Google Docs

Bill Thompson · 10th May 2012, 04:44 PM

Seen google docs? It rocks. Maybe replaces MS Office and OpenOffice. And google docs is free and online.

hgc · 10th May 2012, 04:46 PM

Been using it for years. It's great for sharing/collaborating on docs too.

Alan · 10th May 2012, 04:52 PM

Google Docs is going to be replaced by Google Drive.

I use it for my assignments now, with local backups and backups on another cloud service (Ubuntu One). It's good to be able to do some work from wherever I am with an internet-connected computer.

MS Office has an online service too. http://docs.com/

And OpenOffice, despite a recent update, is history. LibreOffice is made by the people who worked on OpenOffice but left because the company who bought OpenOffice, Oracle, was terrible and didn't do much. LibreOffice is what people using OpenOffice should use.
http://www.libreoffice.org/

Bill Thompson · 10th May 2012, 04:55 PM

that explains a lot

I tried it when it was called docs.

Now, after I showed my son, it is called drive in some parts and we were confused and we thought we had done something wrong.

Alareth · 10th May 2012, 05:09 PM

It's a conspiracy! All your documents are belong to Google.

Bill Thompson · 10th May 2012, 05:10 PM

thanks for telling me about docs.com

Brian-M · 10th May 2012, 05:14 PM

Why would you want to have to connect to the internet and login to an account just to use a word processor or spreadsheet? I'll stick with LibreOffice for the infrequent occasions I need to use these things. (Or Abiword and Gnumeric when using my notebook.)

As for backups, I just keep a USB memory stick on my keyring.

Rat · 11th May 2012, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by Alan

And OpenOffice, despite a recent update, is history. LibreOffice is made by the people who worked on OpenOffice but left because the company who bought OpenOffice, Oracle, was terrible and didn't do much. LibreOffice is what people using OpenOffice should use.
http://www.libreoffice.org/

But OpenOffice is now Apache, so things may look up for it.

paiute · 11th May 2012, 04:31 AM

Originally Posted by Brian-M

Why would you want to have to connect to the internet and login to an account just to use a word processor....

Writing something. I can work from the laptop upstairs, the desktop downstairs or from any of the computers at my job without having to worry about syncing and tracking changes.

Beerina · 11th May 2012, 05:30 AM

We use Lotus Notes at work!

Yup, yup! Suck it people!

Brian-M · 11th May 2012, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by paiute

Writing something. I can work from the laptop upstairs, the desktop downstairs or from any of the computers at my job without having to worry about syncing and tracking changes.

Ah, that does make more sense. I'm thinking of it in terms of someone who has a single primary computer for their wordprocessing and numbercrunching needs.

Although, you could just as easily keep the files on a USB stick on your keychain (and copy the contents of the USB stick to a backup folder on your desktop from time to time). That way you could also access your files from your laptop when you aren't in range for internet connection.

Soapy Sam · 11th May 2012, 07:21 AM

I use Notepad.

wheunis · 11th May 2012, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by Brian-M

Ah, that does make more sense. I'm thinking of it in terms of someone who has a single primary computer for their wordprocessing and numbercrunching needs.

Although, you could just as easily keep the files on a USB stick on your keychain (and copy the contents of the USB stick to a backup folder on your desktop from time to time). That way you could also access your files from your laptop when you aren't in range for internet connection.

A lotta bias on my side, but in today's scope of tech, I consider only having one computing device as backwards and stoneage.

That said, I find GDocs very awesome.
The need for storage and multiple licences going away pleases me very much.

I can work on something at home. Go for a boring movie with the wife, and continue to work the same piece from my phone. Later at a mind-numbing PTA meeting, I can continue to do so on my iPad/other.

Going to a friend's house, I can quickly call up that same piece for him to read and comment.

Cloud computing with app-centric focus is, for me, the clear way of the future.

Solitaire · 11th May 2012, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Soapy Sam

I use Notepad.

I use TextEdit.

xterra · 12th May 2012, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by wheunis

A lotta bias on my side, but in today's scope of tech, I consider only having one computing device as backwards and stoneage.

And also much less expensive than having three or four different devices.

On the other hand, it is convenient to access some documents from multiple locations.

Similarly, it's great to be able to edit the same document simultaneously. My daughter lives near Boston, three time zones away from me. We have combined Google Docs and Skype as a very effective editing tool.

Can we have more information about LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice, please?

ETA: I use OpenOffice, PSPad, ~~and~~ or MS Office as seem most appropriate for the task.

Eddie Dane · 16th May 2012, 04:55 AM

I've been usin Gdocs for years.

I don't even use MS Office any more, even though I have it on my work computer.

I think the presentation tool is ugly, though.
But I use Prezi for that.

I'm surprised it doesn't include a mind mapping tool (I use mind42), and a note tool like Evernote.

Google should include those. Multiple logins suck.

Eddie Dane · 16th May 2012, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by xterra

And also much less expensive than having three or four different devices.

On the other hand, it is convenient to access some documents from multiple locations.

Similarly, it's great to be able to edit the same document simultaneously. My daughter lives near Boston, three time zones away from me. We have combined Google Docs and Skype as a very effective editing tool.

Can we have more information about LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice, please?

ETA: I use OpenOffice, PSPad, ~~and~~ or MS Office as seem most appropriate for the task.

Doesn't have to be. I have multiple computers, most of them are so ancient I got them for free.

The trick? Run a light OS like Puppy Linux on those computers and they'll run faster than a new Windows machine.

If you use Gdocs, your office stuff runs in your browser.
No need for a fast machine. No need for a hard disk, in fact.

Careyp74 · 16th May 2012, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by Brian-M

Why would you want to have to connect to the internet and login to an account just to use a word processor or spreadsheet? I'll stick with LibreOffice for the infrequent occasions I need to use these things. (Or Abiword and Gnumeric when using my notebook.)

As for backups, I just keep a USB memory stick on my keyring.

I do that too, but am contemplating selling my soul to google. Right now I use dropbox, it is on all of my computers and my phone. I share (almost) everything with my wife, who has it on her phone and computer, and every pic I take I can instantly back up in the cloud, as well as give her instant access to it.

Google drive does all of this, AND has free software if needed for word processing and spreadsheets. I don't need this though.

Their commercial shows another application for it. Suppose your phone is lost or stolen, everything you did with it is still in your possession. Plus, you ever have a thumbdrive fail? It sucks.

Rat · 16th May 2012, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by Careyp74

Their commercial shows another application for it. Suppose your phone is lost or stolen, everything you did with it is still in your possession. Plus, you ever have a thumbdrive fail? It sucks.

Definitely. My better half tends to work directly off a USB stick, and it gives me the shivers. I certainly don't put much more trust in them than I do floppies.

10th May 2012, 04:44 PM	#1
Bill Thompson Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Redmond, Washington Posts: 6,176	Google Docs Seen google docs? It rocks. Maybe replaces MS Office and OpenOffice. And google docs is free and online.

10th May 2012, 04:46 PM	#2
hgc Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 13,014	Been using it for years. It's great for sharing/collaborating on docs too.
	__________________ Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse assail him and wail him with monster truck force. - Cake, The Distance Was there a second singer on the grassy Knowles? - Stephen Colbert

10th May 2012, 05:09 PM	#5
Alareth Expert Expertologist Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 6,679	It's a conspiracy! All your documents are belong to Google.
	__________________ Pixelated Reality \| Alareth Does Art! Light travels faster than sound, which is why some people appear bright, until you hear them speak

10th May 2012, 05:14 PM	#7
Brian-M Daydreamer Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Downunder Posts: 4,272	Why would you want to have to connect to the internet and login to an account just to use a word processor or spreadsheet? I'll stick with LibreOffice for the infrequent occasions I need to use these things. (Or Abiword and Gnumeric when using my notebook.) As for backups, I just keep a USB memory stick on my keyring.
	__________________ "That is just what you feel, that isn't reality." - hamelekim

11th May 2012, 03:07 AM	#8
Rat Not bored. Never bored. Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Leicester, UK Posts: 7,074	Originally Posted by Alan And OpenOffice, despite a recent update, is history. LibreOffice is made by the people who worked on OpenOffice but left because the company who bought OpenOffice, Oracle, was terrible and didn't do much. LibreOffice is what people using OpenOffice should use. http://www.libreoffice.org/ But OpenOffice is now Apache, so things may look up for it.
	__________________ "Man muß den Menschen vor allem nach seinen Lastern beurteilen. Tugenden können vorgetäuscht sein. Laster sind echt." - Klaus Kinski UKLS 1988- Sitting on the fence throwing stones at both sides.

10th May 2012, 04:52 PM	#3
Alan Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 3,652	Google Docs is going to be replaced by Google Drive. I use it for my assignments now, with local backups and backups on another cloud service (Ubuntu One). It's good to be able to do some work from wherever I am with an internet-connected computer. MS Office has an online service too. http://docs.com/ And OpenOffice, despite a recent update, is history. LibreOffice is made by the people who worked on OpenOffice but left because the company who bought OpenOffice, Oracle, was terrible and didn't do much. LibreOffice is what people using OpenOffice should use. http://www.libreoffice.org/

10th May 2012, 04:55 PM	#4
Bill Thompson Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Redmond, Washington Posts: 6,176	that explains a lot I tried it when it was called docs. Now, after I showed my son, it is called drive in some parts and we were confused and we thought we had done something wrong.

10th May 2012, 05:10 PM	#6
Bill Thompson Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Redmond, Washington Posts: 6,176	thanks for telling me about docs.com

11th May 2012, 04:31 AM	#9
paiute Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Smack in the middle of a de Broglie wavelength. Posts: 1,140	Originally Posted by Brian-M Why would you want to have to connect to the internet and login to an account just to use a word processor.... Writing something. I can work from the laptop upstairs, the desktop downstairs or from any of the computers at my job without having to worry about syncing and tracking changes.
	__________________ A Novel and Efficient Synthesis of Cadaverine Organic chemistry, vengeful ghosts, and high explosives. What could possibly go wrong? Now free for download! http://www.scribd.com/doc/36568510/A...-of-Cadaverine

11th May 2012, 05:30 AM	#10
Beerina Sarcastic Conqueror of Notions Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: A floating island above the clouds Posts: 23,835	We use Lotus Notes at work! Yup, yup! Suck it people!
	__________________ "Great innovations should not be forced [by way of] slender majorities." - Thomas Jefferson The government should nationalize it! Socialized, single-payer video game development and sales *now!* More, cheaper, better games, right? Right?

11th May 2012, 06:17 AM	#11
Brian-M Daydreamer Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Downunder Posts: 4,272	Originally Posted by paiute Writing something. I can work from the laptop upstairs, the desktop downstairs or from any of the computers at my job without having to worry about syncing and tracking changes. Ah, that does make more sense. I'm thinking of it in terms of someone who has a single primary computer for their wordprocessing and numbercrunching needs. Although, you could just as easily keep the files on a USB stick on your keychain (and copy the contents of the USB stick to a backup folder on your desktop from time to time). That way you could also access your files from your laptop when you aren't in range for internet connection.
	__________________ "That is just what you feel, that isn't reality." - hamelekim

11th May 2012, 07:21 AM	#12
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885	I use Notepad.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 25,885

11th May 2012, 07:30 AM	#13
wheunis Thinker Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 157	Originally Posted by Brian-M Ah, that does make more sense. I'm thinking of it in terms of someone who has a single primary computer for their wordprocessing and numbercrunching needs. Although, you could just as easily keep the files on a USB stick on your keychain (and copy the contents of the USB stick to a backup folder on your desktop from time to time). That way you could also access your files from your laptop when you aren't in range for internet connection. A lotta bias on my side, but in today's scope of tech, I consider only having one computing device as backwards and stoneage. That said, I find GDocs very awesome. The need for storage and multiple licences going away pleases me very much. I can work on something at home. Go for a boring movie with the wife, and continue to work the same piece from my phone. Later at a mind-numbing PTA meeting, I can continue to do so on my iPad/other. Going to a friend's house, I can quickly call up that same piece for him to read and comment. Cloud computing with app-centric focus is, for me, the clear way of the future.
wheunis Thinker Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 157

11th May 2012, 06:09 PM	#14
Solitaire Neoclinus blanchardi Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Johnson City, Tennessee Posts: 1,735	Originally Posted by Soapy Sam I use Notepad. I use TextEdit.
	__________________ GENERATION ∞: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.

12th May 2012, 09:03 AM	#15
xterra Muse Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: On the outskirts of Nowhere; the middle was too crowded Posts: 625	Another viewpoint Originally Posted by wheunis A lotta bias on my side, but in today's scope of tech, I consider only having one computing device as backwards and stoneage. And also much less expensive than having three or four different devices. On the other hand, it is convenient to access some documents from multiple locations. Similarly, it's great to be able to edit the same document simultaneously. My daughter lives near Boston, three time zones away from me. We have combined Google Docs and Skype as a very effective editing tool. Can we have more information about LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice, please? ETA: I use OpenOffice, PSPad, ~~and~~ or MS Office as seem most appropriate for the task.
	Last edited by xterra; 12th May 2012 at 09:13 AM.

16th May 2012, 04:55 AM	#16
Eddie Dane Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,422	I've been usin Gdocs for years. I don't even use MS Office any more, even though I have it on my work computer. I think the presentation tool is ugly, though. But I use Prezi for that. I'm surprised it doesn't include a mind mapping tool (I use mind42), and a note tool like Evernote. Google should include those. Multiple logins suck.

16th May 2012, 04:59 AM	#17
Eddie Dane Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,422	Originally Posted by xterra And also much less expensive than having three or four different devices. On the other hand, it is convenient to access some documents from multiple locations. Similarly, it's great to be able to edit the same document simultaneously. My daughter lives near Boston, three time zones away from me. We have combined Google Docs and Skype as a very effective editing tool. Can we have more information about LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice, please? ETA: I use OpenOffice, PSPad, ~~and~~ or MS Office as seem most appropriate for the task. Doesn't have to be. I have multiple computers, most of them are so ancient I got them for free. The trick? Run a light OS like Puppy Linux on those computers and they'll run faster than a new Windows machine. If you use Gdocs, your office stuff runs in your browser. No need for a fast machine. No need for a hard disk, in fact.

16th May 2012, 05:06 AM	#18
Careyp74 Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Trevose, PA Posts: 3,407	Originally Posted by Brian-M Why would you want to have to connect to the internet and login to an account just to use a word processor or spreadsheet? I'll stick with LibreOffice for the infrequent occasions I need to use these things. (Or Abiword and Gnumeric when using my notebook.) As for backups, I just keep a USB memory stick on my keyring. I do that too, but am contemplating selling my soul to google. Right now I use dropbox, it is on all of my computers and my phone. I share (almost) everything with my wife, who has it on her phone and computer, and every pic I take I can instantly back up in the cloud, as well as give her instant access to it. Google drive does all of this, AND has free software if needed for word processing and spreadsheets. I don't need this though. Their commercial shows another application for it. Suppose your phone is lost or stolen, everything you did with it is still in your possession. Plus, you ever have a thumbdrive fail? It sucks.

16th May 2012, 08:56 AM	#19
Rat Not bored. Never bored. Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Leicester, UK Posts: 7,074	Originally Posted by Careyp74 Their commercial shows another application for it. Suppose your phone is lost or stolen, everything you did with it is still in your possession. Plus, you ever have a thumbdrive fail? It sucks. Definitely. My better half tends to work directly off a USB stick, and it gives me the shivers. I certainly don't put much more trust in them than I do floppies.
	__________________ "Man muß den Menschen vor allem nach seinen Lastern beurteilen. Tugenden können vorgetäuscht sein. Laster sind echt." - Klaus Kinski UKLS 1988- Sitting on the fence throwing stones at both sides.