Thinkfree Office Explained

Bodystyle:	width: 25em
Logo Caption:	The Thinkfree Office logo
Developer:	Thinkfree Inc.
Operating System:	Online; read only: iOS, Android
Platform:	Web application
Genre:	Office suite, project management
License:	Proprietary
Standard:	Office Open XML, OpenDocument: ISO/IEC 26300-3:2015
Language:	Korean, English, German, French, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (United States), Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional).
Language Count:	14

Thinkfree Office is a web-based commercial office productivity suite developed by Thinkfree Inc. It includes Word (a word processor), Spreadsheet (a spreadsheet) and Presentation (a presentation program).^{[1] [2] [3]}

They are compatible with Microsoft Office's Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It also features collaborative editing.^{[4] [5]} The product is hosted on the client’s server.

Supported file formats

Thinkfree Office supports ISO/IEC international standard ISO/IEC 26300 Open Document Format for Office Applications (odf, odt, odp, ods, odg).^[6] It also supports Microsoft's XML formats (docx, pptx, xlsx) and Microsoft's legacy binary formats (doc, ppt, xls).

Naming

The software was previously marketed under different names, such as Thinkfree Server, Thinkfree Online, Hancom Office Online, and Hancom Office Web.^[7] Eventually, the brand was consolidated under the name Thinkfree Office.

History

• In June 2000, Thinkfree Inc. released Thinkfree Office, based in Silicon Valley, California.^[8] It is recognized as the world's first online office editor (predating Google Docs and Microsoft 365) and attracted significant media coverage, including reports on CNN.^[9]
• In 2001, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer highlighted Thinkfree as a significant competitor in a magazine interview, considering it a potential threat to his company, second only to Linux.^[10]
• In November 2003, Hancom, a South Korean office software company, signed a memorandum of understanding and subsequently acquired Thinkfree.^[11]
• In January 2004, Thinkfree expanded into other foreign markets. Subsidiary Haansoft USA, Inc. was created in San Jose, California to begin formal commercial operations in the US market.^[12] At the same time, a partnership was established with Riverdeep with the purpose of improving marketshare.^{[13] [14]}
• In February 2004, expansion into the Japanese market began. A commercial agency agreement was signed with PSI in Shinjuku, Japan, which allowed for localized distribution. In addition, a global agreement was entered into with Yamada Denki, one of the three main computer distributors in Japan, for a total of 180,000 units.^[15]
• In May 2006, Thinkfree Office received the "Product of the Year" award at the Well-Connected Awards, USA.^[16]
• In January 2009, Thinkfree Mobile was launched at CES 2009 in Las Vegas.^[17]
• In April 2009, Thinkfree Live, Korea's first web office service,^[18] was launched.
• In June 2018, a partnership was formed with Amazon Web Services to integrate Thinkfree Office into WorkDocs, an in-house office suite.^[19]
• In October 2023, Hancom split its online office business unit as "Thinkfree Inc.".^{[20] [21] [22]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Krasnoff . Barbara . 20 December 2006 . Review: ThinkFree Office Suite Attracts Users -- And Google . 20 May 2024 . Information Week.
2. Web site: Cohen . Peter . 6 March 2006 . ThinkFree Office Online adds Flickr support . 20 May 2024 . Mac World.
3. Web site: Hopkins . Brent . 1 February 2011 . ThinkFree Office Mobile Helps You Get Work Done on the Go . 20 May 2024 . Pc World.
4. Web site: Golightly . Daniel . 3 October 2017 . Thinkfree Brings Dex-Ready Office Suite To Galaxy Devices . 20 May 2024 . Android Headlines.
5. Web site: Byfield . Bruce . 25 May 2006 . Review: ThinkFree Online . 20 May 2024 . Linux.com.
6. Web site: Thinkfree Office . Sourceforge . 2 July 2024.
7. Web site: 한컴오피스 Web . Hancom . 2 July 2024.
8. Web site: Mosher Zinck . Barb . 24 July 2009 . Office Productivity in the Clouds: ThinkFree Online . 21 May 2024 . CMSWIRE.
9. Web site: Cox . John . 20 June 2000 . Free Java-based office suite to make debut . 20 May 2024 . CNN.
10. Web site: Renaissance Now Shaping Another Breakthrough . 21 May 2024 . SDF.
11. Web site: 11 November 2003 . 한글과컴퓨터, 씽크프리 인수 . 24 May 2024 . Naver.
12. Web site: 한컴, 해외시장 공략 본격화 . Sedaily . 2 July 2024 . 22 December 2003.
13. Web site: 22 December 2003 . 한컴, 해외시장 공략 본격화 . 24 May 2024 . Sedaily.
14. Web site: 11 February 2004 . '한컴' 미국시장 공략 가시화 . 24 May 2024 . Korea Times.
15. Web site: 1 April 2004 . [정보통신] 한컴, 미국이어 일본 공략 닻 올렸다 ]. 24 May 2024 . Sedaily.
16. Web site: 3 May 2006 . 한컴 '씽크프리', 美서 '올해의 제품상' 수상 . 24 May 2024 . Inews24.
17. Web site: Bhatt . Hetal . 29 May 2009 . ThinkFree Unveils First Complete Office Productivity Suite for Android-based Mobile Devices . 20 May 2024 . It Wire.
18. Web site: 웹오피스 서비스 국내서도 '첫선' . News.mt.co.kr . 2 July 2024 . 1 April 2009.
19. Web site: Barr . Jeff . 21 June 2018 . New Collaborative Editing for Amazon WorkDocs – Powered by Hancom Thinkfree Office Online . 20 May 2024 . Amazon.
20. Web site: Jee-hyung Kim . Kate . 30 January 2012 . Hancom Takes Vision of Information Independence to the Globe . 20 May 2024 . Korea IT Times.
21. Web site: 한컴, 첫 'AI 테크데이'…"올해 AI 사업 본궤도에" . 25 June 2024 . Yna.
22. Web site: Who created the first online office on Earth? . Medium . 25 June 2024 . 10 May 2024.