PostsJump Into The Cloud
Well known technical evangelist Robert Scoble recently Twittered that he didn’t feel the need to purchase the latest version of Microsoft Office because all his documents now reside in the cloud on various web based applications / services (one of which is SlideRocket).
I’ve been watching my usage. In two months I’ve only used Outlook out of the entire Office Suite. Everything else? Moved onto online servcs.” - 09:06 AM April 30, 2008 from web. - Robert Scoble
While we’re very happy to hear that, Mr. Scoble is more than probably in the early adopter category for crossing the chasm so we’re wondering what the rest of you think. Take our productivity tools poll and see who else is ready to jump into the cloud.
I just bought a Mac laptop and have been trying desperately to avoid installing MS Office. I think I’m going to have to break down and put it on there, but I’m within a year or two of not needing it anymore. I definitely don’t need PowerPoint…
Comment by mikelingle — May 6, 2008 @ 8:46 am
Clouds are fine, but raise the issue of software, data and document security quality. Having a laptop loaded with the apps you need means you can work independent of the Net when you have to, and connect when you can or want to. Conversely, using online apps means more cross platform users and rare-use convenience, not to mention HD space. I’ll keep my data and docs secure on my own and not on-line, however.
Comment by Chris — May 8, 2008 @ 4:54 pm
I think that MS office is good for editing documents offline, and the newest version is easy to use. But I hate having to email documents and presentations to myself or copy them onto my memory stick whenever I need to view/edit them on an other computer. The solution is a combination Google Documents & Spreadsheets and sliderocket which makes it possible to import documents, spreadsheets, and presentations saved locally on you computer and view/edit them anywhere with an internet connection. This would be perfect if the online viewer/editor was 100% compatible with every format it allows you to import (eg. you could import a power-point presentation that uses every feature available in MS Power Point and have it work perfectly). I think that online document and presentation applications are getting there (I use Google Docs more than MS word) but they need more work before I’m ready to give up all my offline software. At the moment I am using portable applications that run off my USB drive on any computer worth using and keep my preferences saved from computer to computer. A combination of portable software and online applications make a 100% portable solution.
Comment by Jesse — May 15, 2008 @ 5:19 am
Quiting MS is not replaced by full online for me. I use a combination of Open Office, Google docs, Zoho and other on/offline apps. But MS has to go.
Comment by Erno Hannink — May 15, 2008 @ 5:23 am
I have recently sent out an email to many of my co-workers that tells them how to save money on their new computer purchases, I offered them a few alternatives. Some of those alternatives are open source installables and others are cloudware. I talk about Sliderocket as a powerpoint killer and give them the website to view it. I am slowly moving away from MS Office all together. I use Sliderocket for presentations and I use Buzzword (word doc replacement) with a bunch of my clients and they love it (many of them have adopted it as well). Now we just need a fluid flash based spreadsheet app (still looking for a good one). I am not happy with Google apps. they feel clunky and non-user friendly.
Comment by Drew — May 15, 2008 @ 8:40 am
I made the jump to the cloud months ago. While I still have Office on my MacBook, I rarely open the apps and have no issues working with Google Apps and other cloud-based tools.
Comment by Robert Lendvai — May 15, 2008 @ 9:09 am
Web technology is the new BBS when it comes to this subject. Today the buzz terms are Web 2.0 and Open Source. Years ago it was BBS and Public Domain. The same spirit with better solutions is what we are seeing today. It’s the full cycle return of similar needs being met by the new technologies.
So, what does that mean for Microsoft? It means there will be pay and no-pay solutions just like there were during the BBS days. One thing is for sure that it will be much harder for MS to hold the market control that they have so long dictated. Now we are entering back into an era when they will either have to earn our respect to remain top dog or they will share the market with many great alternatives like this. In some ways we can see it is already to little to late because you guys kick Power Point out of the ring when it comes to “why would I buy another version of MS Office”. BuzzWord is a free solution by Adobe, there are the Google Docs, what a fun time for everyone. Keep up the good work.
Comment by John Farrar — May 15, 2008 @ 9:29 am
I have no issues with working with cloud-based tools for the majority of my documents, but the problem that I’m facing is that they can’t live online forever. I’m a student, and am faced with teachers who just don’t like using beta products or online services. Even if I do use an online product to work and save my work with, in the end everything’s still got to be MS Office compatible. I prefer freeware or iWork to MS Office, but I’ve still got to use the latter, because sometimes docs just don’t look as pretty there if I’ve created them online or with another program.
So, I’d certainly like to have everything in online services. It works just fine for many of my projects, but doesn’t work out so well for the rest of them.
Comment by Katie Fellows — May 15, 2008 @ 2:17 pm
I’m a hardened IT Manager for a very large city. Brought up on mainframes. Been using Microsoft since DOS 2.11. So, do I use MS Office on a Windows PC. No way - not any more. I’m free now from all that “stuff”. It’s all out there in the cloud - forget MS Office just go Google. It doesn’t do everything but who apart from an obsessive would want to do everything. Sliderocket knocks the hell out of Powerpoint of course. If you are worried about your data (google’s servers or my local hard disk - no contest!) just take a copy somewhere - a USB stick for example. De-clutter you life go into the cloud - it’ll set you free and make a new person of you!
Comment by Tipps — May 23, 2008 @ 11:41 am
I would live in the cloud, if I could, but net access is not always available, and I NEED my documents. Sliderocket has this problem nailed. Now we need Wordrocket, Sheetrocket, and we need them all integrated with leading email cloud tools like Gmail.
Now — if only I had my Sliderocket invite. I have a strategic partnership in mind I’d like to discuss with your marketing team, as well. Get in touch!
Comment by Eric Hamilton — June 17, 2008 @ 6:22 pm