Gmail Links To Open In Spreadsheets
Philipp caught that Gmail now has a link next to attached XLS files, offering to open them up in Google Spreadsheets. This link is in addition to opening it up/download to your computer, and the link that translates a document into HTML for online reading. It’s such a great integration idea, you have to wonder why Google hasn’t done this for every other file type their products support.
It’s a great idea? Wait until users realize they can’t see charts, pivot tables, …
Comment by Mike | November 5, 2006
Mike, that’s a problem that will always exist in Google’s product (unless they seriously improve it), one users will come to expect from web-based applications.
Comment by Nathan Weinberg | November 6, 2006
Actually Google is botching it.
Let’s go back to how it happened. Google acquired 2Web (Jonathan Rochelle). While the html front end was probably developed at Google, the back-end is probably 2Web’s. 2Web was more powerful than what’s been made available in Google docs and spreadsheets.
When Google spreadsheets appeared, you would think major updates would come within 6 months to make some important strides in the Office 2.0 initiative. Especially SMBs.
But that has not happened at all this way. Instead, Google made minor (read:not even worth listing) changes since then. They even claimed to adding support for ODF, and it appears that it’s not true. They support SWX, not ODF : they just call those files ODF because OpenOffice has a SWX import filter. Hmmmm…
So one can only wonder the strategy. Especially in the light of the JotSpot acquisition, which features a spreadsheet (I have not only read positive comments about it though).
As for users expecting web-based applications to be locked-down, I think you must be kidding. It’s not like showing charts and pivot tables is anything that requires complex infrastructure. And I mean the whole sausage, interactive web 2.0 charts and pivot tables. In fact, Google can do this to integrate those charts with Google Finance in the future and other verticals, and if they were willing to slap Microsoft’s coming Excel 2007 by exposing more charts, particularly business or vertical market charts, they could do that too.
Comment by Mike | November 6, 2006
Nice idea unless it is done with good plans & target oriented , should be user friendly.
They should not start just for the sake of providing service. Since their are so much of compettion. Shall take sensible steps but on the right way.
Comment by pushpendra kumar | November 20, 2006