Web-Based Office Suite

If there was any question that Google wants to change the way businesses use their computers all questions have now been answered. Whether it is a law firm or accounting firm, Google wants your business to think of a new way to handle your presentations, spreadsheets and word-processing needs. With its roots in OpenOffice.org, Google Docs represents the future of computing. In the future, your machine will not be “running” your programs, instead a main server will run your program for you, your machine will just be a portal to that server. This allows for centralized anti-virus/trojan scanning as well as ensuring consistent backups of employee data.

As the video below shows, Google is taking a step towards such a web server, allowing you to access all of your files and Office Suite needs from any computer with Internet access.

Concept

All that marketing jazz sounds great from Google, but what does it look like in action and how well does it work? It is quite amazing for a web-based application. Google Docs is a word-processor, spreadsheet and presentation maker all in one. It allows you to create true Word documents, Excel documents and PowerPoint documents even allowing you to edit each of those file-formats if they’ve been made in their respective Microsoft application. It supports non-destructive shared editing of any of the documents along with revision history so that you can see who made what changes and when. So your co-counsel in another city can make changes to your presentation and if you all don’t like the change, revert back to the original.While the templates for Google Presently (their Powerpoint program) may not be as diverse as Powerpoint, let’s be honest, when have you used a PowerPoint template to pursuade a jury? If you have tried then you need to seriously reconsider hiring TechnoEsq to prepare your next presentation. TechnoEsq will soon be unveiling a new section for creating presentations for attorneys.

Now there are some issues a law office needs to consider. First, your documents are stored on Google’ Servers. So you have no control over the access of these files. While I’m sure Google has great security, I’m not so sure your local bar is going to take that into consideration if your client’s files are accessed by a hacker. Secondly, there are times when you won’t be able to access the Internet and when you can’t access the Internet you can’t access Google Docs or your documents stored there. Of course, you could email yourself any files created from Google Docs prior to your disconnection from the Internet, but more often than not, your disconnection isn’t exactly planned. Google Docs has its place until Internet access is ubiquitous; or you live in Hong Kong where it is.Take a look at our video and I’m sure you’ll see that Google has created the first-step towards the future of office computing.