on 2006-02-17 13:24:12
As a first condition, Microsoft Office Live require Internet explorer and there is no support for other browsers. Its not strange for a microsoft product, but already give it a limitation. The product come in three flavors Basics, Collaboration and essentials.
The Basics is simply a hosting service, with Web site design tool, 5 email accounts, data storage and transfer with a Web site traffic analysis and reporting tools. The domain name is offered FREE in this service. Notice that this service is offered free and there is no fees indicated.
The Collaboration is dedicated for enterprise and corporations to let you store, share, and manage your everyday business information in one central online location. The product include Shared Sites, Online business applications allowing to manage customers, opportunities, projects, employees, and general company information ... The product don't look like an office suite, but more like a CRM and collaboration suite.
The Essentials I personaly don't see any difference with the collaboration package, even the same price and same features. Just different names ? I'm not sure, there is something confusing because the collaboration don't offer email and hosting feature, while the essential offer them in addition to the collaboration feature. Maybe prices are still in beta too !
If we want to talk about the desktop Office we know, this is completly different. The Microsoft Office Live version is more a hosting service with the common features we know like stats, email, website creator ... in addition to some online tools for business such customer management, opportunities, projects, employees ... etc.
Microsoft don't move their business from desktop to the web completly, but they are creating additional service which could complete their desktop products, or maybe it's the beginning for a new area. You can read in the end of the press release :
All three Microsoft Office Live services are designed to work independently, as well as to integrate with other programs in the Microsoft Office suite. For example, Microsoft Office Live services can enhance the experience even further for those customers using Microsoft Office applications such as Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel®, Microsoft Office PowerPoint® and Microsoft Office Outlook®.
Well, I don't see anything new in integration with Microsoft products when we talk about sharing documents. In this case Microsoft is competing with hosting providers which certainly offer better services for that price. What's 50Mo storage and 25 GB/month bandwidth are useful for ? Email accounts are counted separetly with 2 GB per email account using a hotmail like interface. Even as a hosting service I don't see it enough for personal usage, to talk about enterprise and collaboration?
Maybe AJAX was a Buzz in some day, but it come with something new, but Microsoft Office Live is a Buzz only ! I'm waiting for the invite to see more from inside, but I don't think I'll find something new. Currently invites are available for US users only, in addition that accounts are advertising-supported. I'm just wondering who suggest them to make such products !
More info at http://www.officelive.com/Previous Page
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