The Case for Online Word Processors
It’s no secret I am a fan of online word processors — computing in the cloud is just the thing for a guy like me who (I’m told) is apt to find his head in the clouds as well. I’m writing this on Google Docs, and have made no secret of my love for Adobe’s Buzzword (which unfortunately seems to have some issues on the computer I’m using right now). Zoho Writer has gotten a little use from me as well.
I was recently asked what the big deal was — why should anyone go online when there’s a perfectly good copy of Office, Works, WordPerfect, OpenOffice.org, Pages, WordPad, LaTeX, AbiWord, KDocs, or any of a multitude of other powerful, effective, and highly usable word processors available from the desktop? What advantage could a feature-limited online word processor possibly offer.
It’s a good question, and one that boils down as much to subjective factors as to any absolute benefits word processing online might offer. And it’s a question with as much relevance for the whole range of powerful Web 2.0 apps that have emerged over the last couple of years and which look set to dominate computing in the near-to-mid-future. Spreadsheets, image editors, presentation software, databases, and more are migrating online, and it’s reasonable to ask why, and to what end?
What follows is my response to the question — the reasons that matter to me as an end-user of many kinds of online applications, particularly word processors. There may well be other, even better, answers to the questions online apps pose; at the same time, some of my reasons might not apply to everyone, or even to anyone other than me. But in the end, I think that my experiences aren’t all that unique, and while I might represent an extreme in some regards, the reasons that online apps work well for me will apply to at least a significant number of other people, if not most.
Availability
The main benefit of online word processors for me is their availability from any computer with an Internet connection. Since my schedule puts me in front of a number of different computers throughout the course of the day, and changes as well from semester to semester, I can’t count on being able to access the same software on one computer that I used on the last — and unfortunately, although most modern file formats can be read by any word processor, there’s always the risk of losing formatting, pagination, or fonts opening a document created in one program (or version) in another.
Using an online word processor means I have a standard format and interface from computer to computer — I don’t have to worry about whether the version of Word on this computer matches the one on the computer where I started my document, or whether I won’t be able to open it at all. I just log in to Google Docs or Buzzword and continue where I left off — as I am with this post, which I started writing in my office at the university and which I’m finishing on my netbook at home.
Off-site storage/backup
Another advantage of cloud-based word processors is that no matter what kind of trouble I get into, my documents are still safe and sound on servers hundreds of miles away. I can’t tell you how many thumb drives I’ve left in computers — or put through the washing machine. I’ve never done that with the Internet…
The document storage online word processors offer gives me an excellent off-site backup for important documents, even ones I don’t create or work on online. I feel a lot better knowing that copies of my most important documents exist far away from my home, just in case.
Collaboration/Sharing
When it comes to collaboration, most online word processors beat even the mighty Word, hands down. Documents can be worked on live, rather than emailing copies back and forth and trying to keep track of versions. More important, you don’t have to contend with Microsoft’s awful, awful, awful Track Changes (which isn’t to say other word processors do it much better…).
Plus, most online word processors allow you to set various levels of permissions, so that you can offer read-only access to one group of viewers, full editing privileges to another, and the ability to add comments to a third. You can often post documents directly to the Web, too, which can be quite handy.
User interface
Finally, some online word processors just have good user interfaces. Google Docs is simple, streamlined, perfect for just opening a document and slapping some thoughts together. Adobe’s Buzzword, on the other hand, is simply gorgeous — it inspires me just to look at it. I wrote the first 10,000 or so words of my book, Don’t Be Stupid, on Buzzword just to keep using it!
It seems foolish to point to the way an app looks as an advantage, but I’d argue it’s a very real factor. Tools matter — ask any carpenter. Buzzword to me is like I imagine a finely forged chisel is to a woodworker — my fingers just itch to get to work. Google Docs is like a set of sturdy wrenches — nothing too fancy, but I know it gets the job done. While there are desktop-based apps that also feel quite good to use, the stripped-down interfaces of online apps seems especially well-suited to this kind of inspiration.
So there you have it — four big reasons why I use online word processors, even when I have Office or some other program easily accessible. Like I said, there may be other reasons — and maybe you have reasons I haven’t thought of. Why not share your thoughts in the comments below?
WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY
Dustin Wax
Dustin M. Wax is a freelance writer and project manager at Stepcase Lifehack. He is also the creator of The Writer's Technology Companion, a site devoted to the tools of the writing trade. When he's not writing, he teaches anthropology and gender studies in Las Vegas, NV. He is the author of Don't Be Stupid: A Guide to Learning, Studying, and Succeeding at College.
Follow him on Twitter: @dwax.
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Comments
Rahsheen says on March 20th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Great points! I went through the same thought process not only in deciding to using Google Docs as my primary word processor, but in storing much of my other stuff in “the cloud” as well. I need things to be available everywhere, just in case.
kyle5434 says on March 20th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Unfortunately, many businesses of significant size (including mine) block access to all these sites, because they don’t want employees potentially putting private company information on public servers. So the utility of online office suites is severely limited for us. It’s much easier to use the thumb drive I keep on my keychain as a way keep docs accessible everywhere I’m at a computer. (Plus, even though I mostly live in Linux these days except for work, I have a host of portable apps for use on any Windows machine I happen to find myself at).
Rick Treitman says on March 20th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Dustin,
Nice writeup, great argument for the online wordprocessors, and thanks for your kind words about Buzzword. Don’t know if you’ve looked lately, but Buzzword now does Document Compare. You’ll find it on the History Bar.
Cheers.
'Chelle Parmele says on March 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I’m a huge fan of the online word processors as well. I started with Writely before Google bought them. Out of all the online versions I’ve tried, I do keep going back to GoogleDocs. I’ve more than likely sipped the kool-aid on that one.
I’ve tried to explain why I prefer online processors to people before, but you did a much better job of it than I could.
Kimber Lockhart says on March 20th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Online word processors are quickly reaching parity with traditional desktop models. For writing text-based documents with groups, they have my wholehearted endorsement.
The problem comes in when people start thinking of group writing of a document as the be all and end all of collaboration. These online word processors do not solve many of the problems of Track Changes, and create a few more of their own (”You did what to my carefully written final paragraph?”)
The other issue with online word processors is that few are at feature parity with desktop models when it comes to graphics and layout handling. This is absolutely fine for copy and drafts, not so good when you want to put forward the final draft of a customer-facing document.
Lastly, if you’re interested in reviewing online word processors in the greater context of online document management, you should check out Box.net’s new online document offerings. Really cool and well integrated with other tools that allow you to collaborate around documents in other ways. I don’t have an affiliation with Box, just think their new offerings are spot on.
Dustin Wax says on March 20th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Kyle: Security may be an issue, I’ll grant you. However, hardware isn’t inherently more secure than web-based solutions — look at how many laptops, hard drives, and thumb drives get lost by businesses and even national security agencies like the FBI!
Kimber: Most online word processors include some kind of versioning so that changed text can be recovered. It’s still somewhat rudimentary — you often need to recover the whole document, not just a particular change, although the technology is there to do recovery on a change-by-change basis (witness WIkipedia). I have worked on documents in Buzzword that had as many as 22 (!) collaborators, with varying level of editing privileges, and had a much easier time than working with a single collaborator using Word’s Track Changes.
You are absolutely correct about layout capabilities — but I’d suggest that if high-quality layout is a concern, a word processor isn’t really the right program anyway. There are programs like InDesign that are designed for a high level of control over layout. Most users of Word and other word processors have experienced the trauma of just not being able to get text to wrap around an image properly at least once…
Mike says on March 20th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
There are at least a couple reasons I would never rely on an online word processor, regardless of their functionality.
1. My work as an academic relies heavily on all of the data I have (spreadsheets, pdf articles, notes–54,000 items at 38GB) and which are difficult to manage online. That is, my work pretty much ties me to my particular laptop.
2. I often find myself places where the internet is either unavailable or unreliable (parts of Europe, some coffee shops, much of Africa).
So I, for one, sincerely hope that the growth of online office software does not mean the end to the traditional desktop software I tend to need.
Deb Harris says on March 20th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Thanks for the great tips – do check the link for Buzzword (it’s got an extra slash in it).
Dustin Wax says on March 20th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Thanks, Deb — I corrected the link.
Catherine Cantieri, Sorted says on March 20th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Buzzword does indeed look very cool! (But I think there might be a typo in the link.) I’m a little wary to try cloud apps, but maybe for my next group project at school, I’ll give this one a try. Great info!
GoEverywhere Team says on March 20th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Dustin, great points! It’s great to have those documents right at your fingertips to work whenever and wherever you are! I also like the flexibility of allowing several uesrs to update the files.
With my webtop I also have single login access to a variety of other software titles and the files that I’ve uploaded.
Bill McCollam says on March 20th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I love the convenience and portability, but the idea of putting the Company’s intellectual property on the web just gives me the heebee jeebees. Imagine a few hundred accounts with access and I have to rely on all of them to practice safe password practices. I don’t think so.
Adam Huckeby says on March 21st, 2009 at 2:07 am
I do use google docs, but I still maintain my business files on my iMac at home. I certainly use time machine to back everything up, but the unreliability of my internet connection forces me to keep more time critical docs off line. The budget, some templates, or if I’m working on a file with others…absolutely, google docs is for me.
Aditya says on March 21st, 2009 at 8:30 am
Thanks Cool post I am user of google docs and they bloody useful. They are safe as anything no chance of loosing me. I would advice everyone to use google docs.
Trina L. Grant says on March 21st, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I have been using Google Docs for a while now. the one aspect that I truly dislike is the right pane where the files are listed. Otherwise I love it. I just downloaded OpenOffice.Org but after checking it out I do not think I am going to like it, and will probably be tossing it, and keeping my Google.
av videoları says on March 21st, 2009 at 6:21 pm
interesting. i m try it
Lorraine Allan says on March 22nd, 2009 at 5:24 am
Thank you so much for bringing Google Docs to my attention. I’ve just spent most of my day working on it and will be introducing my work colleagues to it tomorrow. So glad I subscribe to your blog!
Brian Scott says on March 23rd, 2009 at 3:08 am
Personally I think the risk of finding your carefully written book or article ripped off your online storage of any of these services is way too great.
While Google and others say it’s secure to store your stuff with them – they can’t guarantee one of their employees takes any of your stuff; and you can never know what happens to your work in a few years from now on, Google tends to save EVERYTHING you store with them – so you may ask, for what reason?
Anelly says on March 23rd, 2009 at 5:00 am
I have never used the online word processors. maybe because all the information i need is on the same computer. But is good to know more info regarding this because you never know when you need it.
Jasmin Loire says on June 12th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
As a teacher, I often have students who only have basic word processing available at home. When I assign a project where a collaborative presentation needs to be produced, I’ll often suggest Zoho, first, and then GDocs. I’ll also recommend that they download OpenOffice.org to their machines as well. All three are free, which fits in their parents’ already strained budget for whom the out dated computer, still running WordPad, is a splurge.
I recommend Zoho over GDocs because I feel that it has more features and gives the students more control over their final product. Both allow for collaborative editing, but Zoho allows logins from Google accounts or Yahoo accounts. GDocs requires a Google account only.
I also have several copies of a PuppyLinux distro that I modified for students who have to share a/the computer in an environment where they aren’t allowed to add programs or store data to the computer. The distro contains all the programs I know that they’d probably need to survive high school, but can be run in LiveCD format.
klip izlesene says on October 30th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
nice artcile.. It’s much easier to use the thumb drive I keep on my keychain as a way keep docs accessible everywhere I’m at a computer.
video klip says on October 30th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
ou are absolutely correct about layout capabilities — but I’d suggest that if high-quality layout is a concern, a word processor isn’t really the right program anyway. There are programs like InDesign that are designed for a high level of control over layout. Most users of Word and other word processors have experienced the trauma of just not being able to get text to wrap around an image properly at least once…