week 8, thing 18 (online productivity)

I choose to test out "Google Docs" since I already had a google account and wouldn't need to set up a new one. Creating a document was pretty easy. I don't create many spreadsheets, but that also didn't seem too difficult. I think that it would be a good alternative to traditional software, but I am not sure if I how often I would use it. I am kind of use to Word. I could see how some individuals might find it easier to use than a microsoft program, especially if you use a lot of web based applications. The feature buttons are more like you would find in an email program. I could see the advantages of using it for collaboration with other individuals (especially if you aren't physically in the same place). I also thought the help section was extremely useful, unlike microsoft help which I don't find easy to navigate. According to the help section, it appears that there are still some bugs and there are also some features that the program currently doesn't have. Just a few things that you cannot do with Google Docs... no footnotes or endnotes, no templates, cannot merge info from spreadsheet to word document. As with any other document, it is always good to have a backup, but especially in this case. What happens if the internet is down? Or Google Docs becomes a fee-based service? This program would be helpful for libraries that don't have software on their public computers. Guess we don't have to worry about that any more. I still refer our younger customers to Create a Graph because it is easier to use than creating a spreadsheet.