S it finally turns out, a Web-based Office suite, which could be an almost unprecedented step, is embarked on by Microsoft. This comes after numerous rumours about an innovative Google Web-based Office. These rumours, which spread like a plague and rapidly made the rounds, were just as quickly shattered by Brin. Google are in fact concentrating on OpenOffice at the moment.

It is worth pointing out that Microsoft have recognised Web-based applications as a major threat to their ‘milking cows’, namely Windows and Office. Office-like Web applications exist already although they are not cohesive. Returning to Microsoft,

Kicking off what he called the “live era” of software, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said on Tuesday in the United States that the company plans to launch new Internet-based complements to its core products.

Gates said Microsoft is working on two products, “Windows Live” and “Office Live,” that create opportunities for the company to sell online subscriptions and advertising. Both are targeted at smaller businesses and consumers.

Interesting implications are worth pondering:

• Will MSIE-only compatibility be likely?
• Will non-Microsoft users be able to load Office document reliably using the Web-based equivalent?
• Will people eventually get used the the idea of adverts next to an Office document?
• How will subscription work and will it exclude certain people or be overly expensive?

Making that type of service available to anyone (i.e. without a paid licence) is suicidal. It could drive users away to platforms other than Microsoft Windows, unless of course there is a lock-in. This is why I imagine that there will be a catch. For instance, think of being permitted access to these Internet services depending on some requirements, e.g. premium features are exclusive to holders of a licence for the native version of Office.

Either way, Microsoft now open a peephole to a first glimpse, which I will of course rel="nofollow". Regardless, it looks rather appalling at the moment and is more of a placeholder, I presume. I quite like the standard-compliant clone below as it is not truly associated with Windows. It is a nice demonstration of the power of AJAX nonetheless, so I urge readers to take a look.

Windows XP in AJAX – follow the link and tune in

UPDATE: (03/11/2005) Joel re-affirms my point regarding Microsoft’s “half-baked” Web site.

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