Microsoft has released a new plugin, OffiSync in a bid to try and make syncing Google Docs with Microsoft Office. The app has been launched in private beta and will support PowerPoint, Excel and Word document as well as for the 2003 and 2007 versions of Office. The app also has a few of Google Docs features, the major being the inclusion of Google search. This integration would enable users to directly search for your Google Docs using the office toolbar. Though this isn’t the complete package, but it does let users to collaborate and edit the same file at once, just as they can at Google Docs. Although Google Docs has gained immense popularity for its feature rich cloud based office suite, Microsoft Office still remains the dominant force in business, primarily because people don’t yet trust the Cloud concept. But this app is just one step to bring the two rivals closer for the good of it.
Very very cool. I love MS Office Live [1] because of its seamless integration with Office 2007 Suite. Now Offisync provides same integration with Google Docs. A dream come true.
My only concerns are about how Offisync handles my credentials during the authentication phase. Is the authentication channel secure?
Has anyone performed security assessment of Offisync? If so, I would love to hear from them. Thanks!
1. http://workspace.office.live.com
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As an Office user, I think this is great. Microsoft (and others) offer similar free and paid services that integrate nicely with MS Office (but use other back ends other than Google docs). The more the merrier.
I think this is another validation that Microsoft’s strategy of Software + Services rather than just cloud services alone is right on the money. Some solutions are best as just a service, some are best as just software, but MOST are best as an integrated form of both.
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