arya [at] posterous

when I'm exhilarated and mobile

Will Google Docs be a hit in Indonesia? Sadly, I do not think so

Microsoft has finally released its long-awaited updated to 2007 version: Microsoft Office 2010 - though it's been a lengthy phase of beta-testing. Nevertheless, Google, from just around the corner - via its official blog, is openly promoting Google Docs as the alternative upgrade for Microsoft Office.

upgrade means what it’s supposed to mean: effortless, affordable, and delivering a remarkable increase in employee productivity

Excerpt from Official Google Enterprise Blog 

Office application is probably the application we use most in daily activities, other than browser. Alternatives that user have are (1) Microsoft Office - no matter what version we are currently using, (2) OpenOffice.org, (3) iWork, (4) Google Docs. There are tons of other office productivity suites out there, but i'm highlighting applications that most users use.

OpenOffice.org, I think, is the most cross-platform interoperability. You can have them in Windows, Mac, and Linux - same standard, while Microsoft Office and iWork is a limited cross-platform application. Even iWork (as an application) works only in Mac OS X. Google Docs is actually a native challenge to those above office application. It works on all platform as long as it has browser. 

However, I really think that Google Docs won't be a hit in Indonesia, especially to replace Microsoft Office which currently, I believe, is the number one office application being used in most corporate level.

Reasons:
  1. Mindset! Change management shall become BIG issue, especially in established corporation. Imagine 500 to 2,000 employees, who get used to Microsoft Office, must migrate to a different application. The issue is not the learning curve but the rejection, no matter the type of the organization. I've been actively using OpenOffice.org for nearly 3 years and have been trying to migrate my staffs into OOo. At first they tried it, but then after several months the went back to MO.
  2. Google Docs requires a reliable and fast internet connection, whether to access documents or working on documents. Internet reliability and speed are major issue in Indonesia. I don't want to wait for 3 to 5 minutes just to open a document.
  3. Most of internet users in Indonesia connect to the internet from mobile access - typically from their mobile phone, and specifically - most of them are BlackBerry. This due to BlackBerry plan is quite cheap in Indonesia. Sadly, Google Docs' documents cannot be edited from BlackBerry. That's a BIG fail for Indonesian users.
Anyway, I'm glad that Google Docs is finally in "war" with Microsoft Office. But for me,  OpenOffice.org is still best alternative!

The Dogs of War: Apple vs. Google vs. Microsoft

it’s hard to grasp the breathtaking scale of the epic war between Microsoft, Google and Apple. Billions upon billions of dollars. Entire industries at stake. This is the board. These are the pieces
Excerpt from Wired.com.

I like this: "And for Google, all roads lead to the internet, and the internet is synonymous with Google".

Google Buzz surpasses 9 million posts and comments

according to Google, its Buzz service already has over 9 million posts and comments. Remember, this is a service that launched on Tuesday, meaning that it’s getting over 160,000 comments and posts per hour. That’s a staggering, staggering number
Excerpt from Mashable.

Forget about the number. I think the success of Google Buzz lies within the GMail. First, you don't need to leave your mailbox to Buzz. Second, Google Buzz went viral in Twitter, getting the attention of every person in twitterverse. Third, it's simply another mail client, to "replace" GMail, that keeps your contact that enable you to go Buzz instantly.

Google goes social with Google Buzz

It’s official: Google has just announced Google Buzz, its newest push into the social media foray. This confirms earlier reports of Gmail integrating a social status feature.
Excerpt from Mashable. I'm not sure what Google is trying to do, but it seems that Google is busy taking part into every internet business and not just search engine any longer. Will Google Buzz be Twitter's competitor? Time will tell.

Google Reader lets you subscribe to ANY webpage

RSS technology makes it possible for anyone to keep up with fresh content without having to visit the site in question. Now the same holds for webpages without RSS thanks to a new Google Reader feature.

Google has rolled out a subtle change to Google Reader that lets you create custom feeds to track pages that don’t already have them. So you can subscribe to updates for any webpage simply by typing the URL into the “Add a subscription” text box.

Excerpt from Mashable.

Innovate or you die. Google should become role model on innovation for any corporate in the world. It looks like innovation is Google's mission for a better internet.