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A close-up look at the new Office Web Apps

By | September 20, 2009, 12:42pm PDT

Summary: Microsoft flipped the switch on its new Office Web Apps last Thursday, offering a partial technical preview to a limited set of beta testers and invited guests. I’ve had a couple days to work with the new web-based apps, which are both more and less than I expected. Here’s a hands-on report.

Microsoft flipped the switch on its new Office Web Apps last Thursday, offering a partial technical preview to a limited set of beta testers and invited guests. I’ve had a couple days to work with the new web-based apps, which are both more and less than I expected. Here’s a hands-on report.

Let’s be clear right up front: These are not replacements for the full-fledged Office programs. They are, to use Microsoft’s carefully chosen phrasing, “streamlined versions” of four programs in the full Office suite. Currently, Excel and PowerPoint have the most developed feature sets, allowing users to create new workbooks and presentations, edit existing ones, and share web-based files with other users over the internet. Word offers the ability to open and view documents, but not to edit them or to create new ones. OneNote notebooks, which will be part of the final release, are not supported in any way in this preview.

And while the Office Web Apps are being developed along the same general timeline as the full Office 2010 suite, the publicly available technical previews for Office Web Apps and for Office 2010 are not in sync today. As a result, I made sure to perform tests using both Office 2007 SP2 and Office 2010.

Ultimately, you’ll be able to use Office Web Apps in any of three different configurations, only one of which is available for testing today.

  • Corporate customers who have a SharePoint server and Volume License editions of Microsoft Office will be able to create, open, edit, share, and save documents on a server that is under their control. That’s a huge benefit for companies that are (justifiably) nervous about the idea of putting sensitive internal information on servers not under their own control. This option is not available for testing using the current preview release.
  • Business customers who pay for SharePoint access via hosted accounts at Microsoft Online Services will also have access to Office Web Apps. Although my Windows 7 Inside Out team has a compatible SharePoint account on that service, the web apps preview isn’t available yet (and probably won’t be until sometime after final release).
  • The general public will be able to access the Office Web Apps via a free, ad-supported interface that works in conjunction with Windows Live SkyDrive. This is Microsoft’s online storage service that offers 25 GB of free storage in an ad-supported environment. Files can be stored privately, shared with other individuals, or made public. SkeDrive allows the file owner to assign read or edit permissions. This is the option I tested for this post.

Compared to the desktop versions, the Office Web Apps are most definitely streamlined. An uncharitable observer might even call them crippled. What works? what’s missing? I’ve assembled a screenshot gallery to help you see for yourself. For highlights, click to the next page:

Are Office Web apps good enough to replace desktop programs? –>

More from “The Ed Bott Report”

Topics

Desktop, Web Application, Microsoft Office, Cloud Computing, Office Suites, Software, Ed Bott

Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications.

Disclosure

Ed Bott

Ed Bott is a freelance technical journalist and book author. All work that Ed does is on a contractual basis.

Since 1994, Ed has written more than 25 books about Microsoft Windows and Office. Along with various co-authors, Ed is completely responsible for the content of the books he writes. As a key part of his contractual relationship with publishers, he gives them permission to print and distribute the content he writes and to pay him a royalty based on the actual sales of those books. Ed's books written prior to fall 2011 have been distributed by Que Publishing (a division of Pearson Education) and by Microsoft Press. As of November 2011, Ed is a partner in the independent publishing company Fair Trade Digital Exchange, which exclusively publishes his books.

On occasion, Ed accepts consulting assignments. In recent years, he has worked as an expert witness in cases where his experience and knowledge of Microsoft and Microsoft Windows have been useful. In each such case, his compensation is on an hourly basis, and he is hired as a witness, not an advocate.

Ed does not own stock or have any other financial interest in Microsoft or any other software company. He owns 500 shares of stock in EMC Corporation, which was purchased before the company's acquisition of VMware. In addition, he owns 350 shares of stock in Intel Corporation, purchased more than two years ago. All stocks are held in retirement accounts for long-term growth.

Ed does not accept gifts from companies he covers. All hardware products he writes about are purchased with his own funds or are review units covered under formal loan agreements and are returned after the review is complete.

Biography

Ed Bott

Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications. He's served as editor of the U.S. edition of PC Computing and managing editor of PC World; both publications had monthly paid circulation in excess of 1 million during his tenure. He is the author of more than 25 books on Microsoft Windows and Office, including the recently released Windows 7 Inside Out.

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The big question
Joe_Raby 2nd Oct 2009
As the web versions get more and more feature-rich, is Microsoft planning on moving home users over to them exclusively, and offer a free and paid version without ads, instead of shipping home-use software on disc?

Wait 6 years. Probably not with Office Post-2010. Maybe in 2 revisions or so.
View in thread
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Looks like 'View and correct', rather than 'Create and maintain'
Patanjali Updated - 20th Sep 2009
Basically, it looks like Office Web Apps is for viewing and minor editing, but not risking breaking Office docs.
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Ok... So it's definitely a version 1.0 product.
Wolfie2K3 21st Sep 2009
Meanwhile, Office 2007 is the 6th version since Windows 95. It's also still a BETA product, not by any means a finished product that's been through the spit and polish machine with years of refinement. Of course, the desktop version will be more robust.

Give 'em time... They'll get there.
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Driving consumers away... Again.
No_Ax_to_Grind 21st Sep 2009
Again MS demonstrates that the average user simply isn't that important to them by making the "average user" (doesn't have or use sharpoint) the bottom of the function/feature list.

To me that sounds like they are inviting competition to fill the void.
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average user can use the free version..
bmonsterman 21st Sep 2009
"The general public will be able to access the
Office Web Apps via a free, ad-supported interface
that works in conjunction with Windows Live
SkyDrive."

Average user can use that. Businesses may want to
host their own version. This will provide an
alternative to Google Apps who host your web based
applications for you.
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With very limited functionality
No_Ax_to_Grind 21st Sep 2009
And that's where MS is falling down when it comes to the non-enterprise user. You don't see other web sites doing that.
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What other web sites?
bmonsterman 21st Sep 2009
Like, Google docs? Like that doesn't have limited functionality? What website gives an an office appliction for free with all of the functionality of the desktop version of MS Office professional?
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one site is...
mrdt 21st Sep 2009
zoho.com
Although I haven't used it very much, it does appear to have a lot of options and overall it seems to be quite good and complete, considering it's still in beta.
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So what do you expect ..
JonWayn 21st Sep 2009
for them to just give their hard word away? Is that what musicians are doing, spending hours of hard work on their product just so it can be downloaded free of cost? How about book authors, say Dan Brown? Or the movie industry for that matter. Wake up dude. This is commerce
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More Correctly
bigpicture 21st Sep 2009
Commerce? More correctly a "Business Model"
which if you get it right will create commerce. But if
you get it wrong then no commerce.

This is just another MS idiotic idea, they don't want
to cannibalize their own Office business so they
provide a half assed alternative, maybe free to some
customers, but with no useful functionality.

They won't have to worry about cannibalizing their
business the others in this business space will
eventually do it for them. 17% revenue decline in
the 4th quarter.
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Insecure software
Christian_<>< 21st Sep 2009
Why does a company need to spend countless tens of thousands on software to create a document???

This is silly, Open_Source shines and it is the future in the market now since companies are trying to lower license costs and get away from lock in.

The lethargic MS model is trying to 'jump the shark' so to speak.

Meanwhile, Open_Source is driving appliance driven architecture and VMware is ruling the Virtual market.

MS is grasping at anything to hold on to license/patent material.

Thumbs down.

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Parrot
bmonsterman 21st Sep 2009
You're repeating yourself on everything
Microsoft centric blog post and it's getting
old. Microsoft is doing what it's supposed to
be doing, developing software. The are adding
a web version of their product to compete with
Google Apps. I think you're claim that they
have "jumped the shark" is premature
considering they still have a stranglehold on
market share. It also remains to be seen
whether Software as a service/Cloud computing
or Virtual Appliances (or neither) will
dominate the next round of IT.
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Contributr
Uh, hello?
Ed Bott 21st Sep 2009
When did VMWare start writing open source software?

And where is the open-source cloud-based productivity suite?
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Hello right back
qnetter 21st Sep 2009
"When did VMWare start writing open source software?"

Did you blink and miss their acquisition of SpringSource?
VMware now is a leading provider of open source web
application infrastructure...
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Contributr
Oh please...
Ed Bott 21st Sep 2009
Microsoft distributes lots of open source software as well (codeplex.com). The OP's point was about VMWare's virtualization platform. So how much of that is open source? VMWare makes a lot of money selling excellent, not cheap, not open source virtualization software.
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Is that relevant?
bmonsterman 21st Sep 2009
What does SpringSource have to do with Virtual
Appliances vs Cloud Based Software of a service?
They have an application framework. What does do
they have to do with infrastructure?
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Correction
bmonsterman 21st Sep 2009
"Cloud based software as a s service"
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Someone is grasping at anything, all right
GuidingLight 21st Sep 2009
Though I suggest a look in the mirror to see who it is that is grasping at the moment.

At least you critiqued your own post with a "thums down" at the end, as I do agree with you there. happy
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RE: A close-up look at the new Office Web Apps
qnetter Updated - 21st Sep 2009
Sorry, wrong place...
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The best model for MS Office
aharper@... 21st Sep 2009
While this product is certainly a MS 1.0 release (beta in anyone else's structure), I feel that this may be the best venue for the future of Office.

It allows a constant upgrade path with cost control rather than an office suite that needs replaced for an unknown (large) cost on an indeterminate schedule.
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Availability of Office 2010 for average user
Slapshot173@... 21st Sep 2009
How CanI Geet the Beta version of Windows 2010 Office free?
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Contributr
Just wait
Ed Bott 22nd Sep 2009
Public beta wil be available "this fall."
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Not competitive?
kgsheppard 21st Sep 2009
Mr. Bott, good coverage, good report. I disagree that the apps are not competitive with the desktop versions, that is if we are talking in the economic sense of the word. Wherever demand exists, if the price is "free" then the product will be competitive. It's a given.
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RE: A close-up look at the new Office Web Apps
keoz 21st Sep 2009
This is the future of groove as it was intended to be, sharing the data in an easy way no more SharedView or sending through e-mail or messenger, thats the business value of this applications, something google docs won't ever have because there is no solid version for desktop like Office, the only reason many people use google docs is because is on the web for easy share and they will surely switch to Office web
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RE: A close-up look at the new Office Web Apps
bc3tech 21st Sep 2009
The question I have is:

Does the Online Excel app work w/ and/or open workbooks saved with password protection?

This is the one oversight I see time and time again in online office app-compatible suites.
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RE: A close-up look at the new Office Web Apps
kallal@... 21st Sep 2009
First of all, NO ONE predicted that the free 25 gigs and skydrive was going to be used for Office docs. So we sign up and get a free 25 gig cloud drive and ALSO free office?

I use skydrive now. However, throwing in web office stuff is a brilliant move. Even more amazing is that NONE of the press and magazines predicted that skydrive was going to be used for the web applications. This makes sky-drive an instant hit.

Everyone?s been caught with their pants down on this move.

This also means that the web office stuff does NOT need SharePoint. Again this is a brilliant play on Microsoft?s part. In other words, business can host their own office web applications if they want, but there is still a free edition on the web also. And, if you want to work off line then there always the full edition of office.

And, the 2010 preview has a cool sync option in which you take docs off line. This setup FAR better covers different use cases then that of Google docs (only one choice of being on line and THEIR servers is terrible). Google choice means no private networks allowed, and you can?t host (own) your own web versions like you can with office ? this is going to kill Google docs).

As for the comments about less features in the web versions? Gee, I thought the complaint about word was that is has way too many features. Fact is the web stuff is already better then the competition and frankly the idea of a slimed down version of word for new users is fantastic (I might use that one all the time!). It means the product will be easy to use. Once users play, and decide they want more features then they can jump into the desktop edition.

Google can?t really match the web versions now and they certainly don?t have anything for the desktop versions either. Throw in the fact that Google DOES NOT allow companies host their own versions of the web stuff, and it is clear things sure have changed in one weeks time!

I am wondering how come NO ONE in the press saw this skydrive thing coming?

This is not only amazing technology wise, but it is brilliant executing. I wonder what is next in store!

Albert D. Kallal
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
kallal@msn.com
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Amen
keoz 21st Sep 2009
to that, I think Silverlight will skyrocket with this move too (maybe this is the best-put-Silverlight-to-good-use-applications out there), although not imperative to install for web office to use, it greatly improves the UX if used, soon it will be installed on every Windows and Mac because everyone will use web office happy Thinking on the future maybe web office will be available for mobile phones where SL mobile will be too
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Contributr
Definitely available for phones
Ed Bott 21st Sep 2009
Access via phones is a core part of hte Web Apps strategy for MS. Should be ready in time for launch of this version.
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RE: A close-up look at the new Office Web Apps
silly_king 21st Sep 2009
No_Ax_to_Grind: so, you're unhappy when MS takes over a market; and you're unhappy when you think they stop short of taking over a market. Gee, i guess you really don't have an axe to grind. What a loser.
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The big question
Joe_Raby 2nd Oct 2009
As the web versions get more and more feature-rich, is Microsoft planning on moving home users over to them exclusively, and offer a free and paid version without ads, instead of shipping home-use software on disc?

Wait 6 years. Probably not with Office Post-2010. Maybe in 2 revisions or so.

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