Computer and Library Learning (Archived)

Microsoft Corporation is launching Microsoft 365 as its response to accessible cloud computing solutions for professionals and small businesses at a cost of $7 Canadian per month and pay-as-you-go services medium-sized businesses and large-scale enterprises. Microsoft 365 allows users to access email and related calendars and contacts through desktops, laptops and mobile devices with internet access. Microsoft 365 works with familiar Microsoft software products including Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote, and PowerPoint with the ability to jointly edit Excel spreadsheets and OneNote notebooks with others online in real time and knowing who is doing editing and viewing them with the assurance of consistent file formatting between Microsoft Web Apps and the comparable Microsoft desktop products (and the option of mobile wi-fi access).

Some observers have argued that Microsoft needed to take this step in order to remain competitive, even though Microsoft has already offered its Outlook email system in an online format for business customers and made several programs free and accessible online for individual home-based users. Google is a major competitor of Microsoft in the business and cloud computing realm with its Apps for Business packages tailored to small, medium and large business enterprises respectively. Office 365 is intended to be a more full-fledged response to Google, following the release in 2010 of the more basic Microsoft Office Web Apps.

How does Microsoft 365 compare with Google Apps for Business? Google has been claiming market share for some time by offering free online services including Google Docs and Google Talk to individuals and minimally-priced versions to corporate clients. Microsoft 365 offers more features at a higher price. Naturally, there is an ongoing difference of opinion over which is the better deal.

John Hudson, writing online in The Atlantic Wire, collected varying viewpoints about Office 365 working better in offline mode; Office 365 saving companies’ IT departments time and money with Microsoft support; Google besting Microsoft Office 365 on cost; Office 365 being ineffective through mobile; Microsoft’s advantage in offering free telephone administrator support; and, Microsoft’s limitation with Office Web Apps only allowing the opening and collaboration of documents on a SharePoint site.

Tony Bradley, writing online at PCWorld, opined that the Office Web Apps in Office 365 and Google Docs were similar but Microsoft provided easier and more intuitive access to their products. Bradley also gave the edge to Microsoft Office 365 in the categories of browser compatibility (with Google Docs having some limitations in Internet Explorer), file fidelity (with retention of accuracy and formatting of content), and real-time collaboration with cost a toss-up (although Microsoft offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee for Office 365). Bradley gave the edge to Office 365, noting that office productivity should outweigh the internet component. However, each individual and business should consider their circumstances and evaluate the pros and cons of what both Google and Microsoft have to offer.

POSTSCRIPT: Individuals interested in what Microsoft has to offer (but not for business purposes) can sign up for SkyDrive as part of a free Windows Live ID that includes Hotmail, Messenger and Xbox Live. SkyDrive provides 25 GB of free online storage space for the purposes of sharing Microsoft Office documents and photographs. One can collaborate online with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, even if one does not the software downloaded on their own computer. One can control access to files, view them online using either a Mac or PC, and share documents by emailing links or within a group.