Google Docs

Gogoogledocsogle Docs is free, Web-based word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users.

Google Docs is Google’s “software as a service” version of an office suite.

Documents, spreadsheets, forms and presentations can be created within the application itself, imported through the web interface, or sent via email. They can also be saved to the user’s computer in a variety of formats (ODF, HTML, PDF, RTF, Text, Microsoft Word). By default, they are saved to the Google servers.

Opened documents are automatically saved to prevent data loss, and a revision history is automatically kept. Documents can be tagged and archived for organizational purposes. The service is officially supported on recent versions of the Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Chrome browsers running on Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X, and Linux operating systems

Google Docs serves as a collaborative tool for editing amongst users and non-users in real time. Documents can be shared, opened, and edited by multiple users at the same time. In the case of spreadsheets, users can be notified of changes to any specified regions via e-mail. The application supports the ISO standard OpenDocument format.

It also includes support for proprietary formats such as .doc and .xls as well as support for .docx and .xlsx

Google Docs is one of many cloud computing document-sharing services. The majority of document-sharing services require user fees, whereas Google Docs is free. Its popularity amongst businesses is growing due to enhanced sharing features and accessibility.

In addition, Google Docs has enjoyed a rapid rise in popularity among students and educational institutions.