There is an interesting argument going on between Robert Scoble of Scobleizer and Dennis Howlett of Irregular Enterprise over Google’s failure (or success) in providing Enterprise class applications.  Scoble is claiming that Google will eventually make it to the enterprise eliminating Microsoft especially in Outlook, Office and Sharepoint whereas Dennis is saying it will not happen.

So much so that Dennis has betted $500 on his take and has offered to put the amount in escrow.

Now this is going to be interesting.  Scoble is pushing his claim on two factors cost and environment (Google email servers consume less electricity) whereas Dennis has counter attacked with aspects like Google’s reliability and privacy issues, emails integration with business process applications like SAP and a possible emergence of alternative to email.

Here are my two cents; if Google has to really make a dent in the Microsoft’s business apps market, it will need to:

• Improve reliability and release bug-free products.  Enterprises don’t like that ‘Beta’ tag
• Provide advertisement free products and resolve the privacy issues
• Build a robust customer support system which is non-existent at the moment
• Partner with business process application providers like SAP, PeopleSoft etc to integrate Google Apps

If Google can do this in the next five years, Scoble can win otherwise congrats Dennis

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