Unpredictable. Unfocused. Just like life.

John Markoff thinks that Google Spreadsheet attacks Microsoft. Nick Carr thinks it complements Excel. Everyone is talking about it. Yes, so am I, but my point is a bit simpler.

I don't think that Google is trying to compete with Microsoft. People that use Excel are not going to suddenly switch. And the kind of companies with IT departments that buy softwarelike Office won't suddenly stop. But Google Spreadsheets will satisfy a large number of people who would never buy a spreadsheet program, as well as small business users the see the value of collaborating cheaply in a Software-As-A-Service model. A free service.

Yet it amazes me that nobody sees the enterprise value of the Google Spreadsheet. I don't meant at Google, but behind the firewall of a corporation. Microsoft has has to add security tools to ensure that you can turn off copy, save, and print on documents. The Google Spreadsheet behind your firewall offers the ability to collaborate, yet completely control the data.

Companies would have the security and control of a pseudo-mainframe environment while employees seemed to have the flexibility of a PC environment.

Imagine one day that instead of buying software such as Microsoft Office, you just purchase a few Google Office Appliances and drop them into your offices. Instant office applications with built-in collaboration, with near-zero administration cost. And searchable access to all of your documents and your communications so that you never lose anything.