Collaboration and Web 2.0 Applications

I'm sure that some of us have dabbled in a few of the Web 2.0 applications. For anyone that hasn't, you're missing out on some really cool items from the Internet that could revolutionize the way we work as individuals and how we collaborate with our peers.

Here's a quick overview of what I've been playing with:

Google Docs and Spreadsheets : http://docs.google.com/
Article from SlashDot about the merger/combination of Writely and Google Spreadsheets

For anyone that have been using Writely you might have noticed that it now takes you to a new site for Google Docs and Spreadsheets. Google (who had been the driving force behind Writely as best I recall) has now merged their Document Writer and Spreadsheet function into one neat little area. Using these two applications is very similiar to using a version of MS Office 97 or above, and the ability to edit, open, and save your MS Office styled documents and OpenOffice.org (my preferred Office Suite) is very handy. The ability to make PDF files of your documents is a sweet bonus that I think most will enjoy!

While there are still some compatibility issue, its definitely a great start toward the online virtual office. You will need a Google/Gmail account to login though, so if any of you need an invite, I'll be happy to toss you one.

Zoho Virtual Office: http://www.zoho.com/
Zoho Virtual Office truly aims to be a full fledged replacement for your desktop's Office Suite. Individual applications include:

• ZohoWriter: Word Processor
• ZohoSheet: Spreadsheets
• ZohoShow: Presentation Creator
• ZohoPlanner: An online planner and organizer.
• ZohoChat: A Chat client to help with collaboration between your peers.

It's free to sign-up for any/all of these services for the duration of the Beta, and its rumored they will remain free after that. I haven't gotten a full chance to try out each application, but these programs are slick, very user friendly, and definitely have me psyched about the possibiliy of a ready to go AJAX/Web 2.0 application and office suite.

They also include a very neat tool/option for small businesses and individuals called the Zoho Virtual Office, which acts a lot like your own desktop area to launch any of the previously mentioned Zoho Office programs, a calendar, scheduling items, a work space, and more. It appears that you can sign-up and use the Beta version of the Virtual Office for free as well, but from what I've read it's quite possible that a small charge would be assessed after it leaves the Beta, at least for small businesses, and possibly for individuals as well. I've signed-up to be included in the Beta Test, and hope to hear back on it soon.

Closing Thoughts

While these products are still in a Beta stage and need further refinement, the days of the online virtual Office might be closer than we think. For the grand price of FREE, you can now create, share, and edit your favorite Office style documents and not have to worry (at least not much) about Microsoft Office Compatibility and the expensive headache of licensing their products. The only caveat is that to use these products, you require a constant Internet connection. Given the nature of free/public WiFi now available, this limitation in most cases won't be a huge deterrent.

For now, I still think most will desire to have their standard Office Suite of choice to be installed locally on their computer's hard drive. As for me, I'm gonna try to spend my time trying out these fun new ideas and methods of collaboration.