The imminent retail launch of Office 2007, the latest version of the Microsoft office productivity suite, has spurred interest in its growing number of free or low-cost online competitors.
Their development highlights the expanding role of the web browser and potential of "Web 2.0" technologies such as Ajax, a technique that makes web pages interactive and appear "live" with changes to a document reflected immediately.
I have been looking at Google Docs & Spreadsheets (docs.google.com), a free online service launched in October, and two more extensive online suites from start-ups that both include presentation programmes.
Zoho (www.zoho.com) recently combined the log-ons for its online Ajax-based spreadsheet, word processing and presentation software with several other productivity tools to create Zoho Virtual Office.
The trial service is free for individuals or $9.99 per user for businesses. Similarly, ThinkFree's free online suite of applications comprises three core applications - ThinkFree Write, ThinkFree Calc and ThinkFree Show - which can be accessed from any connected computer (www.thinkfree.com).
Like Google Docs & Spreadsheets, both let users save documents in a range of formats as well as facilitating collaboration by making it relatively easy to share documents online. Being browser-based they work with any desktop operating systems including Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, and all provide hosted central document storage.
However, they all have drawbacks. Google Docs & Spreadsheets has a simple and familiar desktop interface that makes it easy to create basic documents and spreadsheets with features accessed from Office-style toolbar buttons.
But the word processor lacks built-in functions for text search or find and replace, and multiple documents must be opened in separate browser windows. Users can upload existing files via e-mail in a range of file formats and most, but not all, formatting and formulas survive intact.
Anyone invited by users to access documents and spreadsheets can do so as soon as they sign in and groups of users can see and make changes at the same time as they appear on the other PCs. Documents are automatically saved online, reducing the risk from power outages or system crashes. Users can also save files to their computer in several formats.
I prefer Zoho Virtual Office's word processor, which includes a broader range of features and an excellent interface.
As with Google Docs, Zoho Writer users can publish items directly to a blog and can save and import a range of text document formats, including Microsoft Word and HTML-based web pages.
Zoho allows users to open multiple documents in a single window and users can embed a Zoho spreadsheet in a word processing document - changing the spreadsheet automatically updates the word processor document.
Virtual Office includes a webmail component that enables users to access e-mail from multiple mail accounts in a single portal from any web browser. Collaboration is also facilitated by features such as Workplace, by which users communicate and share information and ideas, and track projects.
For small-business users, Zoho provides a version of its software that runs on a local server and is free for up to 10 users - ideal for those concerned about the security implications of hosting sensitive documents outside an office firewall. ThinkFree Online sets out to help users edit, create and share Microsoft Office format documents without buying software.
The core applications use the same formats as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and the interface is designed to look, feel and behave like Microsoft Office.
As well as word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications, ThinkFree throws in collaboration tools, the ability to publish to blogs, web pages or ThinkFree's DocExchange library of published files and makes it easy to create PDF files.
The suite is aimed at people who commute or travel and for people who use shared computers for their work. As with the other two, ThinkFree's collaboration tools make it easy to share ideas and work.
ThinkFree is also working on a premium online version that would have some particularly attractive features. These include online and offline access to files and office applications, file synchronisation, archiving, a full screen mode that will allow users to view and edit documents in a bigger viewing area and 24-hour tech support. All the online suites are still in development and will add features and fill in gaps in time, but none has the smooth, tightly integrated feel of Microsoft Office and they also lack much of the advanced functionality of Microsoft's present suite.
