Curiosity - based on an article in either techmeme.com or techcrunch.com - got me to look at Google Apps. I've always found that the best way to learn something is to actually use it - on an actual site - http://www.isshinryu-nj.com/. Google apps is basically the 'selling' of the same tools with different limitations based on the model that you are looking at: Small Business, Enterprise, School, Personal and within each some are free and some at a cost. Apps include web home page, web site hosting/development, gmail, calendar, chat, etc. (and support). The home page gets created by default, as well as the gmail, the website and docs are all driven by your content. The min. cost to you is a domain registration fee ($10). My overall impression:
- tools are not really integrated - just grouped
- website development via page maker is still not for the faint of heart (aka non-technies)
- the help you get is the help you seek (you're on your own)
- gmail is good, but not as good as yahoo mail (probably the only thing yahoo has going for it)
THE MOST IMPORTANT learning I got from the exercise I received was: websites are now a commodity - just as PC's become in the late 1990's. In the very near future tools will be available to allow EVERYONE to develop and have a substantial website of their own without the need for a techie's help or support.....developers beware.......the base website development market is now officially closed.
MY RECOMMENDATION: Go and try Google Apps - a $10 education on the near future.
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