Post 2.0: Google Docs

    The first Google develepoment that I want to talk about is Google Docs. The idea behind Google Docs is pretty simple: take projects and documents, and host them on the web. With Google Docs, tyou can create a document, edit it, and then invite friends or coworkers to help edit and continue work. Instead of attaching files to an email, you send an email directing people to an editable file. When one person makes an edit, the others see the changes immediately.

    When I first downloaded the desktop client for Google Docs, I was skeptical. It seemed like a less user friendly Microsoft Office to me. As soon as I started editing, though, I found that was not the case. The ease of use and simplicity of the program is directly comparable to Microsoft Office, and is sometimes even simpler to use. I like the basic interface and simple editing process, both of which have gotten more complicated with newer versions of Office.

    As a student, the primary use I see for this technology is with working on class projects. I really hated being forced to either finish projects at school or leave all of the work to one group member. With Google Docs, I can Upload a file from the school's computer, edit it with my group members onine, export as a PowerPoint, and then turn it in to our teacher. Although I'm just a student, I see this process being easily repeated in a business setting to ensure that a presentation runs smoothly.

    Some handy features I saw that you can't as easily use when based on a home computer were video embedding from the web, usage of web hosted images, and an easy way to access all the files that a particular group of people are working on. With all these features, I definitely plan on making the switch completely to Google Docs from Microsoft Office. I highly recommend you check it out and do the same!