back to article Google wheels (another) Trojan App inside Microsoft Office

Google has officially released its tool for turning Microsoft Office into an online Google collaboration machine. In late November, Mountain View introduced a beta version of Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office, an Office plugin that lets users collaborate on Microsoft files via Google's backend infrastructure. Now, the …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Open API on Mac

    I'm sure there must be an API for Office on the Mac - How were the office plugins for Acrobat and Endnote created? They aren't from Microsoft.

  2. HMB

    Genius

    I've got to hand it to Google, it's a Genius move. The user keeps what they're familiar with, with a gentle introduction to something else without being forced to move. It's also a really useful feature.

    I don't think it's a loss for Microsoft either. I tried Google docs recently and while I'm impressed by it's functionality, sometimes I want to do something that Google Docs can't do, like use a different font! I hate not being able to go View > Fit to Screen or View > 150% either. Small things, but local client software is king... for now at least...

    I'm still waiting for web based gmail that works like a real email application (scrolling lists that work in a resizable main window, ala Outlook, Thunderbird or Live Mail.). Live Mail 2011 is surprisingly good, lol, I use it as the front end for my gmail. :D

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's the printer drivers

    The one thing that has been a permanent fly in the ointment for shifting people to either Linux or google docs, is the lack of drivers for the old familiar printers that people have hanging around the place. This has been a show stopper several times in the past. If google could sort that issue, then that would be really splendid.

    /Troll on

    I had also better say the word Opera (whatever that is) otherwise a thread seems to get very shouty nowadays.

    /Troll off.

    1. Chemist

      It's the printer drivers

      It isn't !

      The vast majority of printers work with Linux. Even cheapo scanner/copier/printers have printer drivers.

      1. DJ 2
        Alert

        err.

        Thats not what the germans say about it

        http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/22/germany_rejects_linux_in_favour_of_windows_xp/

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Oodles of Noodles

      >>Linux or google docs, is the lack of drivers for the old familiar printers

      You can blame Apple for that now.. they bought CUPS. Maybe King Steve will make out he invented it and "opened" it for the good of the people like he did with Webkit (KHTML).

      Maybe he'll push for "open standards" like postscript or something. ;)

      /me hasnt had a problem with a printer in Debian for ages.. scanner/printer things are a PITA but most printers just worked..

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Gates Halo

      Nope!

      It's the closed and proprietary Office document format that is preventing people from moving anywhere on any platform outside Windows. I wonder how the hell Google manages to go around this stopping roadblock.

  4. BorkedAgain
    Coat

    It's a little ironic...

    ...that this report is *quite* so extensively branded with adverts for Microsoft's cloud "experience"...

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    What about the fact that Google Apps only has 1% of the features of Office?

    I'm no fan of Microsoft nor its constant changing the GUI in office for no reason, but in my place of work, one of the idiot "higher ups" insisted we move Office documents into Google Apps to make it easier for him to "check them" while on the road. There are innumerable reasons why this scheme is stupid prima facie, but it turns out there is an even better reason not to use Google Apps - they don't support most of the stuff people put in Office documents, especially Excel and PowerPoint documents. (Heaven forbid you use graphs!) So you'll simply find you'll loose a lot of the formatting and embedded stuff, and if you confine yourself to documents that Google Apps can handle, they are pretty poor.

    1. nobby

      well..

      seeing as how i seem to use about 1% of the functionality available for word or excel then it'd probably do me, as long as its the 1% I use.

      I mean, is there anyone in this world who's clicked every icon in word (except 'to see what is does')?

      as long as you can get the 1% of functionality I need working I'll go give it a try.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "every Microsoft application"?

    I'll be waiting for the extension that turns Windows into ChromeOS.

  7. TReko

    Cloud No-connect?

    After using this for a while, I see Microsoft has nothing to worry about.

    You have to use ONLY Microsoft Office. If you open a file online, then you can no longer open it in Microsoft, and no longer collaborate with other users.

    Classic bait and switch!

    Other products like Memeo and Syncdocs offer working Google to Microsoft connection and Mac support.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/pint_32.png

  8. bugalugs

    Edit email merge edit email etc

    bin able to do it for years meh

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Lac of innovation

    Why can't Google do some innovation ? The way it is running behind Office market shows there vision: Just try to grab more dollars. That too they do by acquiring technologies from other companies to work that out. What do Googlers do ? Just buy stuff and integrate it.

    1. BorkedAgain
      Troll

      Ingrate.

      Seriously. They've taken something MS have been trying (and failing) to do for years (years!) and just done it. So that it just works. For cheap.

      True, the Cloud Connect toolbar is a bit in-your-face and could do with being smaller (and optional) but hey.

      And you're saying the Mighty MS never acquired and integrated anything? Puh-leez...

      (Okay, they acquire plenty, but the integration side of things was always tricky; takes a few versions before the UIs begin to converge, for a start... Visio anyone?)

      I'm kidding. You're sweet, really...

    2. Peter Holgate
      FAIL

      They did it once

      Google seemed to have an innovative idea with their email - and f**ked it up big time

  10. BorkedAgain
    Pint

    Hoo boy.

    I can see the Microsofties round these parts getting a sweat on already. Bless.

    I've played with this a little; it's a tool for sharing / collaborating *in* Office *on* office documents *via* Google Docs. The link you send people allows them to *download* a version of the original (including fully-featured embedded charts) or *view* a read-only version which, rendered as it is through the Google Docs interface, is fine for general copy proofing but shouldn't be considered WYSIWYG.

    It's kind of what Office 2010 with Sharepoint 2010 is trying to do. Only far cheaper, easier to set up and (ironically) considerably more functional and supporting more formats and versions.

    Ouch.

    Seriously folks, you should try this Kool-aid. It's decent stuff. Beery...

    Mmm... Kool-aid...

  11. JDX Gold badge

    Hmm

    On the one hand you have to admire Google's smart tactics here, stealing business in a silent way. On the other hand it's a bit devious and I wonder if they make users _aware_ that all their work is being 'backed up' on Google servers.

    I suppose if/when MS make their own online docs slicker, Google's app will be less valuable. IMHO G-docs is in no way a replacement for Office. The spreadsheet is pretty decent for real-life use but their documents tool is like using a crappy version of WordPad.

  12. Blubster

    What about the fact that Google Apps only has 1% of the features of Office?

    Tell your jerk of a boss about Dropbox - he can `check` your docs to his heart's content without fannying around with them. (unless he has Office on his laptop of course).

    1. BorkedAgain
      Coat

      Dropbox good.

      As Blubster says, Dropbox is also an excellent solution for this kind of thing: also cloud storage, with a nice local client allowing you to set up a folder to sync with your cloud account. Nicely seamless, easy to share (although not *entirely* flexible; can't share folders within shared folders...) but what's different about this is that the docs can be edited by multiple users *at the same time* which is sweet-as.

      Sorry, I'll go away again...

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Big Brother

    Did I read that correctly?

    "Once synced, documents are backed-up, given a unique URL, and [will be indexed by Google so they know your business before you do]"

    Hmm,

    While I like Google docs for certain personal things, a sort of officey/sharpointy thing, I would have serious concerns about an enterprise using this service. If Google licensed Docs so it could be run on servers isolated from the Internet, it might be a winner, anything else is feeding the monster.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      If you want to be isolated from Internet

      stay with Microsoft Windows + Office + Sharepoint. It is as simple as that!

  14. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Security Anyone?

    They want an enterprise to share documents across a cloud? Really? Corporate email backed up to GMAIL? HR, salary plans, marketing plans, legal engagements, medical details... all stuffed in a giant steaming pile of servers with Ma and Pa Kettle's edrivel, RBN wasters, third world crackers, and who know what all else. The servers also make a nice target for host country legal attacks such as subpoenas (for you USA types, NC and all) or just security service fishing (Russia, China, Pakistan, ...).

    The license/user agreement/liability shield says not liable for anything, basically. That is security, although not for the users. You'll save so much company money whilst getting fleeced.

    Shouldn't touch their cloud unless they accept liability, or the data is completely encrypted in flight and at rest (including on their servers in China or Zimbabwe or where ever they park them next). Or unless, of course, your data has no value...

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