
Google Launches Plugin That Fuses Microsoft Office With Google Docs - ssclafani
http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/22/google-launches-plugin-that-fuses-microsoft-office-with-google-docs/
======
dabeeeenster
If you upload a complex Word document to Google Docs, Google will make some
simplifications to the document.

How does this manage the mis-match between Office and Google features? What if
I do something in Office that cannot be synced to Google Docs? Surely all this
passing through Google Docs will strip the Word-specific formatting out?

I think it's a great step, but it's not going to be anywhere near WYSIWYG.

~~~
jkincaid
I tried to address this in the article, but it's a little confusing.

If you and a coworker are both editing a document using native versions of
Office, then the changes should sync seamlessly.

If you create a document using Office, then sync to the cloud, then edit that
document using a Google Docs web-based editor, it _should_ look right, but
there may be some fidelity issues. However, any changes you make WILL NOT be
saved to the version of the document that was originally created in Office.
You can still save this as an Office Doc using the export feature, but it
breaks the syncing.

------
elblanco
This is how this cloud thing is supposed to work. Microsoft please note this.

~~~
doty
<http://skydrive.live.com> ?

Doesn't it already work this way? Specifically, I can create and edit office
documents using Microsoft's web-based editors, and then open the documents in
my local editors and when I hit save they save back to "the cloud."

What else needs to happen?

~~~
thesethings
I give props to MS for its progression, but MS's web-based editors just can't
compare to Google's. Some of them require Silverlight plugin. Also, its word-
processing editor cannot do concurrent editing in its web app.

Also, this is surreal, but if the documentation is to be believed, this new
Google plugin supports more versions of MS Office than MS's own cloud apps do.

~~~
Splines
> Some of them require Silverlight plugin.

Silverlight will improve the experience, but is not a requirement.

> this new Google plugin supports more versions of MS Office than MS's own
> cloud apps do.

It's a mixed bag. Office 2003/2007 can't save to Skydrive, but this Google
plug-in can't do document co-authoring (the merge story with this plug-in
isn't pretty).

------
nkassis
This is probably the best thing from Google in a long time.

~~~
notyourwork
What about Google Voice? Launched in 2009. Guess it depends on your definition
of a long time.

~~~
lftl
Google Voice is about half a product in my opinion. Once they actually
integrate VOIP calling on my mobile I'll agree.

~~~
RossM
Also support for those outside the USA (I'm aware of why it's taking a while,
I'd still like to use it though).

------
roadnottaken
_"Once you’ve installed it, you’ll notice a new ribbon toward the top of the
Office UI, which gives you a Google Docs link for the document you’re
currently working on..."_

Does _anyone_ care about screen real-estate anymore? :(

~~~
Splines
FWIW, the Office Ribbon scales UI pretty well (considering how much stuff is
on there). I haven't tried it, but I imagine that it's just another tab on the
ribbon.

Bonus points if the tab only shows up when you're working on a document saved
to Google Docs.

------
scrrr
Excellent, a built in internet-backup. Perhaps this could affect companies
that offer cloud-based backup solutions?

------
icegreentea
Great news! Hopefully not too off-topic but doesnt "Google Cloud Connect for
Microsoft Office" sound like such a Microsoft name? It's just missing 'Live'
or something to make it complete.

~~~
RossM
In my opinion, if you're creating software that's living inside someone else's
software it's easier for users (and to some extent it's polite) if you follow
the parent software's approaches and style.

------
steve19
No Office for Mac support :(

~~~
naner
This seems odd. Didn't Google ban the use of Windows by their employees awhile
back?

~~~
ceejayoz
Why would that matter? The largest single part of the market is Office for
Windows, so that's what they targeted first. Google employees are likely using
Google Docs for most things, anyways.

------
maguay
Link to Google's official announcement:
[http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2010/11/bridge-to-
cloud...](http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2010/11/bridge-to-cloud-google-
cloud-connect.html)

------
inovica
Only supports Windows unfortunately. Actually I've been moving more and more
to not using Office and going straight into Google Docs, but there are times
when Office is still better. Hope they create a Mac one soon

~~~
elblanco
I really hope that _somebody_ gets around to implementing a grammar checker in
their document editing tool at the level of Office. I don't use it terribly
often, but I notice it when it's not there in competing products.

------
gaiusparx
So the web app/client is not The client that rules them all. Native client
does have its place and is growing without a doubt.

------
wrath
This is pretty slick and too bad I don't use Word anymore. That said, besides
the obvious PR hit that Microsoft takes with this kind of stuff I'm unsure how
many people will be using this. People on this site who use Word might, but
the everyday users of Microsoft products won't even know this exists.

------
nicon
Cool. But in my opinion, what matter the most is the conversion of files
between Office and Google Docs. As a student (who have to submit paper in .doc
or .docx), I have to buy Office because I can't be sure that the conversion
will be fidel enough.

------
DjDarkman
In my opinion all office apps will suck until they agree on something. Even
different versions of the same office suite cannot work together,

------
prakashk
Is there something similar for OpenOffice?

~~~
davnola
This <http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/project/ooo2gd> which in my
experience is a bit pants.

~~~
metageek
Sorry, I forget: does "pants" mean "good" or "bad"? I know I've heard it
before.

~~~
kenjackson
Depends on the context. If you're saying something that's meant to impliy a
positive connotation then it means something good. Otherwise its bad. That's
how I differentiate.

~~~
davnola
I've never heard it used in a positive way. I certainly meant it negatively
here.

------
socratees
This is certainly a good news for both Microsoft and Google.

