Office Live etc

[agibsonsw]

Hello.
Microsoft seem to offer several web 'apps' which seem to do the same/similar things - mainly sharing documents.
Could someone explain the difference between Office Live (Beta?), Windows Live, Office Web Apps, Groove?
I'm assuming that one or two of these have been replaced?
There is also a Small Business 'something'?
Thanks, Andy.

[HansV]

Microsoft is famous/notorious for coming up with very confusing names for its products, and for changing the names frequently so that it becomes even more confusing.

Office Live Small Business is going to become Office 365. It contains web-based "lite" versions of the Office applications (i.e. you don't install software on your PC, everything runs "in the cloud", similarly to Google's applications such as Gmail, Google Docs and Google Calendar).

The consumer version is currently Office Live Workspace, but it's going to be Office Web Apps.

(Are you still here? )

Windows Live is a large family of programs, many of which used to be included with Windows, but are now available for separate download. For example Windows Live Mail 2011, the successor of Outlook Express and Windows Mail. Another is Windows Live Movie Maker, formerly Microsoft Movie Maker.

Then there is Windows Live SkyDrive, a web storage service that obviously goes together with "cloud-based" applications such as Office 365 and Office Web Apps.

[agibsonsw]

Mmmmm. Thanks for clearing this up. (Can a cloud be muddy?)
I found I could use Google Docs to create a document but Office Web Apps (or whatever they call it) was way too slow. Admittedly I'm working from a 'dongle'.

If someone wants to share a PowerPoint 2007 presentation what would be the easiest way (excluding SharePoint)? So that someone could view it and (possibly)
edit or add comments. Ta, Andy.

[HansV]

You can create online presentations with Google Documents.

[agibsonsw]

Sorry, I meant if someone creates a presentation in PowerPoint 2007 and then wants to share it. Andy.

[HansV]

Do a Google search for share powerpoint presentation online or similar - there are many options.

[agibsonsw]

Yes, I see there are a lot of options for this.
If someone asks me I'll suggest they perform this search. I suppose it's not sharing that's the problem but persuading people to sign-up for the service
and explaining how to use it.
Thanks, Andy.

[JoeP]

For sharing documents/presentations use SkyDrive. You can either setup folders that require a Live ID to access or public folders. With SkyDrive there is a sharing option that does not require signing up for the service. All you need do is send a link.

Joe

[JoeP]

Office Live Small Business is going to become Office 365. It contains web-based "lite" versions of the Office applications (i.e. you don't install software on your PC, everything runs "in the cloud", similarly to Google's applications such as Gmail, Google Docs and Google Calendar).

Not sure about your side of the Atlantic but in the US, Office 365 is the successor to BPOS (Business Productivity Online Services). BPOS is a hosted version of Exchange, SharePoint, & Office Communications Server. Office 365 is a hosted version of the Exchange 2010, SharePoint 2010, & Lync 2010 (replacement for OCS) plus Office Web Apps. Also, in Office 365 at the highest subscription level per seat each seat gets a copy of the Office 2010 Pro Plus (at least I think that is the correct SKU ). As usual with Microsoft there are several subscription plans. For more details on Office 365 see Microsoft Office 365.

Joe