Google Fatigue Sets In

Technology Review ^ | June 13, 2006 | Wade Roush

[george76]

Users are reacting to Google's new online spreadsheet with a big yawn. Is the company searching for a strategy?...

Can there be too much of a good thing? Some Google watchers are beginning to think so.

Leading technology bloggers' reactions to Google Spreadsheets, which allows users to build and share simple Excel-like spreadsheets on line, have ranged from lukewarm to hostile.

Critics are assailing Google's latest offering for having several technical weaknesses.

And, more significantly, they're beginning to question whether Google's long-term strategy in the arena of Web-based software applications is good for the company, for users, and for the Web.

"When is the last time Google released a product that really changed our lives?" asked Michael Arrington...

unlike Microsoft Excel, Google Spreadsheets can't create charts and graphs, and it lacks some of Excel's mathematical capabilities, such as array multiplication.

"It's not an Excel killer," writes Computerworld columnist Richard Ericson. "If you're a financial analyst responsible for consolidating large budget spreadsheets, you're not going to adopt Google Spreadsheets.

Need a chart? Stick with Excel. Ditto for graphics (such as WordArt) or PivotTables."

[ROTB]

"Google Fatigue"

... brought to you by Microsoft.

[Terpfen]

Hey, look at that--people realizing that Google doesn't offer anything truly useful besides searching!

[george76]

"abused the word 'beta' ...? "

[sagar]

And Google Maps and Google Earth. Way cool!

[Terpfen]

More to do with pointless product releases, IMO. I think realization started setting in with Google Pack.

[Terpfen]

Yahoo Maps existed well before Google Maps, and Google Earth is a retread of a similar NASA program.

[DesScorp]

This is a load of crap. Google has some of the best software on the web. Gmail is my primary mail account now. It absolutely rocks. Everything Microsoft is doing is a reaction to Google.

[george76]

[idkfa]

I've tried Google's spreadsheet. It's simple and slow and why do it online? If you need a spreadsheet that bad, download the free OpenOffice.

[InvisibleChurch]

so how does google make money?

[mgstarr]

Stupid article - web-based programs will trump single install vesions without a question. The article misses the point entirely - it is about the concept rather than this particular beta incarnation. Microsoft would love to spin this but the writing is on the wall. I love technology and greater bandwidth.

[July 4th]

so how does google make money?

Volume, my friend. Volume.

[george76]

search and keyword-based advertising

[Gordongekko909]

Hells yes. I swear by OpenOffice.

[kingu]

Most of my e-mail now goes through Google's Gmail, Google's Calendar features send reminders to my cell phone, plus I add entries through simple text messages. Google's Earth is my primary navigation software as well as handling oddball mapping requirements (I play Geocaching.)

Sure, I could do some of it through yahoo, but for many things, Google has been more responsive to the end user by providing useful applications and features. Text a type of business, a city and a state to GOOGL on your cell phone will get a response back (up to three messages) giving you the names, addresses and phone numbers.

Google Local for cell phones is like carrying a map on my belt, giving me turn by turn directions if I so desire.

So what if the spreadsheet didn't thrill people - there's more than enough very useful features available at my touch to make my day more productive and useful. Yes, it's all data mining. Since I'm not doing anything I wouldn't be embarrassed to have my wife find out about, I don't have anything to worry about in that manner, and honestly, I think store club cards are actually worse.

[farlander]

Advertising. 95% of their revenue is ads. So, the first time we have a downturn, their revenue will drop like a rock. Never the less, they're a cash machine. Their model is extremely profitable, but I think people are definitely overhyping the company. Pretty much all the stuff they do (sans search) is beta, is intended to attempt to keep people coming back, and none of it makes any revenue directly.

Guess what - Microsoft is not going anywhere, and they have far more cash to burn than Google. It'll make for some great tech competition in the next 10 years.