[mgstarr]

"why do it online?"

Try to think conceptually - it makes perfect sense. As bandwidth increases, which it certainly is, so does the point of having web-based software.

When modems dialed in at 1200 baud (or less) no one could understand the point of graphic web pages. Then again few people think outside the box and that's where entrepreneurs are born.

Status quo in business gets you nowhere.

[Fish_Keeper]

It can't be that bad of an idea because Microsoft is going to try to imitate it with "Windows Live". While at the same time trying to squeeze as much revenue out of their shrink-wrapped Office software as possible.

The status quo with Microsoft software is that you run bigger and fatter hardware under your desk each Windows or Office release to run bigger and fatter software on it. Google might stumble with their online software efforts but someone will eventually get it right.