Google Docs

Presented By:

Ray PastorePenn State University

and

Dr. Ray PastoreBloomsburg University

Trends in technology

- Open source - Web 2.0 - Software on the web - Blogs, wikis, forums, and now word processing - Myspace/Facebook - Youtube - Lots of competition, Google is the frontrunner

What are google docs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA

"Google Docs is a free, Web-based word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation application offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users. Google Docs combines the features of two services, Writely and Spreadsheets, which were merged into a single product on October 10, 2006. A third product for presentations, including technology designed by Tonic Systems, was released on September 17, 2007." - wikipedia

Registering/Accessing Google Docs

Registering:

How to register for Google Docs.....

Accessing:

http://docs.google.com

Interface

- Create new files

- Share files

- View all current files

- See who was the last to edit files

- Help and features: http://documents.google.com/support/

Documents

- Documents saved on Google Servers- Invite Collaborators- Save as .doc and .pdf- Insert images, tables, and comments- View changes- Print- Has most features of Microsoft Word

Sources:

http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9732473-2.html

http://www.google.com/google-d-s/whatsnew.html

Spreadsheets

- Similar to Microsoft Excel

- Save as .xls, .pdf. .html

- Perform calculations and functions

- Create charts

- Create sheets

Presentations

- Save as .pdf

- Publish to web

- upload .ppt files

- change background

- insert images

Mobile

Mobile: http://docs.google.com/m

- Docs and Spreadsheets work on all cell phones with browsers and internet connections- Presentations do not- Presentations will work on iPhone as it has a web browser, Safari- Can only view, cannot edit

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/10/mobile-google-docs.html

Uses

Project -based Learning

Collaboration

Reports

Group Presentations

Advantages/DisadvantagesAdvantages- Free- Ubiquitous- Clean, easy, user-friendly- When new features are available, they are offered immediately, no more waiting for upgrades- Supports revisions from multiple users- Nothing to download/install- Publishes .doc, .xls

Disadvantages- Google has your files- Cannot handle large complex files- Have to be online, with high speed internet, or else data can be lost - will be corrected with Google gears, an opensource extension- Does not publish .ppt

Alternatives

Open-Office

Microsoft Office

Neo-Office

Abi Word

* - None of these are online* - None of these offer revisions from other users* - All of these require software to install

Dr. Pastore's Links

End of presentation: Google and Microsofthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjeQUEJ5Yp4

Resources

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2209724,00.asp

http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2007/10/docs-on-go.html

Act 48 Code: A211300