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Will there ever be a credible alternative to Microsoft Office?
March 13, 2015
Image: Gil C / Shutterstock.com
The world of business software has changed a lot during the past few years. Traditional ‘pay once, use it forever’ software is increasingly being replaced by cloud services that charge a monthly fee
These online services offer flexibility and allow companies to spread the cost of their software over a longer period. And although there can be concerns around security, they’re proving popular, particularly with smaller companies that struggle to manage traditional software.
Although the cloud has disrupted the software market in areas like accounting, customer relationship management and backups, it has had a limited impact in the area of office software.
Here, one package has reigned supreme for decades.
The enduring appeal of Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office - which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other common packages - is still the only office suite that most businesses consider using.
Sure, it offers far more features than most of us need and has undergone some controversial changes over the years. But it’s hard to imagine the world of business without Microsoft Office: the de facto standard for getting the job done.
Indeed, Microsoft now sells Office on a subscription basis and offers a cloud version so you can work on your documents from any computer.
A serious challenge to Microsoft Office?
Although free office suites like OpenOffice and LibreOffice might be capable, they’ve failed to set the world on fire. But could Google be about to mount a serious challenge to Microsoft’s dominance?
Around ten years ago it launched Google Docs. This cloud software offered basic tools for working with spreadsheets, writing documents and so on. It wasn’t a serious rival to Office, but it signalled Google’s desire to enter this market.
A decade on and things look somewhat different. Constant development has resulted in a set of powerful services that offer most of the features required by the average office worker.
What’s more, because these services all work online, Google has been collecting data on how people actually use them. It says this has helped it focus on developing features people actually want.
The package is now called Google Apps for Work. It includes a wide range of business tools and some pundits think it’s mature enough to pose a credible challenge to Microsoft Office.
To encourage companies to try these services, Google claims they can work seamlessly with Microsoft Office documents. What’s more, the company doesn’t expect businesses to switch overnight.
Instead, it thinks companies should use the two systems in parallel, then gradually phase out Office for employees who don’t use its vast range of features.
Interesting times ahead
So, should you be thinking about switching to Google Apps for Work?
Well, perhaps not immediately. But next time you’re due to update your company computers or plan to make a significant investment in business technology, it might merit serious consideration.
Finally, Office is important to Microsoft. It accounts for around a quarter of the company’s enormous revenues.
Any threat to Office is a threat to Microsoft itself, so there’s no way the software giant is going to stand by and watch a serious competitor move into this market.
And that means that the next couple of years are going to be interesting for the office tools we use every day. We have more choice than we’ve had for a long time - and maybe this increased competition will spark innovation in how these tools help us get things done.
Four reasons to mourn the death of the typewriter
November 22, 2012
A really old typewriter (Image: Flickr user jetheriot)
From a glance at the title of this blog post, you could be forgiven for thinking we're a little late with it. Typewriters? Didn't they die off years ago?
And you'd have a point. When was the last time you saw one in the wild? Most businesses replaced them with PCs years ago, swapping fading ink ribbons and copious Tippex for the ubiquitous Microsoft Word.
But typewriters have hung on in there for far longer than you might have imagined. As the BBC reported on Tuesday, manufacturer Brother has just closed its UK assembly line, which operated from 1985.
According to the report, Brother still sees demand for around 30 typewriters a day - mainly from the legal profession (perhaps this sector has an aversion to Microsoft Word's red squiggly lines).
Indeed, the firm will continue to make typewriters in the Far East, to meet demand in the US and other countries. But it's the end of the line for UK-manufactured typewriters, and the very last one to roll off the production line is destined for the Science Museum. (You can, if you wish, still buy one online for around £100.)
Sure, modern word processing software is more versatile than old-fashioned typewriters. But even years after we all stopped using them, the typewriter still trumps the PC in certain ways. Here are four things we miss about the typewriter:
- Their distinctive sound. These days, your average open-plan office is filled with the faint clatter of cushioned keys and mouse clicks. But back in the day, typewriters were LOUD, making a distinctive clacking noise that evokes the drama of Mad Men.
- They make you think before acting. When every keypress commits a letter to paper indelibly, you stop and think about exactly what you want to say. In this world of instant emails, perhaps we need a little more consideration before we type.
- They don't think for you. In my opinion, the very lowest point of human computer interaction is probably Clippy, Microsoft's much-maligned virtual assistant which interfered whenever you tried to do anything. Typewriters don't randomly change your bullet points, mess up your titles or ask if you need help writing a letter.
- They never lose your work. They don't freeze, crash, unexpectedly quit or suffer from malware infections. They just make letters appear on paper, as you type. There's something to be said for that.
Have you ever used typewriters in your business? Do you still use them for some specialised work? Leave a comment and let us know if you miss this classic piece of office technology.
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