Groove versus SharePoint

Does Groove replace SharePoint? In a word—no. If you need the collaborative and server facilities of SharePoint, Groove 2007 is not a substitute. The client Groove application does not provide for the following:

• Check-in and check-out of documents so that two people can’t edit at cross purposes

• Server storage of shared workspace documents

• Access to documents and a managed workspace using Word’s built-in features

• An enterprise-wide server location for managing a team project

Conversely, is SharePoint really what you want? Suppose for example, that you want to be able to edit a project’s files from multiple locations, such as your work computer, your home computer, and your notebook computer. In addition, suppose some or all of those computers are sometimes offline. Groove enables you to do the following:

• Automatically (or on demand) synchronize a shared “workspace” when you are connected to the Internet

• Work on documents even when you aren’t connected to the Internet, and then synchronize the next time you’re connected

• Share a workspace with multiple peers who aren’t on your work network or in the same Windows workgroup or domain

• Share multiple workspaces with multiple peers, including yourself (no need to pretend you’re someone else) when you’re using a different computer

For some users, it’s not a choice between the two. SharePoint serves some needs best, and Groove serves other needs best. There are times, in fact, when SharePoint and Groove can work together, but when SharePoint isn’t an option or when you have to choose between the two, Groove often comes out ahead in calculations centered on cost, convenience, and functionality—especially for small groups, and especially if you yourself comprise a small group.