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By Barbara Morgan, 22 June 2000 11:30

NEWS An ASP start-up is offering online access to products that imitate Microsoft Office. ThinkFree's web-based office applications are compatible with Microsoft Office whereby users can save files in Word format. The company's Write application, for example, provides the same set of menus as Word and its commands are listed in the same order as in Word. The program, which is written in Java and can be accessed with any browser that supports Java, works with Windows and Linux operating systems. Other applications include Calc (spreadsheet) and Show (presentations). The file manager and word processor will be ready in the second quarter while the spreadsheet and presentation program will arrive in the third quarter. ThinkFree also gives the user 20MB of online storage space with the option to buy more. ThinkFree is also developing an email client and a contact manager/address book applications.
Giga Information Group estimates that large companies won't adopt the ASP model significantly until 2005. But Giga analyst Rob Enderle agrees that the development of ASPs could provide an opening for desktop-suite vendors to challenge Microsoft's reign. "As you change the dynamics, it's a chance for vendors to take market share," he said. Enderle said ThinkFree.com might prove most successful. Yet Microsoft and Sun are providing similar offerings with Microsoft Office and StarOffice so the programs can be accessed via the web. The company is partnering with about 30 companies to promote and distribute ThinkFree Office. Partners include Linux Care, Red Hat, Caldera, SGI, AOL, Global Scope, Indexcol, and Lornout & Hauspic. The company, which currently employs over 100 people worldwide, plans to double its staff in 2000.