Offline: How does offline work?Print
Google Docs uses Gears, an open source browser extension that enables web applications to run offline. When you aren't connected to the Internet, Google Docs uses information stored on your computer's hard drive rather than relying on information sent across the network. When you're offline, your edits are stored on your own computer until you re-connect, at which point your changes are synced with Google Docs' servers and made available to collaborators.
Offline Help Guide
1. Overview
A. What is Google Docs offline?
Google Docs now allows you to view and edit your word processing documents offline, without an Internet connection. To do all of this, Google Docs uses Google Gears, an open source browser extension that adds offline functionality directly to the browser. Google Docs can be accessed offline by typing http://docs.google.com into your browser or by clicking on the desktop shortcut that is downloaded during the installation process.
Offline editing for presentations and spreadsheets is not available at this time.
B. How does it work?
Google Docs uses Google Gears, an open source browser extension that enables web applications to run offline. When you aren't connected to the Internet, Google Docs uses information stored on your computer's hard drive rather than relying on information sent across the network. When you are offline, your edits are stored on your own computer until you re-connect, at which point your changes are synced with Google Docs' servers and made available to collaborators.
C. Enabling Google Docs offline
To install or enable Gears for Google Docs, click on the Offline link in the upper right corner of your Docs list.
When you see the following dialogue box, click on the "Get Google Gears now" button.
You will then be asked to allow https://docs.google.com as a trusted site. Check the box next to "I trust this site. Allow it to use Google Gears." Then, click the Allow button.
Once you've enabled Google Gears for Google Docs, you will be able to edit your existing documents anywhere, even without an Internet connection.
To access Google Docs offline, just open a browser and type in http://docs.google.com or simply click on the Google Docs desktop shortcut, as shown below.
D. Syncing docs for the first time
The first time you sync your Docs after enabling offline access, there may be a short waiting period until all your docs get synced with the server. Once you see "Status: synchronized", you're set. If your Docs don't sync, please try once more. If the problem continues, please try manually refreshing your browser or uninstalling and reinstalling Google Gears.
E. Working offline
You can edit any of your existing word processing documents while offline. You can also view your spreadsheets. At this time, you cannot create new docs offline.
To share or publish your docs, just log back on to http://docs.google.com when you go back online.
F. How to tell when you're working offline
There are a couple ways to tell if you're working offline.
To share or publish your docs, just log back on to http://docs.google.com when you go back online.
From your Docs list, you'll see a status indicator in the upper right corner. When working offline, this indicator will turn gray. When working online, you'll see a green checkmark inside a dot to the right of your user name.
From your doc, you'll also see a message in yellow at the top of your word processing documents indicating that you're working offline.
Please note that if the offline indicator turns red, and the arrow inside is replaced by an exclamation point, which means that offline editing isn't working. In this case, to be safe, discontinue editing. Don't close your browser or the window in which your document is open. Instead, wait until you're back online to make sure your changes are saved.
G. Saving changes while working offline
Just like when you're working online, your changes will automatically be saved while working offline. However, in order for these changes to be saved to the server, you'll need to log on to Google Docs with an Internet connection from the same browser and same computer you used offline. Your changes will automatically be saved to the server when a network connection is detected by Google Docs.
H. Security precautions while working offline
The Google Docs offline feature is meant for use only on your personal computer. To protect the privacy of your docs, please do not use the offline feature when working on a public or shared computer.
If you sign on to your Google Docs account on a public computer and get a message to enable Gears, you should not accept.
2. Google Gears
A. How do I install/uninstall Google Gears?
To install Google Gears, follow these steps:
Note: You need to be connected to the Internet to install Google Gears.
Sign in to an account with administrative rights.
Download Google Gears from the Gears homepage.
Open the downloaded file.
Restart your browser. Gears won't be usable until your browser has been restarted.
To uninstall Google Gears on Windows XP or Vista, follow these steps:
Open Add or Remove Programs (on XP) or Programs and Features (on Vista) from the Windows Control Panel.
In the window that opens, find Google Gears and select it.
Click the Remove button.
If you're running Mac OS X or Linux, you can uninstall from Firefox. To do so, follow these steps:
Open Firefox.
Go to Tools > Extensions (Firefox 1.x) or Tools > Add-ons (Firefox 2.0+).
Find Google Gears and select it.
Click Uninstall.
Please note: Uninstalling will not clear any offline information you currently have on your system.
B. Changing Gears settings
To adjust your settings for Google Gears, go to Tools > Google Gears Settings. In the Settings window, you can remove items from both your 'Allowed Sites' and 'Denied Sites' lists.
C. Where is my data stored when I work offline?
Your computer's operating system, and the browser you're using, determine the location of your data. Your documents are stored by Google Gears in a special data format. Below is a list of these locations:
Windows Vista - Internet Explorer
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\LocalLow\Google\Google Gears for Internet Explorer
Windows Vista - Firefox. Database files are stored in the user profile directory.
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{PROFILE}.default\Google Gears for Firefox
Windows XP - Internet Explorer.
C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Google Gears for Internet Explorer
Windows XP - Firefox. Database files are stored in the user profile directory.
C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{PROFILE}.default\Google Gears for Firefox
Mac OS/X - Firefox. Database files are stored in the user profile directory.
Users/%USERNAME%/Library/Caches/Firefox/Profiles/{PROFILE}.default/Google Gears for Firefox
Linux - Firefox. Database files are stored in the user home directory.
~%USERNAME%/.mozilla/firefox/{PROFILE}.default/Google Gears for Firefox
D. System Requirements
To use Google Gears, you’ll need one of the following:
Microsoft Windows XP or Vista with Firefox 1.5+ or Internet Explorer 6+
Apple Mac OS X (10.2+) with Firefox 1.5+
Linux with Firefox 1.5+
Note: Firefox 3.0+ beta is not yet supported.
If your browser isn't listed here, stay tuned; we’re working to make Gears available for more browsers in the future.
E. Using multiple computers
Each computer syncs offline data separately. If you plan to use Google Gears on more than one computer, you'll need to sync each computer with your online data. Un-synced changes on one computer won't be reflected on another computer.
F. Using multiple browsers
Each browser syncs offline data separately. If you plan to use Google Gears on more than one browser, you'll need to sync each browser.
G. Connection issues
Below are several possible causes for the connection error you're receiving. Please determine which of these causes may be applicable to you and follow the instructions to resolve the problem.
Your firewall, anti-virus software, or proxy is preventing the program from accessing the Internet. In this case, you need to add it to your security software's exceptions list. If you're using Windows firewall, you can add this program by following these steps:
Click "Start" in your Windows Taskbar and choose "Control Panel" > "Windows Firewall."
Select the "Exceptions" tab.
Click the "Add Program" button.
Click "Browse" and select "My Computer" from the left side of the window.
Select "Local Disk (C:)" and click "Open."
Double-click "Program Files" > "Google" > "Common."
Select the folder with the highest number and open it.
Choose the file "googleupdate.exe."
If you're using other firewall software, please visit that program's website for specific instructions to add applications to the exceptions list.
You may not have the latest updates for Windows XP. If you're not currently running Windows XP Service Pack 2, please try upgrading Windows.
You’re on an authenticated proxy server that isn't supported. Currently, we support the Negotiate authentication scheme. This includes both Kerberos and NTLM, depending on what is available. Additionally, proxies using "integrated authentication" are supported, provided that the current user is authorized to go through that proxy. Please determine if you're on a supported proxy server.
Your computer's Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) isn't starting properly. If this is the case, you may want to verify that BITS is correctly configured. To ensure that BITS is enabled, please follow these steps:
Click the "Start" button in your Windows taskbar and select "Settings" > "Control Panel" > "Administrative Tools" > "Services."
Select "Background Intelligent Transfer Service" from the list.
Right-click “Background Intelligent Transfer Service” and choose "Properties" from the menu.
From the "General" tab verify that the "Startup" type is set to either "Automatic" or "Manual." Make sure this setting is not "Disabled."
If you continue to have difficulties with BITS, make sure you have write access to the following folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\
To determine if you have write access, right-click the folder and choose "Properties." If you see an empty box next to "Read-only" in the "General tab," you do have write access. If you see a checkmark or a green box, click the box until it's empty and click "OK." If you're unable to click the box, please speak with your system administrator.
3. Troubleshooting
A. Persistent error messages while offline
If you're getting a persistent error message while working offline, make sure you do the following:
Keep your browser window open until you can go back online. Once you're back online, Google Docs will start syncing and saving your changes.
If Google Docs does not sync once online, copy the content of your document to a text file in order to make sure you've backed up your work.
If you've already closed your browser, it's possible some content has been lost. However, go back online making sure to access your documents from the same browser and thesame computerthat you used to edit them while offline. You'll want to be sure to check for your changes under revisions.
B. Offline changes not visible online
If you're accessing the document online, and the changes you made while offline still aren't showing up, make sure you visit Google Docs with an active Internet connection from the same browser and computer you used offline. This will allow your changes to be synchronized to the server.
If, after this, you still don't have access to your changes, you may need to reset your offline access. To do this, remove docs.google.com as an approved domain in Google Gears, add it back and then start the activation process again. Note that this will discard any offline changes you made previously that were not synchronized to the server. However, it could prevent any further problems if syncing between your online and offline versions simply isn't working.
C. Adding and removing Google Docs as an approved domain
To remove Google Docs as an approved domain, please follow these steps:
From your browser's menus, go to Tools > Google Gears Settings.
Click the Remove link next to docs.google.com
Click the Save button to save your changes.
Restart your browser. Gears won't be usable until your browser has been restarted.
To add Google Docs as an approved domain, follow these steps:
From the Docs list, click the Offlinelink.
In the dialog that appears, click, Enable offline access.
In the next window, check the box next to I trust this site. Allow it to use Google Gears and click Allow. This will re-enable docs.google.com as an approved domain in Google Gears.
D. Working with collaborators offline
Your collaborators and viewers will not be able to see any of your edits made offline until you're back online and Google Docs has synchronized with the server. To access a document you edited offline, and sync changes you've made, just open Google Docs in the same browser on the same computerthat you used when working offline. In your Docs list, you'll notice that "Edited offline" appears next to those documents.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Come on-board with us!
Interesting point about how small biz solution providers that rely on IT inefficiencies (overly costly solutions) can complain that SaaS solutions like Google Apps erode local web hosting revenue.
Local web hosting company can't stop SaaS, so either get on board with the new model or be left behind.
Local web hosting company can't stop SaaS, so either get on board with the new model or be left behind.
Why Google Apps is a Serious Threat to Microsoft Office
Why Google Apps is a Serious Threat to Microsoft Office
Written by Bernard Lunn / February 22, 2008 3:27 AM / 63 Comments « Prior Post Next Post »
This is the perspective of a “skeptical, later early adopter”; the sort of person who Microsoft needs to retain and should have been able to retain easily. I don’t spend time on productivity tools that may at some date make me more productive, but which today are just a frustrating time sink. That describes the majority of people. MS Office can be annoying, but it does work. So any serious alternative has to offer a significant advantage and at the same time make adoption a total breeze.
I think Google Apps has reached that point. The significant advantage is collaboration.
Since I started working on a new project where we all agreed to use Google Docs from the start, I have hardly used MS Office at all - even on other projects.
The lead product in Google Apps for me is their word processing product - i.e. the MS Word alternative. That may be because I am a wordsmith, but also because it is the most mature. I still use Excel, as Google Spreadsheet is both a pain to learn and not good enough for power users. Also there are better ways to collaborate with Excel, such as eXpresso. I don’t use Google Presentation, but that is because I am weaning myself off Powerpoint - as I think it is no longer the best presentation medium. If I want to persuade with words, I use words. If I want to persuade with multimedia, then it is time for video such as YouTube or maybe Seesmic and screencasting tools to show off an app. A PPT deck is very flat by contrast.
Google was very smart to take a loosely coupled approach. So I can use Document and ignore the others. I assume that the Spreadsheet product will be ready for prime time pretty soon. Google may buy/build services that make video plus screencasting plus a bit of standard presentation stuff a breeze for everyone. But until then, I can use Gmail and Documents and gradually get enticed into the other stuff.
The one big missing piece has been offline access. It was clear that Gears would enable this at some stage. It now appears that is not so far away. That will be a major driver for me to standardize more on Gmail; currently I split between Gmail and Outlook; and that is a pain to manage.
Not only is Google miles ahead of MS on collaboration, they have moved ahead on mobile access. I have long believed that mobile would be a key driver for Web Office. Now I can get access to my Docs from my Blackberry. When I switch to an iPhone with that bigger screen, I will be able to say “sayonara” to my laptop even more. In that world, MS Office looks like a real dinosaur.
The latest aha moment for me came when I started using Remember The Milk. I was very skeptical at first. The last thing I needed was the distraction of learning another way of managing to do lists; first to do, learn new way to list to do items, grrr! When I saw RTM load into Gmail as a sidebar I warmed. Then I saw that RTM was very mobile friendly and I was sold (well took the free version at any rate, I do feel I should send that $25 for Pro as Bob T. Monkey is clearly an amazing developer and a huge inspiration to coder-monkeys everywhere).
Seriously, the point is that Google Docs is a platform. The two smart people in Australia (Ed, what is it about you guys in the Southern Hemisphere?) who created RTM can plug into Docs as if they owned it.
The other platform out there for wordsmiths is Wordpress. It's free, open source, has a plug-in architecture and there is a Dummies book about the software (a sure sign of market traction). So the looming real battle is maybe Google Docs/Blogger versus Wordpress. Or, Mozilla Thunderbird versus Gmail. Microsoft really does look like they have the classic “Innovator’s Dilemma“. I thought that Ray Ozzie’s mission was to cannibalize Office before somebody else did it; if that is the play, they are leaving it a bit late!
There is one other reason why Google will win this battle. They have the economic engine. I am not just talking about cross subsidization from their search engine cash cow; Google do that just like Microsoft did it from their Windows/Office cash cow. What is interesting is that Google has figured out how to make ads in Gmail at least vaguely relevant. Sure there is some dumb stuff there, but quite a few that are relevant. The point is that the search engine has more to work on, all of my text and not just my search query. Our expectations on search are so low, that just “not totally dumb and occasionally slightly relevant” gets a cheer. I have actually clicked on a Gmail ad.
They can clearly also insert ads in Docs. Do I care? It is a bit spooky, but as long as Google really takes the high road on privacy, I have the freedom to ignore and I may occasionally even find something useful. I assume I can always opt to pay a subscription and be ad free.
Solid economic engine, good on collaboration/mobile, increasingly mature/ready for prime time…Yes, Google Docs looks like a major winner.
Written by Bernard Lunn / February 22, 2008 3:27 AM / 63 Comments « Prior Post Next Post »
This is the perspective of a “skeptical, later early adopter”; the sort of person who Microsoft needs to retain and should have been able to retain easily. I don’t spend time on productivity tools that may at some date make me more productive, but which today are just a frustrating time sink. That describes the majority of people. MS Office can be annoying, but it does work. So any serious alternative has to offer a significant advantage and at the same time make adoption a total breeze.
I think Google Apps has reached that point. The significant advantage is collaboration.
Since I started working on a new project where we all agreed to use Google Docs from the start, I have hardly used MS Office at all - even on other projects.
The lead product in Google Apps for me is their word processing product - i.e. the MS Word alternative. That may be because I am a wordsmith, but also because it is the most mature. I still use Excel, as Google Spreadsheet is both a pain to learn and not good enough for power users. Also there are better ways to collaborate with Excel, such as eXpresso. I don’t use Google Presentation, but that is because I am weaning myself off Powerpoint - as I think it is no longer the best presentation medium. If I want to persuade with words, I use words. If I want to persuade with multimedia, then it is time for video such as YouTube or maybe Seesmic and screencasting tools to show off an app. A PPT deck is very flat by contrast.
Google was very smart to take a loosely coupled approach. So I can use Document and ignore the others. I assume that the Spreadsheet product will be ready for prime time pretty soon. Google may buy/build services that make video plus screencasting plus a bit of standard presentation stuff a breeze for everyone. But until then, I can use Gmail and Documents and gradually get enticed into the other stuff.
The one big missing piece has been offline access. It was clear that Gears would enable this at some stage. It now appears that is not so far away. That will be a major driver for me to standardize more on Gmail; currently I split between Gmail and Outlook; and that is a pain to manage.
Not only is Google miles ahead of MS on collaboration, they have moved ahead on mobile access. I have long believed that mobile would be a key driver for Web Office. Now I can get access to my Docs from my Blackberry. When I switch to an iPhone with that bigger screen, I will be able to say “sayonara” to my laptop even more. In that world, MS Office looks like a real dinosaur.
The latest aha moment for me came when I started using Remember The Milk. I was very skeptical at first. The last thing I needed was the distraction of learning another way of managing to do lists; first to do, learn new way to list to do items, grrr! When I saw RTM load into Gmail as a sidebar I warmed. Then I saw that RTM was very mobile friendly and I was sold (well took the free version at any rate, I do feel I should send that $25 for Pro as Bob T. Monkey is clearly an amazing developer and a huge inspiration to coder-monkeys everywhere).
Seriously, the point is that Google Docs is a platform. The two smart people in Australia (Ed, what is it about you guys in the Southern Hemisphere?) who created RTM can plug into Docs as if they owned it.
The other platform out there for wordsmiths is Wordpress. It's free, open source, has a plug-in architecture and there is a Dummies book about the software (a sure sign of market traction). So the looming real battle is maybe Google Docs/Blogger versus Wordpress. Or, Mozilla Thunderbird versus Gmail. Microsoft really does look like they have the classic “Innovator’s Dilemma“. I thought that Ray Ozzie’s mission was to cannibalize Office before somebody else did it; if that is the play, they are leaving it a bit late!
There is one other reason why Google will win this battle. They have the economic engine. I am not just talking about cross subsidization from their search engine cash cow; Google do that just like Microsoft did it from their Windows/Office cash cow. What is interesting is that Google has figured out how to make ads in Gmail at least vaguely relevant. Sure there is some dumb stuff there, but quite a few that are relevant. The point is that the search engine has more to work on, all of my text and not just my search query. Our expectations on search are so low, that just “not totally dumb and occasionally slightly relevant” gets a cheer. I have actually clicked on a Gmail ad.
They can clearly also insert ads in Docs. Do I care? It is a bit spooky, but as long as Google really takes the high road on privacy, I have the freedom to ignore and I may occasionally even find something useful. I assume I can always opt to pay a subscription and be ad free.
Solid economic engine, good on collaboration/mobile, increasingly mature/ready for prime time…Yes, Google Docs looks like a major winner.
Google Docs (Offline)
Bringing the cloud with you
Monday, March 31, 2008 9:45 AM
Posted by: Philip Tucker, Software Engineer, Google Docs
We know that many of you have been waiting for offline access to Google Docs, and I'm happy to tell you we'll be rolling it out over the next few weeks, starting today with a small percentage of users.
Here's why I'm excited about this development. My migration from the desktop to 'the cloud' started with my Gmail account. I could access my mail from anywhere, search it all in one place, and never need to migrate to a new account. It was great. Then I started using Google Calendar to organize my schedule all in one place.
So now I find myself with this drive to make my desktop as sparse as possible, both in data and software. I want to move it all into the cloud. There are still times I use my desktop word processor, but I want to minimize context switching between apps. Cloud computing is great, but you need the cloud to make it work. On an airplane, on the shuttle commuting to work, or at home when my cable modem goes down, I want to work on my documents. And, until now, that usually meant saving a copy and editing on the desktop.
Now there's a better solution. With Google Docs offline (powered by Google Gears), I can take my little piece of the cloud with me wherever I go. Once enabled, I have a local version of my document list and editors, along with my documents.
As long as I have an Internet connection, every change I make is saved to the cloud. When I lose my connection, I sacrifice some features, but I can still access my documents (for this initial release, you can view and edit word processing documents; right now we don't support offline access to presentations or spreadsheets - see our help center for details). Everything I need is saved locally. And I do everything through my web browser, even when I'm offline (the goodness that Google Gears provides). When my connection comes back, my documents sync up again with the server.
It's all pretty seamless: I don't have to remember to save my documents locally before packing my laptop for a trip. I don't have to remember to save my changes as soon as I get back online. And I don't have to switch applications based on network connectivity. With the extra peace of mind, I can more fully rely on this tool for my important documents.
Monday, March 31, 2008 9:45 AM
Posted by: Philip Tucker, Software Engineer, Google Docs
We know that many of you have been waiting for offline access to Google Docs, and I'm happy to tell you we'll be rolling it out over the next few weeks, starting today with a small percentage of users.
Here's why I'm excited about this development. My migration from the desktop to 'the cloud' started with my Gmail account. I could access my mail from anywhere, search it all in one place, and never need to migrate to a new account. It was great. Then I started using Google Calendar to organize my schedule all in one place.
So now I find myself with this drive to make my desktop as sparse as possible, both in data and software. I want to move it all into the cloud. There are still times I use my desktop word processor, but I want to minimize context switching between apps. Cloud computing is great, but you need the cloud to make it work. On an airplane, on the shuttle commuting to work, or at home when my cable modem goes down, I want to work on my documents. And, until now, that usually meant saving a copy and editing on the desktop.
Now there's a better solution. With Google Docs offline (powered by Google Gears), I can take my little piece of the cloud with me wherever I go. Once enabled, I have a local version of my document list and editors, along with my documents.
As long as I have an Internet connection, every change I make is saved to the cloud. When I lose my connection, I sacrifice some features, but I can still access my documents (for this initial release, you can view and edit word processing documents; right now we don't support offline access to presentations or spreadsheets - see our help center for details). Everything I need is saved locally. And I do everything through my web browser, even when I'm offline (the goodness that Google Gears provides). When my connection comes back, my documents sync up again with the server.
It's all pretty seamless: I don't have to remember to save my documents locally before packing my laptop for a trip. I don't have to remember to save my changes as soon as I get back online. And I don't have to switch applications based on network connectivity. With the extra peace of mind, I can more fully rely on this tool for my important documents.
Google Apps: Should You Switch?
Google Apps: Should You Switch?
Google's new web-based office software suite, which the company announced Thursday, is a swift kick to the teeth delivered squarely in the direction of Microsoft. Or is it?
Google Apps Premier Edition is a collection of office tools for businesses -- word processor, spreadsheet, e-mail, calendar and web page creator -- all of which are accessible through a web browser. Pricing is set at $50 per user per year, less expensive than Microsoft Office but with much the same functionality. Microsoft has its own web-based suite of tools in Office Live, but the company's offering doesn't match Google's. And Google isn't going after Office Live, it's going after Office.
The suite and others like it are visions of a possible future when all software will be delivered over the internet. Does the arrival of Google Apps Premier Edition signal the death of desktop software dinosaurs like Microsoft Office?
While the idea is compelling, the answer is no. Not yet, at least. There are many reasons to get excited about Google's new plan, but there are just as many reasons to stick with the status quo.
Reasons to switch to Google's web-based office suite:
Cost. Compared to the $500 list price for the full version of Microsoft Office Professional 2007, Google's $50-per-year price tag is cheap. Telephone, e-mail and web support are included in that price, so organizations could see a drop in IT support costs as well. Companies may be faced with a bump in training costs when the switch first happens, but Google offers some interactive training presentations that could help tilt the learning curve.
Centralized data storage. Documents are available from any web browser, upping the convenience ante for remote workers. Plus, 10 GB is plenty of room. For most users, that's more than they'll ever need.
Security. Data is accessed through secure connections and stored redundantly, and Gmail uses SSL for mail connections. On paper, that's just as secure as Microsoft's desktop solutions. Google also offers enterprise customers the ability to push all mail traffic through a self-hosted gateway. Users get Gmail's slick interface and corporations get to fold in existing procedures like traffic monitoring and archiving. A bonus: Gmail arguably has the best spam and virus filters of all the web-based e-mail services. Gmail automatically bounces executable files (even if they are wrapped in an archive) and employs platform-wide spam filters kept current by the user community.
24/7 access to the work space. The beauty of web-based applications is that they are accessible from any computer with an internet connection, anywhere in the world. Also, every worker in the company gets the same tool set -- like a standard corporate software install without the production and installation costs.
Cut the Microsoft leash. Any company switching to Google Apps will be free of Microsoft's sluggish upgrade cycle and confusing, restrictive licensing requirements.
Reasons to stay on the desktop:
Privacy. This is a big one. Persuading any company, large or small, to store sensitive intellectual property, financial documents and customer data on a server owned, sheltered and maintained by Google would take a truckload of trust. And even if company execs are OK with it, customers and investors might not be.
Regulatory compliance. Certain industries are bound by regulations concerning storage, transfer and privacy of data. Even though Google has strategies in place for disaster recovery (all of its Apps data is stored redundantly in multiple data centers) and offers optional enhancements to e-mail security, it's unlikely that the financial and health care industries will be switching away from Microsoft Office soon.
Google Apps is incomplete. Where's the PowerPoint killer? Also, anyone who keeps their entire contact list in Outlook is going to be seriously underwhelmed by Gmail's contact-management features.
Working on the web is weird. Users who have grown accustomed to the smooth responsiveness of desktop applications will feel like a stranger in Web 2.0 land. Latency issues, Ajax-powered user interfaces and the absence of true drag-and-drop functionality will prove a turnoff for many.
No offline access. Even in today's "always on, always connected" corporate environment, the tubes occasionally get clogged. Plus, there's no Wi-Fi on airplanes yet. Web-based applications are useless when the user isn't connected to the internet. Also, documents stored at Google can't be retrieved when Google can't be reached.
Extracted from: http://www.wired.com/software/softwarereviews/news/2007/02/72781
Google's new web-based office software suite, which the company announced Thursday, is a swift kick to the teeth delivered squarely in the direction of Microsoft. Or is it?
Google Apps Premier Edition is a collection of office tools for businesses -- word processor, spreadsheet, e-mail, calendar and web page creator -- all of which are accessible through a web browser. Pricing is set at $50 per user per year, less expensive than Microsoft Office but with much the same functionality. Microsoft has its own web-based suite of tools in Office Live, but the company's offering doesn't match Google's. And Google isn't going after Office Live, it's going after Office.
The suite and others like it are visions of a possible future when all software will be delivered over the internet. Does the arrival of Google Apps Premier Edition signal the death of desktop software dinosaurs like Microsoft Office?
While the idea is compelling, the answer is no. Not yet, at least. There are many reasons to get excited about Google's new plan, but there are just as many reasons to stick with the status quo.
Reasons to switch to Google's web-based office suite:
Cost. Compared to the $500 list price for the full version of Microsoft Office Professional 2007, Google's $50-per-year price tag is cheap. Telephone, e-mail and web support are included in that price, so organizations could see a drop in IT support costs as well. Companies may be faced with a bump in training costs when the switch first happens, but Google offers some interactive training presentations that could help tilt the learning curve.
Centralized data storage. Documents are available from any web browser, upping the convenience ante for remote workers. Plus, 10 GB is plenty of room. For most users, that's more than they'll ever need.
Security. Data is accessed through secure connections and stored redundantly, and Gmail uses SSL for mail connections. On paper, that's just as secure as Microsoft's desktop solutions. Google also offers enterprise customers the ability to push all mail traffic through a self-hosted gateway. Users get Gmail's slick interface and corporations get to fold in existing procedures like traffic monitoring and archiving. A bonus: Gmail arguably has the best spam and virus filters of all the web-based e-mail services. Gmail automatically bounces executable files (even if they are wrapped in an archive) and employs platform-wide spam filters kept current by the user community.
24/7 access to the work space. The beauty of web-based applications is that they are accessible from any computer with an internet connection, anywhere in the world. Also, every worker in the company gets the same tool set -- like a standard corporate software install without the production and installation costs.
Cut the Microsoft leash. Any company switching to Google Apps will be free of Microsoft's sluggish upgrade cycle and confusing, restrictive licensing requirements.
Reasons to stay on the desktop:
Privacy. This is a big one. Persuading any company, large or small, to store sensitive intellectual property, financial documents and customer data on a server owned, sheltered and maintained by Google would take a truckload of trust. And even if company execs are OK with it, customers and investors might not be.
Regulatory compliance. Certain industries are bound by regulations concerning storage, transfer and privacy of data. Even though Google has strategies in place for disaster recovery (all of its Apps data is stored redundantly in multiple data centers) and offers optional enhancements to e-mail security, it's unlikely that the financial and health care industries will be switching away from Microsoft Office soon.
Google Apps is incomplete. Where's the PowerPoint killer? Also, anyone who keeps their entire contact list in Outlook is going to be seriously underwhelmed by Gmail's contact-management features.
Working on the web is weird. Users who have grown accustomed to the smooth responsiveness of desktop applications will feel like a stranger in Web 2.0 land. Latency issues, Ajax-powered user interfaces and the absence of true drag-and-drop functionality will prove a turnoff for many.
No offline access. Even in today's "always on, always connected" corporate environment, the tubes occasionally get clogged. Plus, there's no Wi-Fi on airplanes yet. Web-based applications are useless when the user isn't connected to the internet. Also, documents stored at Google can't be retrieved when Google can't be reached.
Extracted from: http://www.wired.com/software/softwarereviews/news/2007/02/72781
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