Office365

[Mike-Bracknell]

Hi all,

Does anyone use Office365 here? I specifically want to know whether people can get on with the web-delivered apps or whether they were forced by any incompatibilities to go for the more expensive downloadable version? and what people's experiences are with it? Good/Bad/etc?

Ta,
Mike.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Its bundled with some of BT's business internet bundles. A couple of my customers tried it, didn't like it
The issues were
speed of file opening / saving over internet
problems in understanding the concept, leading to problems in file handling (i.e. trying to understand "saving in the cloud"
managerial resistance to storing files off-site (Security)
real reluctance to "rent" software rather than purchase it
reluctance to trust M$ with company data

Same objections applied with other customers to Google Docs

[Mike-Bracknell]

Cheers.

I've got one customer who has it and has no problems with it (other than a mild distrust of MS). I have a another customer who's moved from Google Apps to SBS because of similar fears (and also because they needed more functionality).

I'm supposed to be selling it, and also have the wherewithall to create private MS clouds as well, but it seems there's a bit of a disconnect between purely hosted and purely onsite which doesn't seem to be able to be overcome with existing solutions. i.e. i've looked into App-V and it seems to have a range of issues with virtualising and delivering applications.

I'm just wondering whether there'll ever be a killer app to fill in the gap between onsite and cloud, or if Ballmer's shot himself (and ourselves) in the foot by canning SBS.

[Guest 112233]

I'm sorry to be a misery on this, but is not dependency on internet access; a critical element of this mode of use.

I have been an Office user since 2000 up to & including Office 2010

As an idea it's great in cost terms for a small business where effectively renting the functionality of a word processor//Spread sheet/ presentation package avoids the cost of purchasing Office for a number of users.

Also sharing and coordination of info; across a geologically separated group is easier.

Microsoft will be delighted if people dispense with the hassle of buying DVD's that cannot be illegally copied.

But; you need an internet connection to access the applications and saving Data in the "Cloud" has all sorts of privacy issues both within and beyond the user's control. I do not know when Microsoft servers last failed but I bet it can happen.

But the big "got ya" is the security and privacy of your data. it could be physically distributed anywhere. [Edit: SBS = Microsoft Small Business Server for the uninitiated]

I have used "Cloud storage" but I encrypted my data (personal data) first, using Trucrypt (there are other utilities available and I have no connection of any sort with the open source providers).

Do any other PPruner's feel as strongly as me on this one.

CAT III

[Milo Minderbinder]

CATIII
your worries are well founded
M$ have had several data outages in the last 12 months or so, leaving considerable numbers of customers stranded without data over several days.

the privacy aspects are also worth considering: in many cases a company has a legal requirement to keep its data secure: e.g. personnel records, customer data...... don't forget the requirements of the data protection act apply, meaning you have to be able to provide clear evidence of secure storage.
With the cloud providers usually refusing to give any assurances of where in the world the data is held, by the very act of using a cloud service many companies are immediately in breach of UK law. If you were a charity or similar holding data on e.g. vulnerable individuals, then the legal exposure is potentially extremem

Mike
what triggered the question? By coincidence I got a call from M$ yesterday asking if I was interested in training to help me market Office365 / cloud

[Mike-Bracknell]

Mike
what triggered the question? By coincidence I got a call from M$ yesterday asking if I was interested in training to help me market Office365 / cloud

I think i'm a little further on down that road.

We've been selling our own cloud services since 2006 (some of the earliest Hosted Exchange and hosted Backup), and despite it not historically being one of our big push-points we're now seeing cloud as being heavily pushed by marketing weenies who don't have the first clue about how it all hangs together. I foresee a big hole between the 'fully-cloud' and 'fully-onsite' working practices, and I just wanted to know whether it actually works in practice for anyone.

Incidentally, we're also signed up as Office365 resellers and have been for several months now, but the licensing is a massive swizz - as a VAR you end up selling your ongoing revenues to them and eventually earning almost nothing from each sale (ignore the headline percentages for year 1, look at subsequent years!), and an OEM copy of Office for your desktop can be had for approx the same price as 18 months of hiring it through the £15/month version of Office365 - hence the reason for the question, as if the web versions of the products are 'just as good' as the boxed/downloadable versions then the licensing cost is so much less and it becomes viable to tell my customers about it as an add-on - if not, then no. :)

[mixture]

Bargepole.... touch.... I don't..... :E

[Milo Minderbinder]

Trust the cloud with my PRECIOUS? You gotta be joking ? The Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/24/cloud_storage_reliability/)

Says all you need to know about "Cloud" storage

[Booglebox]

I use hosted Exchange which is fantastic, and works perfectly, but hosted Office is a waste of time TBH.