Online Version of Microsoft Office Is Planned

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 14:51.

Microsoft announced Tuesday that it plans to finally allow the crown jewels of its applications -- the Microsoft Office suite -- to be delivered through Web browsers.

The announcement was made at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles.
Chris Capossela, senior vice president of the Microsoft Business Division, said Office Web will allow users to employ lightweight versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote to create, edit and collaborate with Office documents through a Web browser.

He added that this is part of the company's "software plus services" approach for all its technology, and users will now be able to have a "consistent Office experience" whether they are using desktop applications or a Web browser on a desktop computer or a Windows Mobile smartphone.

'Seamless, Synchronized Experience'

Capossela pointed out that Microsoft has been developing "cloud-based services for more than 10 years," including Hosted Exchange, Outlook Web Access, Live Meeting, and Microsoft Online. Announced earlier in 2008, Microsoft Online allows businesses to access Exchange and SharePoint over the Web.

This increasing emphasis on applications that have online components and functionality reflects the fact that desktop apps are only one of the ways users employ applications these days, with an increasing demand to access and use the same applications and documents on a desktop computer or a mobile device.

"Our customers don't use one device," Capossela said, "but rather several." He added that they want "a seamless, synchronized experience across those devices to help them work smarter, faster and better." The company indicated that Office Web will work on Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox, and will utilize HTML, AJAX and Microsoft's Silverlight technology.

Office Web applications will be made available to consumers through Office Live, which has both advertising- and subscription-based versions. Office Web apps will be made available to business users through a hosted...