Recently, I came across the features link for the next version of Excel, Excel 2010, here.
Here’s bullet point number five from the webpage:
“Connect, share, and accomplish more when working together. Co-authoring through the Microsoft Excel Web App makes it possible for you to edit the same spreadsheet with others simultaneously from different locations. See changes from others appear as they are made and with the number of editors in the workbook shown on the status bar, you’ll always know who else is editing the workbook with you.”
Having recently completed my first Google Docs implementation, I was somewhat curious as to when Microsoft would copy Google’s collaborations features. During my research, I came across Sharepoint Workspace 2010, which had many of Google Docs’ features, but I didn’t know that Microsoft would integrate collaboration into each of the programs in the next Office release.
Only time will tell whether or not this holds up to Google’s offering. But I guess that’s how innovation works these days – Google does something cool and Microsoft copies them.
