round the water cooler. A wiki is basically a web site that can be edited with simple tools and no experience of html coding. It could become the Pandora’s box of the internet. The term that most people will know associated with this term is ‘Wikipedia’ – the largest available online encyclopedia.

The framework of a wiki is fairly democratic, allowing in most cases, anyone to edit materials

After their recent acquisition of YouTube and all the controversial dust that that has stirred up, we could be forgiven in believing that now would be an opportune moment for Google to regroup? Apparently not. Never one to rest on its laurels, Google has made a pre-emptive strike into enemy territory. While the smoke of battle still drifts thickly through the techo-air, Google has launched a seemingly covert offensive action into Microsoft’s own backyard.

Google has again flexed its giant muscles by acquiring Jotspot. The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed. This seemingly minor situation may be the flashpoint that will bring Google and Microsoft into a head-on war. Like some of Hollywood 's more bizarre movie script ideas such as "Wag the Dog", this may turn out to be a virtual case of the tail wagging the dog. Certainly the potential for this small company of Jotspot to dictate terms to the giant Google is very credible - given their unique power of their software products.

Jotspot, founded by Joe Krause and Graham Spencer introduced us to the term WIKI. The term ‘wiki’ is believed to have been originated by Ward Cunningham from a Honolulu International Airport sign that he had seen. The Hawaiian terms means ‘swift’ or ‘quick’ and then referred to the shuttle bus that was labeled “Wiki, Wiki”. Like the shuttle, the wiki was simple and quick to use.

Many people are not yet aware of the impact this little Hawaiian word is about to have in their daily lives. Much like the term ‘blog’, wiki is poised to become the next major buzzword around the water cooler. A wiki is basically a web site that can be edited with simple tools and no experience of html coding. It could become the Pandora’s box of the internet. The term that most people will know associated with this term is ‘Wikipedia’ – the largest available online encyclopedia.

The framework of a wiki is fairly democratic, allowing in most cases, anyone to edit materials

mingly covert offensive action into Microsoft’s own backyard.

Google has again flexed its giant muscles by acquiring Jotspot. The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed. This seemingly minor situation may be the flashpoint that will bring Google and Microsoft into a head-on war. Like some of Hollywood 's more bizarre movie script ideas such as "Wag the Dog", this may turn out to be a virtual case of the tail wagging the dog. Certainly the potential for this small company of Jotspot to dictate terms to the giant Google is very credible - given their unique power of their software products.

Jotspot, founded by Joe Krause and Graham Spencer introduced us to the term WIKI. The term ‘wiki’ is believed to have been originated by Ward Cunningham from a Honolulu International Airport sign that he had seen. The Hawaiian terms means ‘swift’ or ‘quick’ and then referred to the shuttle bus that was labeled “Wiki, Wiki”. Like the shuttle, the wiki was simple and quick to use.

Many people are not yet aware of the impact this little Hawaiian word is about to have in their daily lives. Much like the term ‘blog’, wiki is poised to become the next major buzzword around the water cooler. A wiki is basically a web site that can be edited with simple tools and no experience of html coding. It could become the Pandora’s box of the internet. The term that most people will know associated with this term is ‘Wikipedia’ – the largest available online encyclopedia.

The framework of a wiki is fairly democratic, allowing in most cases, anyone to edit materials

n out to be a virtual case of the tail wagging the dog. Certainly the potential for this small company of Jotspot to dictate terms to the giant Google is very credible - given their unique power of their software products.

Jotspot, founded by Joe Krause and Graham Spencer introduced us to the term WIKI. The term ‘wiki’ is believed to have been originated by Ward Cunningham from a Honolulu International Airport sign that he had seen. The Hawaiian terms means ‘swift’ or ‘quick’ and then referred to the shuttle bus that was labeled “Wiki, Wiki”. Like the shuttle, the wiki was simple and quick to use.

Many people are not yet aware of the impact this little Hawaiian word is about to have in their daily lives. Much like the term ‘blog’, wiki is poised to become the next major buzzword around the water cooler. A wiki is basically a web site that can be edited with simple tools and no experience of html coding. It could become the Pandora’s box of the internet. The term that most people will know associated with this term is ‘Wikipedia’ – the largest available online encyclopedia.

The framework of a wiki is fairly democratic, allowing in most cases, anyone to edit materials

national Airport sign that he had seen. The Hawaiian terms means ‘swift’ or ‘quick’ and then referred to the shuttle bus that was labeled “Wiki, Wiki”. Like the shuttle, the wiki was simple and quick to use.

Many people are not yet aware of the impact this little Hawaiian word is about to have in their daily lives. Much like the term ‘blog’, wiki is poised to become the next major buzzword around the water cooler. A wiki is basically a web site that can be edited with simple tools and no experience of html coding. It could become the Pandora’s box of the internet. The term that most people will know associated with this term is ‘Wikipedia’ – the largest available online encyclopedia.

The framework of a wiki is fairly democratic, allowing in most cases, anyone to edit materials

round the water cooler. A wiki is basically a web site that can be edited with simple tools and no experience of html coding. It could become the Pandora’s box of the internet. The term that most people will know associated with this term is ‘Wikipedia’ – the largest available online encyclopedia.

The framework of a wiki is fairly democratic, allowing in most cases, anyone to edit materials online that formerly they would have required permissions before being able to edit. This creates a very even working ground in which creativity and chaos both hold equal sway.

Many companies now use wikis as a collaboration tool that is far more accessible than the traditional and rigid intranets. All departments of a company can achieve equal status in communications. In terms of productivity, early results have been very positive – particularly in the area of employee suggestions. Currently, most wikis are on retained inside intranets because of the accepted social controls. Any and all employees can interact. Now that Google has become a player in this arena we can expect the usage of wikis to become universal. Prior to the introduction of wikis, there was always a moderator that controlled postings - before they were available publicly. With wikis virtually all censorship has been removed.

So where is the battlefield, you ask?

Microsoft’s flagship Office Suite has faced little competition in the arena of PC integrated office management software. Now Google has begun freely providing a directly comparable facility for creating online documents and spreadsheet applications. In recent years Microsoft’s pockets simply became heavier and deeper. That may be about to change with the universal adaptation of wikis..