RSSGoogle to phase in offline access options for Docs
By Scott M. Fulton, III | Published March 31, 2008, 7:02 PM
One of the most innovative additions that Google may be making to its applications suite would, in a bygone era, be one of the most basic features: the ability to save locally.
One of the factors that makes Web applications convenient is the fact that you're almost always using the most currently tested version of the software. With Google Apps, the tradeoff has typically been that the user has to be online, which makes operation on a laptop while in the air somewhat inconvenient.
Over the next few weeks, we learned today, select Google Docs users who have downloaded Google Gears will be given access to updated code that enables the application to run offline. In this mode, documents can be saved locally within a temporary cache, which is then transferred to "the cloud" -- Google's servers -- when the browser next connects to the Web.
While offline, a Google video today shows, the browser is still able to contact the locally stored, offline copy of the application via the URL docs.google.com. Normally, the application is continually reporting updates the user makes to an active document to Google in the background; but in the version that's being phased in, while the browser is offline, the application will file updates locally.
"It's all pretty seamless: I don't have to remember to save my documents locally before packing my laptop for a trip," writes Google software engineer Philip Tucker today. "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."
Work on getting developers to use Google Gears to build offline-capable applications began last spring, but the company only began discussing integrating the feature into its own applications last December.
Has anyone written a plugin yet that seamlessly encrypts/decrypts the documents as they go up/down respectively?
Until that's available, I wouldn't want to be leaving private or information on someone else's server.
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|yeah, it is called HTTPS for a reason.
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|Google, do us all a favour and die. ty.
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|Right back at ya, my friend.
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|Why not just add an export button to google docs in MS or OpenOffice compatible format and give the people what they want. This is still locking google doc files into google docs application, the same tactic Microsoft is using with Office proprietary file formats.
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|Yea I 100% agree... Just export to Standard .DOC format or even .RTF and bingo problem solved. Open office or Word will open it at that point and no problem. then just have a macro that updates it back online when the internet comes back up...
Google is missing the point of mobility this time IMHO...
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|You have been able to save it as a word file or rtf, pdf, html openoffice, ect. What they are saying is it can save files to OFFLINE versions not just online.
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|huh? You can export into the closed, proprietary M$ format if you want. It might not work 100% correctly with M$ products because of the closed, patent encumbered M$ formats.
The whole idea of Google Docs is you do not have to spend $100's of dollars every couple of years for the new version of Office that does nothing that your older version does not already do.
The vast majority of home users simply have no need for M$ Office. Google Docs and/or Open Office will do everything they need and then some.
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|I think you are missing the point, which is a completely seamless experience. Who would want to go through the hassle of export/import all the time and keep track of proper sync? What happens if someone else updates online while you are off? Oh, whatever...
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|It has been possible for almost a year. Just check this plugin http://code.google.com/p/ooo2gd/ (OpenOffice.org2GoogleDocs) Export/import documents from OOo to Google Docs with two clicks.
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|What's amusing is that you seem to think the primary market for MS Office is home users.
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|where do i say that?
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|The more apps and files move to the cloud, the more it favors GNU/Linux and ODF, which has better networking, more frequent updates, and is far more secure than Windows can ever hope (or designed) to be.
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|you can get a free iPhone here:
http://www.YourFreeiPhon...m/index.php?ref=4891480
just try 1 advertisers product, there are LOTS
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|Can someone please kill the spammer?
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|This is innovative, but not as innovative as when they added the revolutionary "delete" feature to Gmail.
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|I've tried using google apps but really did't care for the experience so offline for a mediocre product just wouldn't cut it for me. Adobe's buzzword on the other hand is incredible.
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|Yeah...for the .00001% of users that actually need to "delete" anything.
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