A new war between the computing powers, Microsoft and Google, is underway. This time for control of office applications in "The Cloud".

While Microsoft has been the leader in office software for desktops for decades, Google has been the undisputed controller of the internet for 15 years. Now, "The Cloud" puts these two computer markets on a collision course.

As usual in recent years, Google struck first with the release of Google Docs; an online tool for collaborative text work, spreadsheets, and presentations, instantly saved on their servers, which allows access to files from anywhere in the world without having to carry your laptop in your briefcase or files on USB.

Although Google's applications lack the power of Microsoft's desktop software (Word, Excel, and Power Point), the company founded by Gates immediately saw the potential danger and did the same, releasing OneDrive, a cloud suite of its Word, Excel, and Power Point applications, and renamed the previously famous Hotmail to Outlook.com, also changing its brand to resemble the desktop Outlook.

These Microsoft cloud applications, although they carry the same name as their older siblings (PC software), lack their power and only cover the same functionality as Google's tools. Perhaps a strategy to quickly enter the market and not allow the escape of users and customers.

Google took a new step and grouped all its products - Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Drive (file storage), Google Site (for creating sites), and many other applications - under a suite for businesses called Google Apps for Business; where customers can create a corporate and collaborative intranet, using their own corporate email accounts and not Gmail. Thus, entering the business market.

Microsoft released its own cloud version, Office 365, which has the real applications of Word, Excel, and Power Point.

While it is true that the Redmond, Washington company's office applications still have a significant lead over those from Mountain View, California, the cost of their licenses is still high, so they target large companies. While Google's applications, with very affordable costs (just US$5.00 per month per user) and the necessary functions to manage a medium-sized business, target more the SME sector, independent professionals, and entrepreneurs.

If you have a business or are starting one, nowadays you must manage it digitally using a corporate intranet. Here is information about the most used business suites nowadays:

• Google Workspace
• Microsoft 365
• Zoho Workspace

Although the first two are from more recognized companies, we recommend that you get to know Zoho Workspace, a suite of applications that has all the tools that a business requires, and that can work alone, as well as integrated with the others, in order to cover your company's needs. Additionally, it has prices that adjust to the size of your business.