At the same time, however, StarOffice itself isn't opensource; it's a closed product that normally retails for $69.95. I'm sure that Google pays very little to include the software, but this means that some type of deal had to take place between Google & Sun. Since OpenOffice wouldn't have required nearly as much negotiation it would have been significantly cheaper in terms of total cost. It also appears in conflict with Google Docs: Google's web based office suite.
Trying to figure out exactly why they would have come to this conclusion left me a bit confused at first, but I've since come to some pretty compelling arguments as to why Star Office & why now.
So Why StarOffice?
- More Polish: Star Office has a bit more fit and finish to it than OpenOffice.org. In Retail software, every little bit helps.
- Slower Release Cycle: This is a big one. OpenOffice can release 2 or 3 major updates a year. Update cycles this rapid can greatly impinge upon Google's ability to test & integrate the software.
- Enhanced Scripting: Star Office's scripting engine exceeds that of OpenOffice.org. Most notably is the addition of development tools for scripting in Javascript. This makes it much easier to integrate into an online service than OpenOffice.org.
- Name Brand: There is a power that comes with software tied to a name brand. While Google could have easily rebranded OpenOffice.org. Riding the coat tails of a major brand (Sun: the makers of Java) & the decade plus of Star Office can't hurt.
- Migration Tools: Star Office goes to great lengths to simplify the migration away from Microsoft Office. While Open Office handles this well. Star Office adds another layer of support & streamlining.
- Presently: Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to release now would be an impending release of "Presently." Presently is the codename for a Web Based presentation (PowerPoint) program that has been one of Google's worst kept secrets for the past several months. Despite acquiring companies already in position of a web based presentation platform. The web browser is still not a robust enough platform to create & deliver presentations at the level of polish most users require.
- Web Integration: Google has been opening developers access to the docs & spreadsheets system systematically over the past few months. While it's yet robust enough for full integration, the tools are increasingly powerful and already quite capable.
- Established Base: Star Office is a whopping huge download. If it had been included in the initial Google Pack offering, I doubt the software would have had nearly enough appeal to catch on. Now, since most users have already downloaded the Pack, it's merely a large additional update and not doubling the size of the initial download.
- Established Brand: Google pack has established itself by this time as a convenient way to download and install software. While people mostly use it for Google products, the free spyware & virus tools along with the Firefox browser have likely provided useful brand extension. Similarly the addition of Picasa & Google Earth acclimated users to powerful desktop tools that integrate into Google's advanced web services.
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