Thin vs. Fat: Google's plan to kill Microsoft Office

If Microsoft comes out with an aggressive fee schedule for a streamed version of Office, the game could be over for Google. But if Microsoft gets greedy and decides to protect its existing channels by withholding any clear financial incentive to subscribe, customers will likely balk at the "virtual Office" solution and start to actively consider alternatives such as Google Apps.

Without question, Google can put a serious dent in Microsoft's dominance and in the traditional fat client computing model if it shores up its current offerings, if it builds an effective, incentive-driven ISV community, if Microsoft continues to foist more draconian restrictions and hurdles to product activation, and if Redmond fails to aggressively push its upcoming subscription offering in terms of functionality and price.

That's a lot of ifs, and only two are within Google's control. IT shops may want to hedge their bets by at least testing the Office Live waters along with Google Gears. As much as pundits get excited about revolutionary, "New Economy"-style change, the world of IT and users is more pragmatic and cautious. After all, not everyone wants a revolution. Some of us just want to feel like we're part of one while we watch it all unfold from the comfort of our own familiar PCs.