Will you be dumping your desktop for Google apps?

I believe it is a crazy notion that people will use this for anything more serious than doodling. Firstly I don't even like that fact that google uses my search results to target me with advertising can you imagine the number of people who will balk at the thought of google employees eyeing their private documents? What happens when the government decides to request that google cooperate in an investigation and hand over every document you have ever written? What happens when hackers download all of your company internal letters? The list of caveats can go on and on. Some things just don't belong online.

I have and I will continue to do so. Google doesn't save data in proprietary formats, and it's free. I don't see any reason that anyone would want it any other way.

Are you kidding? have you ever used Excel and Google spreedsheet at the same time? GS It's ridden with bugs, flaws, and inadequacies.

I love google, and their products. And I use google calendar, gmail, and spreedsheets IN TANDOM with Office . It will be a long time until google's products are to the same caliber as MS. Just look at Open Office...that didn't happen over night.

What version of Office is MS on now? How many years have they had to 'perfect' it? I suspect Google will, in time, compete very effectively with their 'office' apps in certain segments in the coming years. I am a long time small business Office user and have recently gone completely off Outlook, now using Google's Gmail For My Domain, and Google Calendar. The shortcomings of Google apps are made up for in the portability and convenience of network/web-based applications. As for Writely and word processing, it is good for anyone wanting basic word processing AND collaboration capabilities. I love it. Spreadsheets is another story. IMHO, it is not one tenth of what Excel is. Bottom line, don't count Google out.

I think there will come a time when people will not only think about moving all their office work online, but there won't be much a choice. Microsoft is already experimenting with moving its applications online. Online productivity tools offer easy collaboration, backup, storage, publishing, and other useful features that will become the norm. Yes, Google Spreadsheets is much weaker than Excel. But it's a start. No, there isn't an online equivalent of PowerPoint... but there will be, whether it's Google or someone else. The question is not if we'll be dumping desktop apps for web-based apps... it's when.

THAT will never. Google desk top? Maybe for a third world planet.
The mighty MS could block all things in Google world as it once did in the 90's with rivals, that’s one turf it is king, even Apple knows it and is now working with MS applications. Google should keep a watchful eye on Yahoo's new Panama roll out for its upgrade. MS has a long standing of getting its way, I would not be surprise both delays of Vista and Panama is unison.

To address the first comment, having data stored online is worrisome, but is it any less safe than having a personal computer hacked? Google has thus far fought for consumer rights when the Justice Department requested search information. Google has proven to be a different competitor than many other MS rivals. I like MS as much as the next guy, but Google continues to create new and innovative ideas. Every time a new Google app comes out I'm dying to try it out.

Google has been ridiculed as nothing more than a start-up company doomed to fail. I think that the next 10 years will Google will not replace MS or MS Office, but will provide compatible and helpful alternatives. I also agree with others' comments. Web-based apps are guaranteed to play a substantial role in home and office computing---possibly even a primary role. Time will tell.

Anyone who thinks that end users, home or enterprise, will drop Microsoft wholesale, to move to an online business model, doesn't really understand the logistics of such a move.

And anyone who thinks that a lot of end users, home & small business, won't use free, functional sowftware, if they are more or less starting from scratch, or on a tight budget, doesn't understand the value of saving $400.

The truth is, MS will continue to dominate the Office Productivity Software market in the near future, and they will also continue to lose market share to free, functional software.

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