Microsoft Rushes Out Office Web Apps Preview

CWmike writes "Today Microsoft launched a limited beta test of its Office Web Apps, the company's first public unveiling of its rival for Google's Web applications. Dubbed a 'technical preview' by Microsoft to denote that it's by invitation only, Office Web Apps will be available on the company's Windows Live site via a special 'Documents' tab. 'Tens of thousands have been invited to participate in the Technical Preview,' said a spokeswoman in a reply to questions. An analyst with Directions on Microsoft is quoted: 'This is earlier than I expected. I thought we wouldn't see this until the SharePoint conference at the end of October. Maybe the recent Google moves had some bearing on Microsoft's timing.' The reference was to Google's announcement Tuesday that it will offer online services next year, including Google Web Apps, that are specially designed for US government agencies."

Comments

Re:"Rushes Out" Slashdot? Really?

[SgtChaireBourne]

Because any technical announcement anywhere in the world is followed by a "me, too!" from Bill Gates. Then after 3 to 6 years the half-trained monkeys have stolen or slapped together some crap with enough of a user interface to fool a few MBAs into thinking that MS might have an entry in that market.

Re:Lost direction of a dying company

[SgtChaireBourne]

Microsoft is following its normal behavior of ripping off other peoples ideas because they just don't have any of their own. This may have worked well in the past ( windows, office, etc. ) but it's not viable now, google are big enough to not be prone to Microsoft's anti-competitive tactics and google don't depend on microsoft's OS.

Microsoft have never been able to dominate without their unfair advantage and they are losing that. The stranglehold that kept MS in business for decades is now falling apart.

I predict a long protracted death for microsoft. And good riddance, I never liked their poor quality products or nasty business practices anyway.

It will take a solid push. Sadly, if you have M$ products in your network you have a personnel problem. That won't go away on its own. There are also dozens of M$ "interns" that are unaccounted for and will have be found and packed of to fields where they can't cause any harm either.

No one's ever liked the M$ products

They bought DOS, they bought Windows â" they stole Windows, excuse me; they bought PowerPoint, they bought Word, Excel, they bought WebTV, they bought their browser technology, they bought Hotmail, they bought a billion dollars of Comcast: they bought, they bought, they bought. What have they innovated? Goose egg. Interview with Scott McNealy in 1999.