Thing 11- Google Docs

Google Docs resembles Microsoft Office in many ways. It allows users to create documents, spreadsheets, slideshow presentations, and data entry forms. These applications are similar to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but offer some unique features. They are designed to make full use of online collaboration and storage, bypassing the need to purchase software and load it on your computer.

Best of all, all the Google Docs applications are free. They are a good example of "cloud computing," and are being used by more and more people and businesses every day. According to Wikipedia, cloud computing is defined as Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices on-demand-and are usually free. That is one of the huge differences with Web 2.0. It is user-driven.

Start out by going to http://docs.google.com/. Watch the short video on the main page for a brief introduction to the Google Docs applications.

To get started with Google Docs, you will need to log in to your Google account. On the left hand side of the screen you should see a list of your current files and folders, if you have any. If you click on the Create New tab right above that, you will be offered the chance to create a new document, presentation, spreadsheet, form, drawing or folder.

Let's start by creating a basic document, like you would in Word or other word processing programs.
Select Document under the Create New menu. When your new document pops up, there will be a toolbar at the top, and a large blank area underneath that. Put something in the blank area. It could be a sign for your room, an assignment for students, information from a website that you have cut and pasted, or anything else that strikes your fancy. One great idea I was given was to make a page for all the Web 2.0 websites with my usernames and passwords here in Google Docs. It's always accessible when I'm online! Play around with the fonts and other items on the toolbar so that you can see the features it offers.

When you are done, click the Save Now button in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Then click on the Share button. You will be presented with several options, including the ability to send the page as an email attachment or publish it as a web page. The real power of Google Docs comes into play when you share them with other people, so go ahead and select Share with others from the dropdown menu. If you put in my email, you can even share with me, and make me one of your contacts. When you share your document with other people, you can set them up as collaborators (co-editors) or viewers. You do so by sending them an invitation to the document via email. Go ahead and send yourself an invitation as a collaborator, using one of your other email addresses. If you don't have another email address, try sending it to a friend. You will be able to attach a message to the invitation. If you send it to a friend, that person will need to set up a Google account to be able to edit the document. (In fact, this is one of its more frustrating aspects, as I can personally attest to!)

Now click on the File button. You have several options under there, including the ability to rename the document, see the history of revisions, and save the document as a web page. Select Download as and look at the different file formats you can use. Did you notice that you can save in Word format, or as a PDF file?

Now try experimenting with a presentation, spreadsheet, and form or drawing.  How do they differ from the programs you generally use?

When you are done, read some entries in the official google Docs blog at http://googledocs.blogspot.com/. It is an excellent resource for keeping up with changes to the Google Docs software, new and interesting ways to use Google Docs, and more.

One last thing: add Google Docs to your iGoogle page! I'll go through the basic steps again for you, in case you've forgotten already: from your iGoogle homepage, hit the Add Stuff link to the right of your search window. Put Google Docs in the search box that comes up. It should be the first of the results, and all you have to do is click Add It Now. Wow, easy, isn't it? Use "Back to igoogle home" and then rearrange your gadgets. Put Google Docs near the top. All you do is click and drag.

Halfway through and we've come full circle, huh?