Google Documents

If you have been using Google Spreadsheets and Writely lately and avidly, you will be happy to know that Google has heard you and it has integrated its office apps in one suite.

Ok here goes my take on online collaboration –

I believe that the best way to maintain all your important work which you access regularly/frequently, there can be nothing better than maintaining it over Internet.

    • You can upload your existing documents.
    • Access your documents anywhere.
    • Get one central place to organize your documents.
    • Documents can be edited online – so no worries about the desktop app to edit a specific format and then you are saving lot of money and disc space (also, who knows if you are accessing your documents at some Internet hub and office suite isn’t installed out there, at all!).
    • The version tracking is implemented successfully, that too online.
    • Documents can be shared with others to for Viewing/Editing.
    • You can download documents in different formats including PDF/ODF/HTML, on your machine.
    • Even you can post your documents in your blog.

Google has launched Google Documents and Spreadsheets (with obvious beta label – after all, where there is new Google service, there is beta with it).

If you’ve ever struggled to keep track of different versions of spreadsheet or word processor files sent over email, Google Docs & Spreadsheets may be right for you. Google Docs & Spreadsheets is a web-based word processing and spreadsheet program that keeps documents current and lets the people you choose update files from their own computers. You can, for example, coordinate your student group’s homework assignments, access your family to-do list from work or home, or collaborate with remote colleagues on a new business plan.

It is all about documents and spreadsheets hosted on Google. Auto-login functionality is retained. Interface is all new from previous ones. When you open the URL and are already logged in, it opens up the recently accessed documents/spreadsheets (documents from hereon) in last 30 days. And yes, there are different icons for both in order to recognize their type at first look.

You can open the old documents by clicking the link – Show all at the bottom or View all at top-right . There is Web 2.0 tag thing incorporated here. You can star the documents (of course Google copyright ;)). And if you don’t select anything, you are shown with message – Please select something – AJAX working here.  All the basic functionalities needed for organizing and maintaining online documents are provided beautifully. You can share your documents with others in real time and see the Owners/Collaborators/Viewers alongside the document list. In case you want to share your documents, the contacts from Gmail address book, Calendar and other Google apps are made available to you. You can publish your document for public viewing. The time of last editing is also shown in the list.

There is nice, well formatted New feature list, Help as well as Start-up tour with AJAX working at the top.

If you haven’t started using any online web-office, here is the right time and place.

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