Comment Re:Been there done that lost the T-Shirt... (Score 1) 308
"how is that when the documents are going to be stored on a server that is only accessible online?" Why does it have to be either or? Why not let users store the documents wherever they want. Look at gMail as an example. You can store your email online or use POP3 and download them all. Hey, there's that whole thinking outside of the box thing.
"You've not often had to produce professional documents for presentations, formal responses, marketing information et al have you? Printing is far from simple and when you want to create the right impression its very critical."
And you get such results from Microsoft Word? Everytime I've done anything where presentation was that important, I've moved to a professional program: Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop, PageMaker, etc. Word doesn't give you any wonderful control. If you think it does, you're disillusioned. We're talking office suite here not end all be all of all software. Word processors aren't that sophisticated.
"Riiiight, because when people are editing documents the first thing they always want is ads because it helps them concentrate so well on the content of the document. As for a free online suite attracting HUGE amounts of traffic... why hasn't Open Office over-taken MS Office yet?"
Open Office is a cheap generic derivative of MS Office. You won't beat Mountain Dew with Mountain Mist. You need something new, different and innovative like Red Bull to do that. If you can't find a way to monetize a massive traffic flow, then there's serious issues. The type of people we're talking about is also normal consumers. Despite the general mindset, office workers aren't the only ones who use office software. Just look at college and high school students, I bet some advertisers would do anything to reach those audiences a little more. Consequently, they are the same group that wouldn't want to pay several hundred for MS Office.
"And as soon as the client edits the doc (with track changes on of course) I have to merge it back in using the superb online merge tool they will be providing... A slight challenge of course as this requires the tracking tags from the online document to match an export and import when a 3rd party has been editing it."
Ummmm... if you just want your client to edit it, then all they really need is a web browser. That's one of the inherent benefits of online web apps, universal accessibility.
"Ahhh and now we have it... my PDA can already edit my documents when I wish it to, as can my smartphone, but now I understand, you aren't talking about any of this because its a sensible business idea (my point) you are just talking about it because you think it would be cool..."
That's the same type of mentality people used to apply to the web in general. Why would I want my news online when I can get it easier from the newspaper or tv. Let's think about this: universable access, ease of use, and so forth.
"Its 2005 not 1998, cool doesn't cut it."
Cool always cuts it. You're right I'm not talking about a business idea. I'm talking about a software tool that I want and would use. That's what software does. It solves information problems; it doesn't make business models. I seriously doubt that two Stanford college students had a business model when they developed Google to begin with, but you probably wouldn't have thought that was a good business idea either.
"You've not often had to produce professional documents for presentations, formal responses, marketing information et al have you? Printing is far from simple and when you want to create the right impression its very critical."
And you get such results from Microsoft Word? Everytime I've done anything where presentation was that important, I've moved to a professional program: Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop, PageMaker, etc. Word doesn't give you any wonderful control. If you think it does, you're disillusioned. We're talking office suite here not end all be all of all software. Word processors aren't that sophisticated.
"Riiiight, because when people are editing documents the first thing they always want is ads because it helps them concentrate so well on the content of the document. As for a free online suite attracting HUGE amounts of traffic... why hasn't Open Office over-taken MS Office yet?"
Open Office is a cheap generic derivative of MS Office. You won't beat Mountain Dew with Mountain Mist. You need something new, different and innovative like Red Bull to do that. If you can't find a way to monetize a massive traffic flow, then there's serious issues. The type of people we're talking about is also normal consumers. Despite the general mindset, office workers aren't the only ones who use office software. Just look at college and high school students, I bet some advertisers would do anything to reach those audiences a little more. Consequently, they are the same group that wouldn't want to pay several hundred for MS Office.
"And as soon as the client edits the doc (with track changes on of course) I have to merge it back in using the superb online merge tool they will be providing... A slight challenge of course as this requires the tracking tags from the online document to match an export and import when a 3rd party has been editing it."
Ummmm... if you just want your client to edit it, then all they really need is a web browser. That's one of the inherent benefits of online web apps, universal accessibility.
"Ahhh and now we have it... my PDA can already edit my documents when I wish it to, as can my smartphone, but now I understand, you aren't talking about any of this because its a sensible business idea (my point) you are just talking about it because you think it would be cool..."
That's the same type of mentality people used to apply to the web in general. Why would I want my news online when I can get it easier from the newspaper or tv. Let's think about this: universable access, ease of use, and so forth.
"Its 2005 not 1998, cool doesn't cut it."
Cool always cuts it. You're right I'm not talking about a business idea. I'm talking about a software tool that I want and would use. That's what software does. It solves information problems; it doesn't make business models. I seriously doubt that two Stanford college students had a business model when they developed Google to begin with, but you probably wouldn't have thought that was a good business idea either.
