Enterprise Nation

The latest runner in the race for the 'placeless office' - an online environment in which installed software is replaced by web applications - is the newly branded Acrobat.com, from software giant Adobe. Can it cut the mustard with established players, like Google and Zoho? Or will it fall at the first hurdle? San Sharma cocks the starting pistol and investigates.

For some background on the 'placeless office', refer to one of my earlier articles on the subject. Here's an excerpt:

"The idea is pretty simple: take a generic web browser and a set of online services and completely remove the need for installed applications."

"Since your new set up will be hosted online it should free up a whole lot of valuable hard drive space and provide all the functionality you need, plus the ability to access it from anywhere."

And here's a comparison of three web office application suites, from Adobe, Zoho and Google respectively:

Acrobat.com

Software giant Adobe acquired online word processor Buzzword some time ago, but it wasn't until last week that it began to integrate the service with its other brands, such as its PDF convertor and conferencing solution. The newly branded Acrobat.com features Buzzword, ConnectNow, Create PDF, Share and MyFiles, which allow you to write documents, meet with co-workers, export documents, share and manage them respectively - and all (with some limitations) for free.

We like

• Buzzword makes it easy to create stylish documents, thanks to a good selection of fonts and colour schemes.
• The service boasts a rich user interface with a distinctly modern look that makes good use of its own platforms - Adobe AIR and Flash.
• ConnectNow is a standout feature, with cross-platform desktop sharing, webcam videoconferencing, chat, whiteboard, file and meeting note sharing.

We don't like

• While quite fancy the interface can be confusing, with no obvious way to switch between applications.
• Buzzword is great! But it's the only application here with which to create documents. There's no spreadsheet or presentation software included.
• While the service is free there are limitations: you can only convert 5 documents to PDF and meet with only two other users with ConnectNow.

Link

• Acrobat.com

Zoho

Zoho is surely the most comprehensive of all online office application suites. It includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, notebook, wiki, planner, chat, mail, project management, CRM, invoicing, meeting and database applications, all of which are free, albeit with some limitations.

We like

• It's hard to compete with such an enormous suite of applications!
• You can now sign in with a Google or Yahoo account, so you might not have to sign up to Zoho (even though that takes no time at all).
• It's the closest thing to using an installed application, like Microsoft Office, and the interface is very familiar.

We don't like

• One of the joys of using a 'placeless office' is the simplicity of its applications. Zoho's interface might be overwhelming to some users and less innovative than others, such as Acrobat.com.
• Some features are not free (or at least limited), especially business application such as Zoho Invoice, Projects and CRM.
• Call me a design snob! But I just don't like Zoho's branding. Its logo looks like a toddler's building blocks and I can't feel professional using the service because of it. It's just a small thing, but it was quite off putting for me!

Link

• Zoho

Google Docs

Google's efforts to bring your office and ultimately your entire operating system hasn't gone unnoticed here at Enterprise Nation. We've used Google Docs before and I was one of the first people in the UK to nab a Gmail account (before it became Google Mail). Google Docs includes a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation applications, all of which are unquestionably free.

We like

• The tight integration between all three applications as well as the sort of dashboard that welcomes you on sign-in with an overview of all of your documents.
• The interface is simple and unobtrusive, allowing you to concentrate on your work.
• It unsurprisingly offers excellent collaboration, sharing and, of course, search features. And now the ability to edit documents offline, using Google Gears.

We don't like

• Google Docs' functionality is a little bit limited, lacking the more complex features of Acrobat.com and Zoho.
• There are some unexpected delays when working with your document, although that's improving, I've noticed.
• Is anyone else a tiny bit afraid that Google has all of our documents now too?!

Link

• Google Docs

Conclusion

I was really impressed with Acrobat.com's ConnectNow application, but worry that its biggest challenge might be in convincing co-workers to register and use it. It's still very early days for Adobe's web applications, even though Buzzword is excellent, the suite as a whole is just not ready, I don't think.

Zoho is incredibly comprehensive and actually does more than installed applications, like Microsoft Office. But its interface is overwhelming, sometimes complicated and really lacking in 'cool'!

Google Docs is the clear winner here, I think. It's been getting better for two years now. Goodness knows where it's going to end up! But its collaboration and sharing features are easy-peasy and might just revolutionise your home office, especially if you work in a team or with others.

Feel free to try all three and let me know how you get on in the comments. – San Sharma

Photo credit: Flickr user Jason Mulcahy.

San Sharma is a creative thinker, blogger and designer, as well as a writer on popular culture, technology and business.

• www.sansharma.com