Eww; and I’m not even saying that because of Micro$oft.
So… I guess I’m the only one on earth who absolutely HATES this trend of distributed applications and web-based everything. Sad.
MS Web Office
From InformationWeek (via Web 2.0 Explorer, via Read/Write Web):
When asked which other products and services Microsoft would host, another Microsoft insider said, “Everything. Hosted Office. Everything hosted.”
It appears that Microsoft is going to crash the “Web 2.0″ party sometime next year.
9 Comments 
I’d think you’d like this trend, considering that it gives people one less reason to “need” Windows.
Well, that aspect of it is a good thing — but my distaste has nothing to do with Windows or Micro$oft. For once. :-)
The removal of possession (of application, data) from the individual is just another step in removing individual privacy rights. Look at the problem with online email (like that aberration called Hotmail), and also governmental appeals to have the right to invade more and more individual privacies — put these three all together, and you’ll get the idea.
I can’t see that being a good thing in any light.
MarketWatch says (via Scripting News) it’s going to happen. We should know more later today.
Subheading from that MarketWatch link: “…Big, but slow…”
Yep. That’s M$ in a nutshell. Hope they aren’t going to slow down or break the whole damned Internet. :-)
Here’s the demo site.
Wow. A single text entry field that doesn’t work. Yep. Another fine M$ product! :-)
technically you don’t own your applications whether you have them on or offline, right? you just license them?
Well, yes and no. You buy a license, and in doing so, have the legal right to operate the software in question. You own your copy of the software, which is tied directly to the license you purchase. In a way, the license is the software.
I’ve been thru a few of these legal disputes with companies I worked with. It seems black and white, but as usual in all things legalese, it’s all a matter of grey interpretation. :-)
And just in case I wasn’t being clear, I’m more concerned about the intellectual property than the product (tho I also feel making “online” apps is like stealing consumers’ money since they don’t “get” anything for their purchases) — for example, if the application suite is online, where are the documents stored? Remotely? Unacceptable.