Why does Microsoft say Zoho is the Fake Office?

by ashishk • 17 years ago

41 22 17 years ago

ryandvm• 17 years ago

Because it is?

Let's be honest - everyone is out there chasing Office for features and functionality. That they've pulled it off with Javascript and a web browser is insanely impressive, but nonetheless, they are all imitating the old-timers in a 20 year old product space.

eru• 17 years ago

MS Office is a copy-cat product, too.

briansmith• 17 years ago

15 years ago. It has been the industry leader for a long time.

BRadmin• 17 years ago

Let's see if this marketing works...

javery3• 17 years ago

The reason I have never tried Zoho is because I can't believe anyone could create that many awesome apps, which leads me to believe they are all mediocre and just checking another box on the "how many apps can we build list".

I don't know if this is true, but its the reason I still haven't spent the time to try them.

siong1987• 17 years ago

It is a 1000 people company. I believe that a 1000 people company can definitely create that many products.

javery3• 17 years ago

Really? Microsoft has 90k people and has only managed to create a handful of good products (and that depends on your definition of good).

sahaj• 17 years ago

that's an interesting reason to not try something. i don't entirely understand the reasoning.

did you also not try google when it launched because they didn't have as many employees as yahoo?

javery3• 17 years ago

Its not the number of people that bothers me, it's the lack of focus. Google was very focused in the beginning.

qeorge• 17 years ago

Really interesting point. I feel the same way and didn't realize it.

I've used Zoho's Sheet and Writer products, and both are excellent (they blow their Google Docs equivalents out of the water). But I've looked at their other apps, specifically CRM and Meeting, and dismissed both without a fair look in favor of competitors that focus specifically on those products.

adammichaelc• 17 years ago

I thought the same thing until I tried Zoho Docs & Zoho Project.

Re Zoho Docs, Office is still better, but Zoho Docs does the doc and docx rendering much better than Google docs. When I have a doc or docx file with an image or 2 & some formatting google docs obliterates it, but zoho mostly plays nice. Overall, I really like Zoho docs.

Re Zoho Projects, we have a small distributed team & really like zoho projects. Tried Basecamp & it felt sort-of clunky. I suppose it's a preference thing when it comes down to it.

Re Zoho CRM, it sucks.... so 2 out of 3 of the apps I've tried are way above average, the other is just as good as free/open-source vTiger.

dot• 17 years ago

looks like a good marketing idea initially, but people trust microsoft and may take its word over some internet company with a funny name...

joshfinnie• 17 years ago

After seeing the link, I wanted to run here and say how awesome of a marketing idea this was. But then I read your comment and it got me thinking...

Within this little tech circle, I think it is great. Take something big, bad MS said; twist it, make it 2.0 and bam! Instant marketing...

However, what happens when someone else sees this website. It is going to entice them to try Zoho? I don't think so; if anything it will make them want to run far away and probably to MS.

I think they should have sat on this idea for a little longer and maybe cooler heads would have prevailed. I am very interested to see how this works for them!

anoopengineer• 17 years ago

Zoho is an awesome company and I have written many blog posts among them. But this sort of marketing is pathetic and doesn't suit any reputable company. It's simply childish. Stop it zoho. Nobody likes a cry baby.

jonny_noog• 17 years ago

I don't think they're being cry babies at all. They're just picking up a fumbled ball and running with it. Good luck to them I say.

weaksauce• 17 years ago

One thing that no company should do when selling a product, is show me an ad for some movie before a video that explains the product. I was interested in the CRM product for work but the ad before the sales pitch is poor form for a company trying to sell me something.

ErrantX• 17 years ago

Because they are good at marketing

ananthrk• 17 years ago

This webpage is much better than the one launched earlier. Good luck :)

joeycfan• 17 years ago

Arrogance. They think they own the business business.

iterationx• 17 years ago

Reminds me of a story from Tony Robbins. This turnaround expert was hired to fix Six Flags. Now the Eureka moment came when the employees started to think of their business as being in league with Disneyland, instead of being in league with the local Midway fairs. So for Microsoft to give lip service to Zoho is really a terrible move on their part, since strategically they want their product to be on the same level as no one, but they just revealed that they don't feel that way about Office.

Why does Microsoft say Zoho is the Fake Office?

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