Innovating on legacy platforms: a case of google docs and MS word?
August 11, 2018 5:03 AM   Subscribe

I'm guessing within the last 24 months or so I read an article on why it is so difficult for organizations with legacy software platforms to be agile and innovate. The article used Google Docs and MS word as a comparative case study. Know it?

The central idea was Google docs grew quickly from a feature set perspective when it was young, but now it's much harder because of the stuff they've done--and have to integrate 3 + competing platforms (Writerly anyone?) I'm looking for that original article? I tried Google, Hacker News and O'Reilly Ideas (then Radar) and my search skills are failing me. MeFi to the rescue? Thanks!
posted by teddyb109 to Computers & Internet (1 answer total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Sounds like a presentation I saw from Jared Spool on Experience Rot. This is maybe older than what you are thinking of but it covers the beginning of that story.

We’ve seen this pattern repeat itself dozens of times. Microsoft Word for DOS, with only 70 features upon launch, beat down the 1700-feature WordPerfect. Now we’re seeing Google Docs doing the same thing to Microsoft Office (despite Microsoft’s attempt to port desktop Office to its SaaS-version of Office 365).
posted by toamouse at 5:47 AM on August 11, 2018 [1 favorite]


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