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Challenging Microsoft on the Desktop

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the scaling-the-mountain dept.

Dotnaught writes "As Microsoft moves to offer software-as-a-service with Windows Live, online companies are moving to challenge Microsoft on the desktop. In a decision that would have been seen as foolish a few years ago, file sharing and social networking company TransMedia plans to release desktop productivity apps (in conjunction with online ones) as lightweight Microsoft Office alternatives. Google, meanwhile, through its deal with Intuit, is colonizing desktop apps as it has done with browsers and search toolbars. Microsoft used to have a home field advantage on the desktop, thanks to Windows. Lately, operating system ownership is looking a lot less valuable."

2 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. Is this new? by andrewman327 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I really fail to see how this is a new advancement. The only real news that I see here is that some of these programs (OoO, Linux) are finally mature enough mature enough to challenge Microsoft. Haven't there always been other providers of desktop applications?


    I don't see how this is unique threat to M$ either. From TFA's first sentence (underlining mine): A year after the release of its suite of online integrated media-sharing and social networking applications, Glide Effortless, TransMedia is redoubling its effort to challenge Apple, Microsoft, MySpace, and Google.

    --
    Information wants a fueled airplane waiting at the hangar and no one gets hurt.
  2. Why I'm sticking with my MS Office (97)... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why I'm sticking with MS Office (97):
        - It still works with people using Office 2003
        - It doesn't take a registration key
        - The CD is quite easy to copy for friends and family
        - The built-in VB stuff is completely (safely) broken when you just run it off a file share
        - It never phones home (and there's no Internet component)
        - It installs in under 100MB
        - If any new features have been introduced since 1997, I don't need them
        - It doesn't try to figure out my advertising profile from the documents I work with