On-line Applications Review

I am more interested in office suites than in photo sharing, so I chose to review
• Google docs
• Ajax
• Zoho (I did not write a review on this one since the assignment called for reviewing two apps).

Overall, the three contain quite similar or duplicate uses, and they are all in some way connected to or use part of Google’s site. I found Google docs to be the most efficient in that it has many wonderful features, is simpler and easier to use than the others, and it is more popular (connected to what most people probably already use anyway, like Google’s search engine and gmail e-mail). I’ve highlighted the perks of each along with comments.


Google Docs

Our technology staff person (who is also a full time teacher) has mentioned Google Docs to the staff several times, but hasn’t had the time to go into much detail about it. It was nice to be able to finally take a look at what he was talking about myself instead of waiting for his push, which may have taken time considering his busy schedule. Also, I didn’t realize it, but I was already signed up for Google Docs and had been using it via my cell phone! I just knew that my phone was connected to Google, that I created memos in my phone and could sync them to Google on-line, but I didn’t realize it was the actual “Google Docs” program that I’d been using! I’m glad to have been able to go through the application more thoroughly so that I can now get optimal use out of it.


I would definitely recommend that my colleagues use Google Docs. When I heard our technology staff member mention it, I thought giving it a try would be adding more work to my plate, but now I see how helpful, supportive, and beneficial this application can be to me and to others, for personal use and for professional use. The features that stood out to me were:

• On-line Word Processing--Being able to create word processed files on-line, tracking and organizing them there
• Easy Transfer of Documents from PC--Being able to upload files from my personal computer to the on-line app for one-stop, quick and easy access, viewing, and editing
• Easy Transfer of Documents to PC--Being able to download documents created on-line to my personal computer. This means that I am not limited to working on files and documents through my personal home or work computers alone, but that I can access any file that I create or upload to Google Docs from any computer that has internet access. The only down side to this would be if I was without internet connection and therefore could not access Google Docs. Having all of my files created in Google Docs downloaded to my personal computer would come in handy for me as a teacher. I know that I have been frustrated at times when I began creating an assignment for school on my classroom computer, but had to leave work without finishing it. I would have to save my document, e-mail it to myself and then open it at home to finish it. (A few times I have even forgot to e-mail it to myself and had to re-create the document from scratch at home). By this time, I would have one incomplete version on my school’s computer, a completed version on my home computer (or flash drive), and if I wanted the completed version saved on my school’s computer I had to send another e-mail to myself and then re-save it or pull it from my flash drive and save it to my school’s computer. Whew! That was a hassle. Now, with Google Docs, I can simply create the document on my school’s computer and then upload it to Google Docs, which I can also access from home. I’ve always wanted access to all of my school files at home. Now, instead of copying every single thing to my flash drive and organizing it or e-mailing them to myself, I can use Google Docs sort of as my middle man and backup system! Now I can have all of my school documents and personal documents in one place without limit, except if I am somewhere without internet connection. The only other thing that I am leery about is the fact that all of my personal information is on-line instead of where only I can access it. Sure I have a password, but there are people that know how to get around that, and what if Google is secretly looking at my work (not that they would want to steal any of it, but it makes me feel like my documents are not completely private). Still overall, I guess it is better than having to save everything to flash drives, e-mail accounts, and having to make multiple copies of documents.

• It’s Free--The only thing you have to have is a Google e-mail account
• Can Be Accessed From Anywhere—Even via a smart phone
• Easy Collaboration—Instead of sending e-mails of documents to be revised, they can be revised in real time with one original version instead of multiple copies
• Familiar Desktop like Microsoft Word ®
• Can Create Other Documents—Spread sheets, on-line presentations and videos, drawings, etc. that can be published and unpublished at the click of a button, and shared with whomever you wish, or with no-one
• Can Create Forms or Tests!—This part is really cool for teachers. Tests and questionnaires can be crated on-line, taken on-line by students, reviewed and graded by teachers on-line and tracked. Teachers can compare scores and get percentages without all of the usual paper work and time and energy of going through one paper at a time to calculate individual, whole class, or multiple class information and ratios.
• One Stop Spot—Access to e-mail, searchable calendar, documents, web search, Google Reader
• Auto Save Feature—Work is automatically saved
• Folders for Easy Organization
• Can Publish as a Web Page
• Saves Money from Software--No need to buy software, upload or download files, or send e-mails; can use instead of Microsoft Word ® if desired
• Doesn’t Limit--Can use without own computer and all is saved on the internet under personal account
• Easy Viewing—Can view all documents in index form (actually seeing the format of each document and not just its name) or in list form



Ajax

Here are my thoughts on some of the features within Ajax:
• Also like an on-line desktop
• Can easily back up files
• Google apps comes with it
• Can use desktop widgets and applications with it
• It is also free
• You are able to log in (or sign up) using your Google account information.
• It includes on-line workspace, web apps, widgets, and storage
• If you have firefox downloaded, there is no need for installation, but with internet explorer, you do have to do a little downloading. I was not very excited about this part, although many people do already have firefox.
My thoughts on this is that it is a useful tool if someone just does not want to use Google products for some reason, but I would say you might as well use Google docs because many things that you likely already use can be housed in one location.