Groove to Get Push from Office 2007

Groove collaboration products will get a boost when a key Groove component ships in the Office 2007 suite in late 2006. Groove is a client application and a set of server applications and online services that enable groups to communicate and work on shared data in virtual workspaces. Groove can help small groups, particularly those that cross organizational boundaries, to work together on short-lived projects. The Groove 2007 products improve integration with Office, but large organizations must weigh Groove against existing collaboration technologies that might attract more future investment from Microsoft than Groove will.

Collaboration On The Fly for Small Groups

The most visible Groove product is the Groove Virtual Office client, now renamed Groove 2007. The client enables groups to work together in virtual workspaces that hold shared files and data (such as calendars) and provide tools for communication among group members, such as discussion boards, text and audio chat, and instant messaging. (For an illustration, see “A Groove Workspace“.)