After ten years Google, which celebrates its birthday this week
(7 September), has conquered search and positioned itself as the
most viable alternative to Microsoft's desktop software.
Its Gmail web-based e-mail service has the potential to take off
among corporate users as an alternative to traditional outsourced
e-mail.
IT directors have lapped up some of its products such as the
downloadable applets and Google's library of website components and
mini applications (applets).
But so far, they remain sceptical on Google's Apps business,
which offers free office productivity applications - paid for
through advertising.
A straw poll of IT directors contacted by Computer Weekly, shows
that Google is now firmly embedded in the fabric of the IT
department.
John Middleditch, chief technology officer at E.ON UK, says, "In
the web context Google search is definitely an integral part of my
everyday work and that of most desk-based staff in the company. The
list of what it is used to find and research is endless, including
technical information, legal, IT, media coverage and competitor
intelligence."
Google is also making in-roads into the corporation with its
Google Apppliance. IT directors say they are impressed with its
search capabilities. More importantly Google's integration with
Active Directory ensures that business can control which employees
get to see sensitive information.
"The big challenge for Google (or any other search enterprise
for that matter) is searching and marrying search results against
the content which you are permitted to see - not a hard job in its
own right but something that eats up time to present results. I
think Google has got this sewn up," says Middleditch.
Google's Apps business has put Google in direct competition with
Microsoft, with a web-based alternative to Microsoft Office. Early
users include
Telegraph Media Group and construction firm
Taylor Woodrow. Large businesses such as General Electric and
L'Oreal are also considering
switching from MS Office to Google Apps.
But IT directors Computer Weekly has spoken to say the product
is not mature enough to deploy. It may well end up on the
short-list the next time IT departments consider refreshing their
Microsoft Office suite, however.
"It has been more than a year since I tried Google Apps. At the
time it was not quite corporate ready," says Jem Eskenazi, chief
information officer at Groupama Insurances. "Next time we will look
at replacing our existing Office Suite we will consider Google Apps
as a possible alternative."
Google is targeting web developers with free applets and add-ons
such as Google Maps, web services, and application programming
interfaces, to help them add useful functions to websites.
Karen Neal, head of IT at Montagu Evans LLP, says, "My business
is using Google add-ons, particularly Google Earth and Maps."
But Neal says that Google's licensing policies are confused. "We
have paid to use some of Google's services in a limited commercial
manner but it is very unclear what can be used at home for free
[what we are charged a fee for]."
She has also found Google's support lacking. "This needs to
change if fees are levied," she says.
Some IT directors are concerned about Google's security track
record. Stephen Boulton, head of IT at Leek United Building
Society, says, "I would not touch Google Apps with a barge pole.
There have been some security concerns around Google applications
and the data that Google take off site, so we have taken the
decision not to use any Google applications internally. I would not
use them at home either."
So although Google has built a front-end for millions of users
to the worldwide web, and it is regarded by many as the easiest way
to find information in the enterprise, IT directors believe it will
be some time before Google becomes a viable alternative to
Microsoft in the enterprise.
Google's achievement
"It has been a great achievement of Google to create one of the
most valuable brands in the world, up with Coca Cola, Nike and
Microsoft," according to Bob Tarzey, service director at analyst
Quocirca. Ten years ago people searched the Internet using
directories organised by subject matter. "Google turned internet
search on its head with its page ranking-based search engine,
allowing users to run free text search."