Office Live is not about Google Docs

Most of you that have browsed through new product from Google, must have known Google Docs. Yes, it is an online document creation tool. Current version, Google provide you tool to create Word Document and Spreadsheet Document online. Aside from the pros and cons of this tool, it is a good alternative tool to create document FREE. I had experienced before that I need to compose some simple report, but I had just uninstalled my Office 2007 beta and my Office 2003 seem couldn't be opened without repairing. With short of time, I successfully composed the document using Google Docs and produced the PDF version. But, I don't think it can replace the desktop version of Microsoft Office, or even gain any market share from Microsoft Office.

But beside that, I heard some people comment that competitior to Google Docs will be Office Live. Well, it's wrong. Office Live is not about online Document Creation. But it is more about a "set of small business services, such as email, web hosting and contact-management software" [CNET news]. So it has nothing to do with the Microsoft Office online version. But if you notice the development of next version of Sharepoint 2007, there is a new feature call Excel Service, which provide basic excel function that is accessible through browser. Well, it will be old technology, if you think it has anything to do with ActiveX. It's actually purely Javascript and XML (AJAX) with HTML interface. Microsoft Office 2007 is due to release on the first quarter of 2007, well let wait and see. Meanwhile you can try the beta version of Office 2007.

Something with Apple Ads

I usually browse to Apple Website to browse on the trailer on the Quicktime section. I like it. Well, yesterday, I found some advertisement from Apple for its MacOS (which I first look from CNET News (news.com)). Overall the advertisement is quite funny, which at least can make you smile. Something that annoyed me is how Apple try to make his competitor look dirty and smelly (aka bad). AFAIK, usual advertisement will try this implicitly, not to mention specific to certain brand. I think this is ethical for business competition. But for Apple case, he is so specifically mention that this is PC, which most of them are Microsoft Windows. And some of them also mention that MacOS is like virus-free, which I think, hmm.. Even, if you watch Developer Conference, some funny statement like "Welcome to Vista 2.0", "Start your photocopier machine", etc. Don't get me wrong, although I don't use MacOS regularly, but I like the overall experience of Mac. It is just my work that I am unable to easily switch OS.

Latest case, that MacOS has bug that the OS can restart suddenly. Apple has announced that bug has been fixed after 4 months. Haha, someone suggest to add one more advertisement that Mac People can appear and then suddenly disappear, appear, disappear again. How cool is that? Actually it's quite the same as "restarting" clip.

IE7 and Firefox

IE7 finally hits the road this week. I have used IE7 since beta version until latest RC, and at the same time, firefox 2.0. Well, since Firefox 2.0 is still in RC and will be released soon (around 24 Oct 2006), so any comparison here can be outdated. I have read huge comment about these two products floating around news website and blog. After eliminating some unreasonable negative comments by some huge fans, both receive relatively well review.

IE7 is upgraded from IE6 since 5 years ago. Such a long update, people can hope a big jump of features. The most recognized ones are Tab Browsing, Phising Filtering, much efficient UI, RSS, etc. Well, most of features here are already there in Firefox 1 and will be in Firefox 2. So Microsoft here is more in catch-up to browser competition. If Microsoft didn't spend 5 years to upgrade its browser, it wouldn't lose its market share to Mozilla. Hope next version of IE7 won't take so long time.

Installation
IE7 is surprisingly take huge amount of time and OS restart to be installed. For my IBM T43 machine, it takes about 20 minutes to install, and almost makes me frustrated because I start the installation during my office hour. Well, Firefox RC3 only takes about 3-5 minutes.

User Interface
Since beta version, I like so much in new IE interface. It just make you feel this is new, this is new. Although some of my friends feel too much changes, difficult to use, don't know where to click, but I think this will take about several times use to get used to. Compare to Firefox RC3, IE7 wins in this criteria. With Menu, Google toolbar, and several tab are activated, IE7 takes less space than Firefox.


Need to Fix
I notice sometimes IE7 can take huge amount of processor time, and it makes the whole IE7 browser just not responding at all. It's really annoying. What I can do, it's just end task from task manager. I don't know it just only happens to my machine or not.