Google Office: A Failure Compared to Microsoft Office

(Column) – After much speculation, Google has lastly released an online word processor, and assuming Google continues to dominate in the near future, I suspect an online version of Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and Publisher is on the horizon. While Google’s attempt to dominate its presence continues, it would have a troubling time succeeding with an online office suite for good many reasons.

Upstartle, makers of the online word processor Writely that Google acquired to kickstart its web applications suite, is not nearly as feature rich as Microsoft Word (or OpenOffice.org). While many users may not utilize the application’s entire functionality, it’s a critical “flaw” for those of us who do know our way around Word, and accomplish much more than typing a stale research paper in Arial. Additionally, Microsoft has seemingly intertwined us with complex applications, where discovering new features on a regular basis bestow us with a feeling of accomplishment. You see, it’s beyond the mere loyalty factor; it’s a critical way in our usage pattern, and Google would unquestionably have an unfruitful time making up for the difference.

In nearly all situations, a word processor is required to accomplish a series of tasks, which are later formatted to perfection and submitted in a universal format. Although failing to present the required assignment is sickly irresponsible, authority figures normally understand when the workstation is having technical setbacks. However, when you have to rely on a third party to deliver documents on time, the situation could be somewhat complicated. As is the case with GMail, the uptime hours are generally flaky and unreliable, and thus depending on Upstartle (another Beta) would be unintelligent. According to Google, this could be a desirable option to backup important documents for later accessibility, but can Google dismiss the possibility of inadvertently deleting the account, and thus causing you to lose your supposedly backed up data? This situation is actually too common with GMail, as many users are finding out recently. Since GMail is in Beta, Google is free of liability, and responsibility. Would you be willing to risk your data online, especially when the third party can’t be held responsible for lost data?

What I’ve mentioned above are mere hindrances, and ultimately, I just might use Writely from time to time, but the concerning issue is privacy. How safe are my documents from prying eyes (read: government) on third party servers? In a privacy battle against the government, District Judge James Ware granted that Google must give limited access to the company’s records, though specific search queries were off-limits. It’s exceptional on Google’s part to protect user privacy, but the company can only battle the government for so long before it surrenders? What happens then? The present may be favorable, but the future is bleak, especially when steps to a criminal act are stored on Google’s servers, which could’ve been prevented only if the law enforcement had gotten information on time.

Google’s mission statement, “…to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” is all well and good, but the company has ways to go before it can successfully accomplish that. I, along with many of you, are willing to give Writely a fair chance in competing against local versions of Microsoft Office, but privacy, countless features, familiarity, unreliability and lack of protection against lost data makes it an unproductive choice for the time being.