Collaboration

Do we need Microsoft Office, Outlook, Exchange?
Do we even need a server?

Well, larger companies will almost certainly still answer yes.
But, smaller organisations that need to be more agile may find the traditional Microsoft client/server model constraining and not necessary.

Googlemail (GMail) provides web-based email with 2Gb of storage, contacts, filters (rules) and labels (categories) to organise messages.

Google is also branching out to provide other web-based apps

• Writely - An interface that seems strangely familiar allows document creation that can easily be accessed by others for collaboration and publishing
• Google Spreadsheets - Same premise as Writely but for a spreadsheet.
• Google Bookmarks - Store your internet bookmarks online
• Google Personalized Home page - Use your googlemail account to have a personalised page that brings together your inbox, to-do list, bookmarks, calendar, news feeds, etc.

All provide upload/download facilities.

Are these really the Martini apps?
(For those who don't remember the ads, or weren't born, the Martini strapline was 'anytime, anyplace, anywhere')