Will Google Take over the Desktop

Author: Venes St ilis

Case Study Title: Will Google take Over the Desktop (page 136-137)

Summary:

Google is known as the web master to some. Google has dominated web search and ad placement technologies while Microsoft a near-monopoly on desktop office productivity and operating system software. In the past few years Google has been generating different ideas, which will allow its company to compete with Microsoft on the desktop well.

In August 2006, Google launched Google Apps for your Domain. That new project mostly targeted small and midsize businesses. Because that project was Google’s first on that level, the company made it available free of charge. That package also included management tools for these companies that had experienced IT professionals. In February 2007, the Google Apps Premier Edition was released. This particular package came with documents word processing and spreadsheet application with the other tools in Google Apps for your Domain. Google’s Apps offered many benefits but not enough to convince Microsoft loyal customer. Google App was really good, especially when it comes to price and multiple users’ advantage at a time. However, internet was necessary in order to operate on the Google App, compare to Microsoft users whom have the ability to work offline. Being able to work offline is one convenient advantage offered by Microsoft to mobile workers. Google’s biggest disadvantage is its security concept for its system.

Google is not planning on stopping at this point. Google’s App is currently being adopted or tested by some the major companies like GE and Procter and Gamble. In addition to those big companies, ASU is among their biggest adopters. The school currently has 40,000 students and faculty members using Google’s Gmail.

Chapter Terms: Spreadsheet, server, Web Hosting Service, software package, online processing

Case Study Questions and Answers:

1. What are the benefits of using Google Apps? What kind...