Online software

Software as a Service (SaaS) is delivered over the internet:

• Hosted on the provider's cloud infrastructure.
• Accessed via web browser or thin client app.
• Subscription pricing (monthly or annual).
• Provider manages updates, security, backup, infrastructure.

Contrast with installed software:

• Installed: downloaded to your device, runs locally, one-off purchase (often).
• Online: runs in browser or cloud, data stored remotely, subscription.

Common SaaS categories:

• Productivity (Google Workspace, M365 Online).
• Email (Gmail, Outlook web).
• CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot).
• Accounting (Xero, QuickBooks).
• Project management (Asana, Trello, Monday).
• Communication (Slack, Teams, Zoom).
• Storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive).
• Marketing (Mailchimp, HubSpot).
• Design (Canva, Figma, Adobe Express).
• HR (BambooHR, Workday).

1. Multi-device access. Browser or app on laptop, phone, tablet. Work from anywhere. Files automatically sync.

2. Real-time collaboration. Multiple users edit same document simultaneously. Google Docs, Microsoft 365 — see others' changes live. Comments, version history.

3. Automatic updates. Vendor deploys updates centrally. No 'please update' prompts. Latest features and security patches always available.

4. Lower upfront cost. Subscription replaces large one-off purchase. £10–£30/user/month vs £100s upfront.

5. Scalability. Easy to add/remove users as team changes. Pay only for what's used.

6. Cross-platform. Works on any OS with browser — Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, mobile.

7. Integration. SaaS apps often have APIs for integration. Easier to connect than installed apps.

8. Disaster recovery. Provider backs up data; cloud redundancy. If your device dies, data is safe.

9. Reduced IT burden. No software to install on each PC; updates centrally managed.

10. Always-current. Latest version always; no 'we still use Office 2003' problems.

1. Internet dependency. No internet = no software. Especially problematic for travel, rural areas, outages. Mitigation: offline mode (some apps); backup mobile hotspot.

2. Ongoing subscription cost. Over 5–10 years, subscriptions can exceed one-off purchase. Subscription fatigue. Mitigation: audit subscriptions; consolidate to suite providers.

3. Data privacy and sovereignty. Data stored on provider's servers — sometimes abroad. Regulatory issues for some industries. Mitigation: choose providers with appropriate data centre location; verify compliance certifications.

4. Vendor lock-in. Migrating data out is hard. Workflows built around vendor's features/APIs. Mitigation: use open formats; export data regularly; choose vendors with portability commitments.

5. Performance. Some heavy tasks (video editing, large CAD) perform better locally. Mitigation: use installed apps for performance-critical work.

6. UI changes. Vendor changes interface without user consent. Mitigation: limited — but provider should give notice.

7. Account hijacking. If account compromised, all data accessible. Mitigation: strong passwords + MFA mandatory.

8. Subscription enforcement. Provider can suspend access for non-payment. No 'final' ownership.

Subscription (SaaS):

• Pay £X per user per month.
• Access continues as long as paid.
• Includes updates, support, cloud storage.
• Examples: M365 (£10–£20/user/month), Salesforce (£25–£300/user/month).

Perpetual licence:

• Pay £Y once for permanent right to use that version.
• Updates may cost extra (e.g., £150 every 2 years).
• Often more expensive upfront but cheaper long-term for single-app users.
• Most major vendors have phased out perpetual (Adobe, Microsoft, Autodesk).

Freemium:

• Free basic version with paid premium upgrades.
• Asana, Slack, Zoom, Canva.
• Good for trial; encourages upgrade.

Open source:

• Free to use, modify, distribute.
• LibreOffice, GIMP, Audacity.
• Community-supported (or paid commercial support).

Considerations:

• Subscription wins for: heavy users of full suites, growing teams, cloud-first work.
• Perpetual wins for: single-app users, infrequent use, those with budget for one-off.
• Open source wins for: budget-constrained, technically skilled users, customisation needs.

Pre-cloud: documents emailed back and forth — 'final.doc', 'final-v2.doc', 'final-FINAL.doc'. Confusion, version conflicts, slow.

With cloud co-editing:

• Multiple users edit same document simultaneously.
• See each other's cursor and changes in real time.
• Comments and suggestions tracked.
• Full version history; revert any change.
• No 'who has the latest version?' confusion.

Tools:

• Google Docs/Sheets/Slides — pioneer; still strong.
• Microsoft 365 — added co-editing to Word/Excel/PowerPoint.
• Figma — design collaboration.
• Notion — wiki + docs.
• Miro/Mural — visual whiteboarding.

Benefits:

• Faster decisions (no email round-trips).
• Better team alignment.
• Reduced miscommunication.
• Easier remote collaboration.
• Audit trail of who changed what when.

For students: group projects, shared notes, peer review of essays. For professionals: proposals, plans, presentations, designs.

Use ONLINE/SaaS when:

• Multi-device access matters.
• Collaboration is important.
• IT support is limited.
• Team is growing/shrinking.
• Remote/hybrid work model.
• Budget can handle subscription.
• Reliable internet is available.
• Data sovereignty allows cloud storage.

Use INSTALLED software when:

• Performance-critical (video editing, CAD).
• Offline use essential.
• Strict data sovereignty (some regulated industries).
• One-off purchase preferred over subscription.
• Specialist tool with no good cloud alternative.

Use HYBRID (e.g., M365):

• Installed app for performance.
• Cloud for sync, collaboration, mobile.
• Best of both worlds for most users.

For small businesses: generally cloud-first is the right answer. Less IT burden, faster setup, scalable. Spending £20–£50/user/month buys a suite that would have cost thousands to install/maintain.

For individuals: mix of cloud (Google Drive, Microsoft 365 personal) and installed (offline backup, niche tools).