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Google WhateverSheet
Lots of folk talking about Google Spreadsheet. Saying it’ll kill Excel. Saying this is the last thing Google needed to kill Office. Saying it’s an awesome idea and that obviously it’ll do well.
Without ever seeing it.
I mean c’mon. The Internet Bubble has nothing on the Google Bubble. They can release products with:
1. No business plan
2. No sustainability
3. No customer service
4. Lousy uptime
5. No updates
6. Always in beta
7. That cost gobs to make, gobs to maintain with no income stream
8. That nobody ever really asked for
9. That only geeks really care about
10. That don’t get used
And STILL get praise for it.
Give. Me. A. Break.
I’m sick of the Google Halo, the Google Bubble, the Google Myopia. If they release a product that works, that has good customer service, that doesn’t require every user in the world to change the way they do every little thing, that actually listened to customer feedback, that came out of beta, that had a business plan … Well, I’d be alright with that.
Just ONE product a year that fell somewhere in that category and I’d be happy. Hell, I’d be happy if they launched a product that stayed up for the first week it was out!
Ugh.
Update: Don gets it right. This isn’t going to hurt Excel or Office at all. It’ll hurt Open Source. And it’ll hurt small companies. Besides, what’s Google doing releasing an office suite anyways?
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| Print article | This entry was posted by Jeremy Wright on June 6, 2006 at 8:41 am, and is filed under General, IT Thoughts. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |
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about 5 years ago
I am surprised that more people don’t see what Google is doing…competing directly with open source projects like OpenOffice and Sun’s StarOffice.
Last year Google had a cozy “feel good” press conference with Scott McNealy and Sun. Everyone thought this would lead to Google partnering with Sun to offer a version of Sun’s StarOffice. Instead Google turns around and competes directly with them.
Google Spreadsheets and Writely competing with Microsoft Office? I don’t think so…not in the enterprise.
about 5 years ago
Don, agreed. Google doesn’t have the sales team, the support team or the customer service team to play in the enterprise. But, they can dominate open source projects and smaller software projects purely by force of “being Google”.
about 5 years ago
I like Picasa – it rules. It’s like iPhoto for PC but it’s free.
about 5 years ago
Sure, too bad Google didn’t develop it. The only products Google has of value are ones they bought… And then never really did anything with after buying them.
about 5 years ago
Jeremy – how many times have I told you that it is unhealthy to bottle up your feelings. You need to just say what you really think dude!
;^)
Your points (and Don’s) are well-taken. It’s high time people recognized that Google is spending a lot of money and launching a lot of stuff but in general is functioning like a blindfolded kid trying to hit a pinata at a birthday party.
about 5 years ago
“only products Google has of value are ones they bought” -
huh ?? what about Gmail ?
about 5 years ago
PD: I’d argue Gmail doesn’t have any real value. Or at least it has no more value than Hotmail or Yahoo! Mail. It’s just web-based email. And it’s web-based email that requires users to be completely retrained, which isn’t a scaleable metaphor at all.
about 5 years ago
Perhaps you are a little to close to these developments – for the masses many of these solutions (developed or bought) are fantastic and extend their use of the internet – as someone who uses excel 97 at home (because I am sure not going to pay Microsoft any more money) the concept of an online spreadsheet works for me.
about 5 years ago
Who are these “masses”? Show me a single product Google’s built that has hit massmarket appeal outside of search.
Also, your comment spurred a post: http://www.ensight.org/archives/2006/06/06/ms-office-is-not-too-expensive/
about 5 years ago
Jeremy, I think you need to also factor in Hosted Services of gmail. This is quietly and slowly being rolled out to small business and Enterpruner type of early adopters.
“web-based email that requires users to be completely retrained, which isn’t a scaleable ”
Oppss,.. are you telling me that 3-4Million early adoptors, 2-3 million followers and another 2-3 million techis needed training ?? Thats quite an ascertain that you made over at Dans Comments, likewise how will you ascertain that :email that requires users to be completely retrained” ??
No the postulation is wonky. you cant say that and also say they all needed “retraining” ??? Woot Woot 10Million users ??
about 5 years ago
PD: Sure I can. The first 10 million are early adopters or those who love to be retrained (or the young, who were never trained in the first place).
Let’s put it this way. There have been free office suites forever. There have been online office suites for 4 years. Nothing has impacted Office’s share yet, why would a stripped down, decentralized, unstable, unsupported service do so now?
about 5 years ago
geeeeeeeeee..
“The first 10 million are early adopters or those who love to be retrained ”
!=
“web-based email that requires users to be completely retrained, which isn’t a scaleable ”
Ok then lets say I conceed the first point for ease of discusion). !! :)- .. then what is scaleable in your world . So 10million is not a a scaleable value for you ??
about 5 years ago
Not if it’s down twice a week :)