6th assignment: google docs

At first glance, google docs appears very similar to a wiki. But it offers more formatting options, not unlike a word document, without the annoying bugs.

To begin with, I didn't think you could

- create a file name, but you can!
- spell check, but you can!
- revert to a previous version and view your document's changes over time, but you can!
- link to other parts of the page or to other google docs - but you can!

I can also limit who has the right to edit and who can view it, as with a wiki.

I liked having everything -- emails, docs and blogs-- all linked together from google docs. Too bad you can't do it from Blogger.

But, I tried uploading files, and kept getting an error message -- because of TPL's firewall? I also tried sending one of my documents to my very complicated email address Moyra+Mackinnon-df6mj2-etc..@prod.writely.com, and again got an error message.

I think anything that is being continually updated or rewritten, such as a procedure or a training package, should be done using collaborative software. In the past, I might have used a wiki. Now I will consider google docs. A very powerful new tool.

update: I have just spent that last hour trying to add my web suggestions to the surfer's advisory site. But I couldn't. I kept getting a message saying there was a network problem. At first I thought it was because someone else seemed to be editing at the same time, so I logged out and tried again fifteen minutes later. No such luck. I am no longer as enamoured of this product.

another update: aarrggh.
I just tried again after the library was closed, when no one in his or her right mind would be working on this, and it still wouldn't save.

final update: finally able to add my sites after 16 million tries