Google has just announced that it will offer a Premer edition of its free office apps (like Google docs) to businesses. In terms of our academic discussions, especially as they pertain to "Professional Writing Technologies," I'm trying to get my head around what that'll mean for the changing face of writing.
So, for $50 per license - that is, "per user" - per year, a company can have access to "Premier" editions of those free, web-based Google apps. Comparing that to the ball-park prices of Office Professional for $440 or even Small Business fro around $300 per user, Google definitely seems to offer a cost-effective solution. Or is it?
To whit (ka-boom), on the face of it (and by that I mean that I haven't fully delved into what the disticntions between Google's Premier and Free are), they seem like very, very similar offerings. That's kind of too bad for Google since they've just launched a big ad campaign promoting these business apps.
However, it's not really bad news for everyone else since the base versions of those apps are already free. And of course it's the ad campaign isn't acutally that bad for Google since it won't cost them that much and they've got more money than they know what to do with. As with everything else Google, the programs are web-based, but evidently there's a free Google plug-in called Gears that'll allow some data to be stored locally.
At the very least, since Google is really good about syncing up their applications (Gmail to YouTube to this very blog!), and now even Google Chrome, could this be just the thing to compete with Microsoft Office's (and/or Works which you can save to older versions of Office) ubiquity (spelled "monopoly")?
I love Google and all of its goodies. I was initially not a fan because I was seduced by the darkside (Microsoft). But as I used Macs more and became a Mac fanatic, I came to the Force. I have had my Gmail account for about a year and am in love. Still have the yahoo, but I use my gmail account primarily. In the simplest terms, Microsoft, duck and cover!
ReplyDeleteYour Force metaphor is a good one, Mia. But remember that with the Force there's a "Dark" side and a "Light" side, but it's all the same "Force," the same base energy or whatever. In the same way, we're looking at the same (or at least analagous) functionality among all these word-processing programs. They do basically the same sets of things in basically similar ways. It's good that google's is free (is t, really?), but we should also look at why it's free. Why isn't Microsoft's? How can Microsoft afford (pun intended) to charge for what we can get free elswhere? Or will they not be able to very longer?
ReplyDeleteShalequise Davis
ReplyDeleteI am such a Google fan. I google everything. Ia m not really familair with the Gmail, I am very simole, I just stick with the Yahoo. I am not familiar with Mac. to be honest I have never really heard of it! It is good that Google is free tho. Microsoft knows that Google is free, but still charges.Why is that?
Well, I just erased my long comment... so much for saying all the positive statements about google!
ReplyDeleteI will try to rewrite my then again...
I don’t use google applications as often to become a master on any of them, but the little that I have used, it has been very friendly. Applications such as file sharing, calendar, and blogging are the ones that I have personally experimented.
I used to blog on World Press, but last year, Prof. Hart introduced the class to this blogging avenue. I was reluctant to try it but now I have my own blog under google. I still do not understand how to use google analytics, but my staff had use it for our web site as well as some of our client’s web site and it always amazes me how much information is capture.
I think that $50.00 per license for business applications is not so bad if it is going to improve communications and productivity, but so far as a company we have been able to utilize the free services, so I don’t anticipate us paying for it.
I think google does an excellent job with its advertising, I currently have two campaigns going, one for Estilo (my PR agency) and the other one for Salsa y Bembe (my dance business). Advertising with google is easy to set up and inexpensive, but most important it works.
I feel that Google has been in competition with Microsoft for a while now, but the thing was trying to find ways to be better has always been the concern. I am very proud to say that I utlilize google as my main source for research, entertainment, and so many other things. I don't really understand the whole cost and free situation, but whatever happens I'm sure google will make it beneficial for both the business and consumer. I feel they make sure the consumer is completely satisfied, even beyond their expectations.
ReplyDeleteTamica Jones
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that you are so fascinated with Google, maybe this will be a great opportunity for me to get well acqauinted with google as well. I have had my Gmail account for about a year now, and I use it for business reasons, unlike my yahoo account, which everything in the world comes to and it's very exhausting; there's so much spam. I'm not big on paying for software, I like things that I can use at my conveinience, just because I may not use that program or software after that one time, but anything can always help, and I'd just like to learn more about Google and it's many features.
I think its great how google is coming up with user-firendly web-based software that rivals Microsoft's expensive suites. I am sure that Microsoft charges because it is pretty much the standard globally when it comes to word processing. Google documents are great to work with and can be used by the least computer-savy person. But above all this, my skepticism arises. I am suspicious of everything that google is doing as far as connecting everything together online. Security is something that I wonder about...Just like all the social networking (facebook, twitter, blogs, etc). My main concern is this: If I wanted to find someone - I can and if I work for a company like Microsoft/Google I could really wreck somebody's world by looking at everything that they trust out in the interwebs and deny them access, and exploit them.
ReplyDeleteI remember a saying, not sure whether its biblical or ? But the jist of it goes, "when they all are saying peace and everthing is well, calamity will strike". Will Google/Microsoft have a breach in security? Are their systems designed well enough so that their servers will not fail? We see major things happen in the world such as power grids being offline, hackers, VA losing veterans information (inside job)...I'm just a little paranoid when its comes to giving so much "glory" to the latest and greatest company that makes life easier. It goes the same for Mac and their continual developments of the iPhone.
It is all so great, but one person with the know-how can be a major security threat. I could go on and on but I will stop, I think you all get my drift. Anything good can also be used for evil. Think about nuclear power, its great for giving us energy but we also know about nuclear bombs. Just something to think about. And know that this is all coming from an aspiring IT major... ;)
Reshard's comments about security are interesting. I wonder, though, if we ALL are sufficiently concerned about security in general, NOT just as it pertains to online documents.
ReplyDeleteThink, for instance, about Reshard's example of a disgruntled Google/Microsoft employee. That person could theoretically do a LOT of damage to users of those companies' software. However, isn't the same true about, say, my bank? The company that issues my credit-card? My internet and cable? If an employee at one of those companies wanted to, they could destory my credit, release personal info about me, etc, etc.
However (and this is a however back to my own claim), at some point don't we have to just go forward with a certain amount of faith in the developers of software, just as we do with our bankers, credit card companies, etc? As Reshard says, "Anything good can also be used for evil." Well, yeah, but it can be used for good, too.
See, it all goes back to the Force (see Mia's comment above)!
Google is on top for now. Soon somebody will improve on google's ideas and create something better. Yahoo was once the leader and now the torch has passed on to google. I use google all the time, more than youtube. Google is creating new ways to compete at the top, so we will see how long their reign last
ReplyDeleteJeremy, you're right that other companies have been on top in the past (whether in the search engine market, computer manufacturing, soft drinks, shoes, whatever) only to fall against new competition. One thing that we can do to, as you say, "see how long their reign [will] last" is to take a look at what they do differently. For instance, you say that you use Google more than YouTube. Since you list those two sites, I'm assuming you use them more than most other sites (maybe not ALL the time, but a lot?). Google actually owns YouTube, so really, you're using Google's products even more than you think. Google also owns a lot of other companies, but 99% of their income (by their figures) comes from their sale of advertising, which most of us don't even use. Food for thought...
ReplyDeleteIt seems like Google is almost taking over myspace and facebook, youtube and now... MICROSOFT. Well maybe its a little bit of an exaggeration but if you think it over, Google is an internet version of Walmart. They are slowly and surely knocking out not only mama and papa businesses, but what used to be "The main squeeze". But nothing can stay at the top forever and soon google will be handing over the crown to someone else. All is fair in love and whoring of businesses.
ReplyDeleteBrittney, your comparison between Google and Wal-Mart may be even more accurate than you meant. Wal-Mart typically drives out Mom & Pop stores because they can offer more selection at lower prices (which they are then able to make up in volume). However, historically, Mom & Pop stores have been able to control their prices by being the only game in town, which is bad for consumers. Similarly, Microsoft has been at the top of the food chain for a LONG time (in computer years). Now, Google is offering similar products at lower prices, which might in turn drive out the folks that drove out the Mom & Pop stores. Although, what happens more often in the computer world is that companies like Google BUY the Mom & Pop "stores" for a bundle of money. Mom & Pop can then retire to a beach in the Bahamas and send their kids to Second-tier Ivy League schools. Well, something like that...
ReplyDelete