Google Docs & Spreadsheets Set to Compete with Microsoft Word and Excel

Google announced today that they are combining their Writely service with Google Spreadsheets to launch Google Docs & Spreadsheets. The features are limited when compared to Microsoft Word and Excel, but considering that Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 costs $399, and Google’s service is free, it’s definitely a lot more cost effective. That’s not to mention that you can access your saved files anywhere you get Internet, and that any time Google makes enhancements to its service, you don’t have to download an annoying update.

But considering that there are almost always strings attached to a good deal, one has to wonder what Google is after by offering this service for free. Are we giving up an additional degree of privacy by using Google for our documents and spreadsheets?

The one thing that is certain is that this should help loosen Microsoft’s near-monopoly on office-suite software, in shā’ Allāh (God-willing).

Read more:

• Official Google Blog: Better together: Docs & Spreadsheets
• Official Google Docs & Spreadsheets Blog: New Beginnings
  
• Google Docs & Spreadsheets