Sky Drive a Microsoft Product was released on August 2007,  and is trying to rival the current success

of Google Docs , that was released in 2005 as two separate products (Writerly and Google Spreadsheet these subsequently joined)

Evaluation and Comparison of Google Docs and Microsoft Sky Drive

The Benefit Of Sky Drive is that it has the same user interface that can be found on their 2007 and 2010 MS office package software that is heavily publicized and recommended by many with the use of Windows new operating system. Yet Google Docs uses an interface that was first used by Microsoft on their 85 and 2000 MS office packages, to which now as a built in feature on 2010 Ms office package to allow users to revert back to this old style, and i feel this could be cause it is counter intuitive as i found when using Sky Drive, i would be looking for a feature and it would be under a tab where i did not expect the feature would be, such as new slide on home instead of insert. Yet Google docs was easy to use and understand with a comprehensive list of help documents to help users.

Sky Drive has added features that would make me use it over the years is that it  links with your emails allowing you to edit and modify emails without having to remove them from the email it self allowing for a quicker return of information and data sent between users.

What i liked about when using Google Docs, although not having the common user interface, that of which users are used to of word, the functionality that are gifted by Mircosoft on their free SkyDrive is limited in comparison to that of Google Docs. Google Docs you are able to comment your work , add footnotes as if you were using MS Word installed software upon your computer. Which makes me feel that if i was going to be word processing an actual document for publication, this would be a better resource to use.

If Microsoft was to reduce their limitations on their online web application this could make it the better service to use, especially for students who already have Windows Live email addresses meaning that a second registration would not be required. Yet this is unlikely to happen as it could impede on their sales of their software packages.

Although Sky Drive  is limited on functionality, it allows you to actually define your settings first such as which group of friends can edit the document, who can view the document and the title,yet once these are defined they then have to be changed when doing each document from the defined norm.  Where as Google Docs automatically names some of the documents for you, and with out prior knowledge many people many not know how to change the name of their document, and is an annoying flaw although the program is trying to help you by saving your time, by naming and saving your work (of which sky drive doesn’t automatically save your work)

Overall Summary

Sky Drives Key Features;

– Looks Like MS Word 2007-10 ( similar user interface)

– Can edit within emails

– Most users already have a log in due to Windows Live Messenger

– Share with defined users

-Defined users can edit information

Google Docs Key Features;

-Looks Like MS Word 98 ( similar user interface)

-More Features ( Footnotes ect)

– Auto Save

-Intuitive and easy to understand help documents

– Share with defined users

-Defined users can edit information

Although both have advantages and disadvantages if users were to take up the use of Skydrive the would need to contemplate where they would use this such application since this application requires users to log in through a Hotmail account log in, many organisations or colleges has subsequently blocked this web page because they wish their users to use a more secure and easily regulated email server and account supplied by that organisation. Yet with Google docs this would be hard to block as it is used through out business for users to search and find information so would be an obvious choice for many especially if they are moving between buildings or sites to show different users information with out having to purchase equipment such as a laptop preventing the data to be stolen whilst on the move. Meaning this would be my choice to use in the future because of the additional features, and although you may not be able to edit in emails you are able to upload the content to other sites like Zoho and also able to email the documents.

However can we trust these online software products to actually store our private and possibly sensitive business information without the risk or being accessed by unauthorized user?