Web-based Office extension goes to testing

Microsoft's answer to Google and other competitors in the online application market entered widespread beta testing on Tuesday.

Office Live Workspace, a Web-based extension to Office that introduces online document sharing and storage, has been in a limited, private beta test since last October.

The free service, set to debut later this year, is aimed at Google's Documents and Spreadsheets, among other services, that have emerged as popular alternatives to Office.

While Office still holds a commanding lead in the productivity application market, that has not stopped Google, IBM, Adobe and others from launching new services. For many users, those services might be preferable to Office's large installation footprint and expense.

One caveat with Office Live Workspace: it does not allow users to edit documents online, as Google's service does. Microsoft executives haven't ruled out the possibility of online editing in the future.

For now, users will still need a copy of Office to edit documents, although they can use Office Live Workspace to view and comment on documents within a browser window, create what Microsoft terms "simple" Web lists and notes, and of course share documents.

Users can sign up for the service starting today.

[Penguinisto]

Que?

[i]"One caveat with Office Live Workspace: it does not allow users to edit documents online, as Google's service does."[/i]

Rule #1: meet and beat [i]all[/i] competitors' features (at least the useful ones).

MSFT is going to have to do more than just rely on existing brand loyalty(?) to get ahead...

/P

[Vegaman_Dan]

What's the point?

Doesn't make it very 'live' if you can't modify it in real time, does it?

I don't see there is a demand or market for this service, myself.

[Vegaman_Dan]

There's a market for this?

Even Google is having trouble getting people to use their online web-based office tools. I'm not sure there is a real market for this. The security issues alone make this sort of thing a risk.

OpenOffice would be a better alternative solution to MS Office in my opinion.

[fredtheviking]

I think there is...

I used google documents and it does offer advantages that MS Office and Open Office does not offer. Which having your documents in the "coulds" instead of on your hard drive? Which means if you hard drive crashes you still have access to your document on the internet. Also, you can access your document on any computer that's connected to the internet. For the average user, this is a great convience, but in the world of business it open the doors to be productive remotely.

[Trung Tong]

Another M$ crap

Is this another M$ crap? Vista (in)capable is enough. Now come Office (dis)able too?
Lucky me, I am completely M$ free ;-)

[Trung Tong]

Anything from M$

Anything from M$ is just a lie to customers. Office Live without editing, Vista (in)capable.
When does M$ stop lying to customers?