This week, Microsoft launched a missile across the bow of Google Apps, distributing a paper that posed eight specific questions companies should consider before deciding on using Google Apps. With many large companies opting to supplement existing Microsoft Office installations with the web-based Google Apps programs (word processing, spreadsheets, calendaring, e-mail), Microsoft may be stepping up to defend itself more in the near future.
Google itself and some of its larger customers have stressed that the goal is not to replace Microsoft Office (yeah, right), and that Google Apps simply fits some situations better than a full-blown copy or license from the not-free Microsoft Office software. Microsoft's litany of questions released this week included these:
- Companies should question the actual number of users Google has "within the enterprise"
- Google's history of releasing "incomplete products, calling them beta software"
- Desktop costs will rise for companies trying to offer both Microsoft Office and Google Apps
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