Google Spreadsheet: Unnatural Acts for AJAX?
I am uploading an Excel file into the new Google Spreadsheet. Of course, I am sending it a big, bad-ass, complex Excel file. And, as it is slowly uploading, I started to think that we are now trying to do pretty unnatural things inside the browser.
Yes, I am a fan of minimizing the page-loading experience in a browser, so I generally like using AJAX. But is the browser a robust enough operating system to support productivity applications?
At Boxxet, we are asking a lot from the browser, with a fair bit of AJAX-y interactivity. And we think it’s the best way to build web apps. But when I look at a web-based spreadsheet, I wonder if we asking way too much from a browser.
So here’s what happened. Google Spreadsheet would not accept my killer Excel file. It accepted my simpler ones but not perfectly.
But the application is pretty snappy and may change my mind about how far we can go with the browser as a platform for productivity apps.
For now, I will try Google spreadsheet for light spreadsheet duties that need sharing: timesheets, to-do lists, project plans. But for financial modeling and interactive spreadsheets, I’ll stay with Excel.
But small steps in making unnatural acts more natural is how big changes start to happen.
7 Comments so far
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“Unnatural acts” is a really good description of AJAX. Think about it — you’re building a stateful, dynamic patch (composed of JavaScript and XML tech) on top of a stateless, static platform (HTTP and HTML). It’s a kludge. It works well for overcoming the limitations of HTML but when you get to the point of building spreadsheets, it’s ridiculous — and probably unstable and unreliable. Think how much easier it would be to build this kind of stuff using Java, or C++, in a client-server environment. Even Flash would be an improvement, and Flash is one of the most screwed-up, complicated dev environments ever created.
By Dylan Tweney on 06.07.06 5:55 am
Maybe this house of cards will fall. Or perhaps we can keep building higher and higher. I remain skeptical and hopeful at the same time.
Skeptical for all the reasons you stated, Dylan. Hopeful because Google Maps proved something, spreadsheet seems interesting, and even back in the days of client/server, we had to deal with the possibility of a flaky state (disconnected apps, whether by mistake or on purpose).
By You Mon Tsang on 06.07.06 9:47 am
The biggest problem with using browsers for applications comes when you try to import files creating by desktop applications. You’re trying to import files which have been designed to run on a much more powerful system and bending the data to make it fit the new system.
By garrett on 06.08.06 8:43 am
I agree Garret. That’s why some expectation-setting is always important. Maybe not Google’s doing, but there is a lot of talk about an Excel- and Office-killer.
It may hurt Excel badly (but taking a chunk of its low-end business), but it is not a direct Excel competitor.
I will need Excel and may use a AJAX spreadsheet.
By You Mon Tsang on 06.08.06 9:11 am
I’m not sure that you hit the mark on this. Google spreadsheet is not a spreadsheet tool in as much as a collaboration tool with limited spreadsheet capabilities. Just as you can’t use Google spreadsheet for your complex Excel uses, you’ll find it difficult to use Excel for your collaborative uses (outside of Sharepoint and Intranet usage).
Warmest Regards,
Doug
By Doug Karr on 07.23.06 6:06 pm
I agree, Doug. I may find use in the colloboration. However, in the weeks since I wrote the post, I’ve spent lots of time time in Excel and zero in Google Spreadsheet.
By You Mon Tsang on 07.23.06 6:12 pm
Agree with Doug. Actually the first time I used Google was with my wife living in another city and we discussed things through Google Doc and Spreadsheet. In short, our expectation is that AJAX is a good platform of collaboration tools, not a replacement of desktop experience.
Actually Google is well aware the limitation of AJAX according to some of google’s announcements.
By Andy Wong on 03.22.07 4:44 pm
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