Since the coming of the second Internet called Web 2.0, there's been an unprecedented boom in online services. Just like the initial net bubble, Web 2.0 avoids all the pitfalls, yet maintains what it planned to do in the beginning -- provide excellent services for free or at a reasonable cost.

This is where online office applications started to take off a couple of years back. Still being in relative infancy, Web applications -- especially online office applications -- are playing the "Catch up with Microsoft" game.

What's an Online Office Application?

An Office Application is a software that one accesses online through one's Web browser. Everything else -- including the software as well as the document -- sits on another computer -- the server.

In today's feature, we'll essentially be looking at Microsoft's Word, Excel, and PowerPoint online counterparts. The advantages and disadvantages of these are described in detail further, although there seems to be only a single most reason that stands out to use online office applications over desktop ones -- anywhere Access, pretty much like ATM services. Online Offices have the independence of accessing a document anywhere in the world where there's a computer and Internet connectivity.

I was initially planning to review each application individually, but quickly decided not to, as it's quite apparent that all the online office applications mentioned here are pretty mature. Meaning, they've come of age -- and heavily, if not totally, borrow from each other. Therefore, leveling off makes reviewing each separately redundant. Of course, there are a few features here and there that would differ -- which I've mentioned.

Now, onto the review.