The Gloves Come Off in The Box.net vs. SharePoint Challenge
Plenty of enterprise 2.0 companies have set their sights on replacing SharePoint. But so far, not one has shown the gumption of Box.net, the filesharing and collaboration service which has launched the Box.net vs. SharePoint challenge.
Based on the premise that "sharing should be simple" and implying that SharePoint is anything but, Box.net's campaign is more than a marketing ploy. It's a bold sign of the growing conflict between hungry young startups and Microsoft over who will dominate business collaboration in the years to come.
The Gauntlet is Thrown
So how does the challenge work? Enterprises will sign up for a free, 14-day trial of the Box.net Business Edition. If they're not happy after giving Box a spin, they'll get three months of SharePoint paid for.
But if they stick around and buy a year's worth of service, they'll get the same three months free on Box.net. Note that in order to get either, users have to perform a predetermined set of tasks during their free trial, so be sure to read the fine print.
Box.net doesn't just feel confident pitting its services against SharePoint. They're doing everything but literally shouting it from the rooftops, having bought a Bay Area billboard alongside Highway 101.
At the recent Enterprise 2.0 Conference, they handed out t-shirts with turds on them declaring Microsoft's software was "SharePoo." Even if you don't sign up for the trial, airing your SharePointBlues on Twitter, Flickr or YouTube might just win you a similar shirt.
More than just Marketing
Billboards and t-shirts might be marketing gimmicks, but the campaign does exemplify a growing schism in enterprise 2.0 over how to deal with the SharePoint-shaped elephant in the room.Many players have rushed to integrate with the platform in the hopes of bridging the divide between the risk-averse and those intent on seeing enterprise transformed.
Others have taken a more radical approach, drawing a bright line between the old way of working together and the new. To some, the notion of integrating with a system that they see as fundamentally broken is a foolish one, for businesses and vendors alike.
Just which approach will win out in the end, no one can honestly say yet.
Though it's months away still, SharePoint 2010 could be transformative enough to make any previous barbs look silly. But for today at least, the confidence Box.net is showing in its services might just win over some converts.
Photo by mrkalhoon
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I completely want a shirt with a turd that says "SharePoo" on it now :-)
Posted by: Ryan Farley | June 30, 2009 11:33 AM
Box.net es la ley!
Posted by: Pattty | June 30, 2009 12:28 PM
Uff...talk about a high tall order.
Box.net don't has the means to deliver on this beyond the small businesses space. SharePoint is not just Collaboration and File sharing anymore. I understand the why of Box.net trying to capitalize on the tremendous surge and momentum SharePoint got now. it is just a marketing campaign. but a bold and clever one i must say since they got nothing to lose, everything to gain here.
So it is a very interesting strategy since not even Zoho, Adobe or Google Docs have dared to do anything like this.
Posted by: Avatar X | June 30, 2009 4:07 PM
If it's just collaboration on files that companies want, it would make a lot more sense to consider services like Box.Net, but SharePoint - like it or not - offers a lot more out-of-the-box (no pun intended) such as workflow in particular, but also other basic items like tighter Microsoft Office integration, lists and such.
Companies that opt for SharePoint (MOSS) are likely looking for more than what is being offered by Box.Net. This wouldn't likely be an indictment of Box.Net's services, just a reflection of a broader set of needs.
Posted by: https://services.mozilla.com/openid/OfficeAcuity
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June 30, 2009 4:27 PM
SharePoint is not just file sharing and collaboration. It ties up to BI, UCC, Web and Application Development, Content Management, Portal and Web Services front-end for things like BizTalk server etc. etc.
Box.net is not looking outside the box, i say. They are boxed in :D
Posted by: Sarbjit Singh | June 30, 2009 8:39 PM
What a joke! Box.net offers less capability than Windows SharePoint Services that you can get for FREE, has no integration with Office and they want to charge you $15 per user per month, the same rate you would pay if you signed up for Business Productivity Online Services (http://www.microsoft.com/online/buy.mspx) from Microsoft that includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Communications Online and Live Meeting.
There are plenty of SharePoint competitors out there that are ahead of this offering and it's going to take more than a billboard on 101 to make an impact. Perhaps those investing in Box.net should spend more money on developers to build a credible offering.
Posted by: Jim Beam | July 1, 2009 9:47 AM
I agree with the previous comments. Box.net is not really comparable to SharePoint. There are online collaboration services out there that would give SharePoint a run for their money - I don't think that Box.net is one of them. A better competitor would be someone like Onehub, which does offer a free level of membership.
Onehub is much more user friendly, it is easier to setup and customize. It is the best choice I have found to collaborate with people outside of your own company.
Go Box Go!
Sharing SHOULD BE simple! Obviously Sharepoint (or rather Sharepoo!) has more features (wayyyy toooo many!) but I bet MOST users just want a central, easy place to store files and easily share them inside and outside their biz. Further, rumor has it Box's Palo Alto office is busy building MANY new features to augment their document core.
We here @fuzemeeting have our own Goliath we're targeting with the same core fundamental story line -- "SHARING SHOULD BE SIMPLE!"
When Salesforce rallied against Seibel a bunch of years ago, the enterprise guys laughed... now they have $1.2B in annual rev!
I want a sharepoo tshirt too!
Patrick Moran
CMO, Fuze Meeting
Posted by: Patrick Moran | July 1, 2009 8:36 PM