Ask HN: Anyone within traditional corporate env. think that Office docs are going away?

The author is completely dismissive of security concerns, but is incorrect in this attitude. These problems are not primarily technological (we know how to keep secrets, if only we could get users to follow the rules), so the barriers can't just be broken down by smart people.

The problem is regulatory. HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley make online documents a non-starter for significant sectors of the economy. As long as business can be penalized to a degree that far outweighs any benefits for such decisions, these shared online systems will not chase away the traditional "I run my software and control my own data" model.

No - and I'd also challenge the assertion that Dropbox and Slideshare are mainstream anywhere outside of the tech/early adopter community.

These (and online docs) are products that people who like technology and new things use as a way to get their work done. The vast majority of people - and this is especially prevalent in enterprise contexts - don't care about a new way to get their work done, since the old one seems to work fine.

Want to collaborate on a document? Either use Track Changes or press the "Share on SharePoint" button in Office. Want to share a PowerPoint? Email it. Want to version a document? Load it into the company's knowledge management system. I work on a leading-edge team inside of a very progressive (enterprise-size) company, and it's a battle to get people to use the wiki we have set up.

Personally, I think TechCrunch's sense of importance here is a bit inflated. I think Office still has a long time left in its domination. Most companies are not early adopters. And I think Google Docs, etc. still require "early adopter" status in the corporate world.

no, or at least, not nearly as fast as techcrunch is reporting. perhaps they're dying, but they're going to "die" like cobol is dying, most likely.

Yes. In fact I think we will soon go back to having a room of "computers" instead of using an excel document. In other words, take your calculations up to a roomful of gals who will do the calculations, double check them, and then hand you the answer some time later. Since clearly spreadsheet software has no practical use.

Or not.

:-)