patpatpat, 24. März 2006 01:48:06 MEZ
Abt. Word im Browser: AjaxWrite
Nicht ausführlich getestet, aber als Idee bestechend: AjaxWrite. Sowas wie der jüngere Bruder des unlängst von Google aufgekauften writely. Und wer steckt dahinter? Derselbe, der hinter Linspire steht: Michael Robertson, ehemals Boss von mp3.com. Und so beschreibt er, wie's zu ajaxWrite kam:

What if there was alternative for Microsoft Word that would install and open in 6 seconds, read and write Microsoft Word .doc files and run on Macintosh, Microsoft Windows or Linux computers? And oh yeah, it was FREE so consumers didn't have to pay $499 for Microsoft Office. I'm excited to announce that day is here.

Before I go into specifics, let me give you some background about how it all came about. Two years ago, I received an email from a guy named Hisham. I usually get a couple of emails a week from someone with a big idea, but I got the sense that there was more to this one. He told me about his idea to offer a service like CNR (a popular Linspire feature that installs programs with one click) for all computers. He wasn’t talking about a software installation system, but rather a new way to build and deliver software using the power of the browser. This would mean that the latest software could be delivered directly to any computer with an Internet connection almost instantaneously.

Since he's in Germany, I agreed to a meeting in Brussels, Belgium where I was attending to other EU business. We met in a dark, smoky hotel bar, which lent an air akin to a spy novel rendezvous. Hisham pulled out a laptop and did a quick technology demonstration. Within a couple hours we formulated a plan to revolutionize the way consumers acquire and use PC software. (...)