President Defends Google Apps

There is a strong current of sentiment that Google Apps, specifically Google's Docs word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications are designed mainly to distract Microsoft from extending its tendrils deeper into the Internet in areas such as search. Girouard denies this, noting that Apps were originally geared to give Google's 20,000-plus employees Web-based alternatives to Microsoft Office.

Convinced that other users wanted access to SAAS apps, Google rolled out Apps to customers in free and paid versions. Girouard also welcomes Microsoft to the cloud computing market.