In the opinion of some industry pundits, Google's decision to add offline functionality to Gmail amounts to a validation of Microsoft's "software-plus-services" strategy, which advocates a mix of on-premise and cloud-based software as the best future computing model.
Microsoft has for the past couple of years stressed the importance of building an offline experience into cloud applications, and claims that software-plus-services is something the entire industry will eventually embrace. Cynics believe Microsoft's embrace of software plus services is just an attempt to remain relevant in the age of cloud computing, and to maintain revenue from on premise software.
Last April, at Microsoft's annual MVP Summit, CEO Steve Ballmer said that despite the near-ubiquity of wireless connectivity, offline is just as critical to the user experience. "I'm still a big believer that offline is very important," Ballmer told the MVPs.
In a Wednesday blog post, Gmail Engineer Andy Palay said adding offline functionality to Gmail lets users maintain a consistent experience when connectivity isn't available. "Our goal is to provide nearly the same browser-based Gmail experience whether you're using the data cached on your computer or talking directly to the server," he wrote.
Ric Opal, vice president of Peters & Associates, an Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based solution provider, sees Google's move as evidence that the software-plus-services model is still in its infancy, and how Web-centric companies are slowly beginning to test the waters.
"Customers need to take a hard look at the functionality of software plus services from any vendor and clearly understand what features they have now, and what features they gain in the cloud," Opal said.
"I think we will get to large-scale software-plus-services adoption, but everyone must evaluate implied service levels that already exist with on-premise solutions vs. solutions such as the Gmail enhancement that Google is rolling out," Opal added.
But there are major security challenges to be overcome before that can happen, according to Tim Huckaby, CEO of InterKnowlogy, a Microsoft Gold partner in Carlsbad, Calif.
"The real problem with going offline in any Web-based application is that it's impossible to secure without building your own elaborate sandboxed security system," Huckaby said. "That's why we don't have offline Amazon or eBay."
