Here come another product that is web-based, minimalist and a limited release. Just as user behavior data provided Google with the ability to provided more relevant search results, now Google could potentially provide user with relevant spreadsheet models. A key problem with spreadsheets is finding the relevant models to use -- financial planning, inventory management or forecasting. Given that Google Desktop can access and store corporate spreadsheets, that information could be used, along with who uses these models, to present end users with relevant spreadsheet models. Long live model management!
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NYT article points out that this application from Google is desinged for collaboration and can handle up to 10 users. While this does not have all the rich functionality of Excel, it does have enough for simple uses (think 80/20 principle). Google is planning to use its worprocessing (based on Writely from Upstartle) and spreadsheet functionality to provide a uniform and consistent set of applications for its own internal services. This allows Excel (with or without Live) to continue to serve the high-end users.