ThinkFree

How many times have you purchased Microsoft Office? Does it irritate you? Why?

I just priced Office 2003 Standard on Amazon. It's $ 347.99

There are multiple applications in Office:

1. Outlook
   
2. Word
   
3. Excel
   
4. Powerpoint
   
5. Access
   

I use all of these at work. I don't have to pay for them, and my company does not have to pay list price. I don't need Access at home. I don't need Outlook either - I am happy with the web access to my email.

Back to my question: How many times have you bought Office? For me, I'm sure it is 10 times. Currently I have two Windows XP laptops at home ... and I had to buy Office for each of them. It gets expensive doesn't it.

If you use Google, there is a "word" and a "spreadsheet" function available. Thinkfree is another web based, Internet accessible office suite. I signed up today.


Recasting the Word Processor for a Connected World

Prototype
Recasting the Word Processor for a Connected World
By MICHAEL FITZGERALD
Published: February 11, 2007
Timing is the bane of those who would be innovators. Get it right and you’ll be toasted. Get it wrong and you’re just plain toast.

Excerpt:

Mr. Kang runs ThinkFree, which offers Web-based word processor, spreadsheet and presentation software that replicates much of what Microsoft’s comparable applications do, and can easily exchange files and other data with Microsoft applications.

ThinkFree keeps the applications, and any data entered into them, on its own servers, which means that you can gain access to your files from any computer with an Internet connection. The Web, in effect, will act as your computer. The tin-eared technology industry calls these kinds of Web applications software-as-a-service, and despite its terrible name the notion has caught on