Please sic Joe the Plumber on Google . . . .

Microsoft announced this morning at its PDC conference that the next release of Microsoft Office will include browser-based versions of some of its main office software products - Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. These will be "lightweight versions", but Microsoft told us yesterday that they'll still have rich functionality and will be comparable to Google's suite of online office applications. The apps will enable users to create, edit and collaborate on Microsoft Office documents through the browser. The apps will work in IE, Firefox and Safari browsers (no word on whether Google Chrome will be supported). Update: Microsoft clarified in an email that these apps will use HTML and AJAX, but also Silverlight components.

(From the ReadWriteWeb Blog)


Is the the beginning of a shift? As a collegiate educator, I'm used to getting students who have some familiarity with "traditional" MS Office products, and while versions and interfaces change, they DO have a basic understanding of MS Word, at least.

As Microsoft's licensing policies are more and more influenced by the 800-lb gorilla named Google, it seems possible that the new paradigm will be for students to be familiar with "light" versions of the program. Unless Microsoft plans to GIVE away academic licenses to K-12 schools, with budgets as tight as they are, a school district may opt to drop any MS Office site license they currently have.

Which then affects CIS departments on the issue of whether an allied health or social sciences major needs to be schooled in the "full" version of MS Office. Which would greatly reduce the number of students enrolling in the ubiquitous "105" course that covers MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint et al.

Which would then lead to colleges reducing THEIR site license numbers, which would then lead to Microsoft's losing revenue. Not to mention the revenue hit to the colleges--oh wait--that would mean a drop in MY REVENUE.

Oh, wait Bill--you were right. Google is a menace, and must be crushed!!!

Or, maybe the "light versions" of the program will have ad space, which Microsoft could then sell. Which then could be used to subsidize the price of the "full versions" of Office, so that the 11-year old could save up lawn-cutting money to buy his own full version. So that by the time he gets to my class, he's already an expert. Help, I'm not ready to retire yet!!!

Or, maybe like the television model (which Google brought to the web), content will be "free," supported by advertisers which the general user public have grown to accept as the price for getting the content at no additional cost? With the ability to have some "premium" content available (e.g. HBO) for those wanting/willing??? Which reduces those of us who teach Office software as something akin to TV commentators or pitchmen for Oxy-Clean???

Senator McCain--the next time you see Joe the Plumber, could you ask him to suggest to President Obama to spread the GOOGLE wealth around to ME while he still CAN????

[Or maybe, since it's Halloween, things just seem scarier than they really are????]