In the meantime, Google has been promoting its Web-based Google Docs and Spreadsheets. Arnold says Microsoft isn't shaking in its boots over those offerings, but they could represent a toehold in the software giant's lucrative Microsoft Office revenue stream. A new and improved version of the Microsoft product, called Microsoft Office 2007, has been made available for business customers.
Google could be using the potential of an Office clone to taunt Microsoft, Arnold says. "This could be nothing more than nerd humor," he says. "Google loves to jerk Microsoft's chain. The fun part is watching Redmond turn cartwheels."
The ThinkFree suite was created and enhanced by software developers in Korea; marketing is directed from its offices in San Jose. ThinkFree Corp. is a unit of Korea's Haansoft.
Jong-jin Baek, Haansoft's president, favors an alliance with Google but doesn't want to give up control of the software suite, according to a report in the Korea Times. Haansoft has long believed its ThinkFree offering would make an excellent acquisition.
"Google will be kicking themselves for moving early on Writely," stated a Haansoft investment report in May. "You'd expect another big player such as Yahoo will be along to buy out [ThinkFree], and whoever does will give the folks at Microsoft and Google nightmares."
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
