[LINK] Word, Excel, Powerpoint - free on the web

[Kim Holburn]

On 2010/Mar/15, at 3:39 PM, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
> Word, Excel, Powerpoint - free on the web
> LIA TIMSON
> SMH
> March 15, 2010 - 2:00PM
> http://www.smh.com.au/technology/enterprise/word-excel-powerpoint--free-on-the-web-20100315-q7g7.html
>
> Microsoft is rising to Google Docs, offering free Office  
> applications on the web as it releases Office 2010.
>
> New paid versions of the ubiquitous office suite will be available  
> to businesses in May and consumers in June, but its Office Web Apps  
> component is already available in beta through Microsoft Office Live.
>
> Anyone with a Windows Live account can create, modify or share Word,  
> Excel and PowerPoint documents for free. They do not need Microsoft  
> software installed on their machines.
>
> Gartner predicts web-based office suites will grow at 34 per cent  
> annually through to 2013 to satisfy market demand. Google recently  
> purchased DocVerse, a company that enables Microsoft applications in  
> the cloud.
>
> It begs the question: with so many free web-based office software  
> options available, why pay for a new version of the proprietary suite?

> Enhanced Security v Distraction
>
> Shaffner listed a number of enterprise security improvements as  
> reasons for upgrade. This includes the ability to not only preview  
> but also open email attachments in a virtual window that protects  
> the user from executable files, and anti-tampering detection for  
> known files.
>
> “So you users don't have to make any trust decision,” he said.

Shudder ...  Just trust Microsoft to make your security decisions for  
you.   And it has worked so well for Microsoft so far.

Oh yeah and give them all your documents as well.

Sigh.


-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
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