What's the difference between Sharepoint Workspace, Groove Workspace, and Shared Folders?

Question

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/eu/sharepoint2010general/thread/030f8e7f-d991-48e9-a958-33e83f18004d says:

SharePoint Workspace 2010 (No More Groove) provides much more features like taking SharePoint Site content Offline. The content(documents, lists) can be edited offline and synced once connected in Network/SharePoint server.

Shared Folder is just like a open space where documents or files can be stored. It can't be compared with SharePoint Workspace.

If you want to keep single copy and all your devices are always connected, then "Shared Folder" may fit.

Otherwise SharePoint Workspace 2010 is Perfect.

Okay the answer says "no more groove". Does that mean I can forget about groove? It says that Shared Folder may fit. Does it fit over internet? Does it fit if the computer is not only 100% all the time. What can you do with one and not the other and via versa? Why give so many similar choices?

Answer 1

Different products (if you can call Shared Folder as such). Basically SharePoint Workspace is the new Groove (in Office 2007). The Windows Process is still named Groove if you peek in your processes.

Groove Workspaces allow secure collaboration workspaces between partners, with the condition of both have SharePoint workspace running.

Otherwise, Shared Folders cannot even be compared as the SharePoint workspace enables offline scenarios and syncronization with SharePoint Sites (not just workspaces) of various content (multiple types supported - Task, Calendar, most important Document Libraries).

Hope it helps

Answer 2

An update to a very old question... (we are only now considering how to replace our Groove workspaces.)

Sharepoint Workspace is similar to but different from Groove Workspace.

Similar - Offline/Online scenarios (edit on or offline and sync later) - Many content types

Groove Advantages - Everything is secure/encrypted 100% of the time. Not just communications - Ability to have extensive Groove-based applications with secure sync on/offline collaboration... eg ToucanNavigate was amazing as a secure multipartner GIS (Mapping, data, analysis) available on/offline. We used for disaster situations with all infrastructure busted.

SharePoint Advantages - Can sync with both local workspaces and cloud-based "Sharepoint Sites"