Google introduces new spreadsheet today - - thoughts...

[Tom Urtis]

Today Google will introduce a new spreadsheet program...here is a link:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060605/google_spreadsheet.html?.v=3

That Google is backing the venture means the product has financial legs, and although it is not meant to be just like Excel, Google is doing this because they think they can grab spreadsheet market share from Microsoft.

One thing that strikes me is, most Excel users only know about or tap into roughly 10% of Excel's capabilities, if that, meaning they "over-buy" when purchasing Excel. If users only want or need certain basic features, this Google spreadsheet program might turn out to satisfy enough people to become a stable permanent product. Excel will probably always be the superior spreadsheet program but I'm sure Google's product introduction has gotten the attention of Redmond's Excel sales forecasters.

Interested to see anyone's thoughts about the evolving spreadsheet market, which is getting increasingly web-based, and interesting thanks to competition.

 

[Aladin Akyurek]

Our students must keep a log of time spent on various activities. So they need simultaneous, controlled access to the spreadsheet. Google seems to make such a shared setup to work in an uncomplicated manner.

 

[sythong]

I think this would be a boon to everyone on the forum if
we can use this to illustrate our problems. I have tried to
use Colo but for whatever reason till today I have not been
able to make it work. I have this nagging suspicion that
there are similar posters facing this situation (or maybe I the only one !).

If we can use the online spreadsheets one need not
quote and re-key in the suggestions (at least this is
my assumption on what I think the online spreadsheet can
do though I have not tested it ).
Also one need not refer to the message body
every now and then when all inputs can be gleaned from the sheet
itself.

 

[Domski]

Looks like Microsoft are thinking of competing on internet based spreadsheets:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5370144.stm