G

oogle Apps, a collection of online applications and utilities, is expanding in the Indonesia market as growing numbers of companies have opted for its premium services since their introduction late last year.

"Until today, more than 10 local companies have used Google premium web applications," said Putranto Yuwono, director of EB Connection, the local partner of Google recently.

"Another 10 companies have been expressing their interest to use these products," he added.

Putranto, however, refused to disclose whether there was any noted company among the 10 current users of Google web applications.

"One of our latest customers is coal mining firm PT Energi Kaltim Persada," he told The Jakarta Post.

Putranto said he was optimistic Google products would gain a significant market share in Indonesia.

Web Apps is considered one of the open source software providers with big prospects to replace more expensive propriety applications.

Firms can use hosted web applications for communication, productivity, and collaboration. Google Apps include Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sites, and Google Docs.

Putranto said that all applications hosted by Google were available free to users, but with less features.

"Free users can access all of the basic functions. But for better business solutions, it may not enough," he said.

Google's email service, Gmail, for example, only provides real-time translation for premium users.

Premium users get 25 GB of inbox capacity while free user gets 7.4 GB.

The wave of migration from propriety software to open-source applications is now gaining momentum because open source provides cost efficiencies and helps avoid legal charges for piracy.

A noted IT expert Onno W. Purbo said recently most web applications do not require high-profile hardware and are more cost efficient.

Sharing Onno's views, Putranto said: "With only US$50 per user, you can do exactly the same as you can do with proprietary software that may cost up to $300."

Tan Bee Loon, a representative from Google Enterprise Southeast Asia, said that Google customers would also benefit from continuous innovation as Google would still keep developing the products being used.

"There are so many benefits, like real-time translation when opening email through Gmail," he said.

Tan highlighted the ability of Google Apps in collaborative working both between applications and between different users, enhanced emailing systems, and system security.

Putranto explained: "Google Apps enable company's employees to work on a single project simultaneously from their own laptops. We have also cooperated with a number of cellular phone providers to provide calendar-based reminder services.