Functions

Google Docs provides all the features needed for collaborative work. This includes basic document editing, comments, and file sharing. If desired, two users can edit a document simultaneously. In this case, one participant can see almost in real time the changes the other participant is making based on the cursor movements.

Another unique selling point is the modular concept, which means you can extend the applications with add-ons such as dictionaries and templates. One disadvantage of the add-on architecture is that Google tightly links Docs to its own web browser; many add-ons therefore only run in Chrome.

Google Docs does not have the ability to save documents manually. Instead, the provider automatically saves them in the Google Cloud. However, downloading and converting the data is relatively flexible: You can download your files in different formats to your local system, where you define the desired formats via File | Download as. The individual options are configurable in a context-sensitive approach.

You will also notice that older Microsoft formats are missing in the export function. In addition, Google Docs offers an unusual user interface: You do not see an empty document at the beginning; instead, to open a new file, you have to explicitly click on the red plus symbol located bottom right in the browser (Figure 4).

Figure 4: When a new file is created, the user interface is initially empty.

Like many local office applications, the presentation module provides a number of templates, including various transitions, designs, and formatting options that allow you to create professional presentations. In terms of font management, Docs additionally integrates a large number of fonts, with at least a rudimentary preview. However, it lacks Asian fonts and an option for setting up Asian writing systems.

Compatibility

Google claims that its office applications are compatible with Microsoft Office. If the documents are simple texts, tables, or presentations, documents stored in Microsoft formats in Google's office applications will look largely identical to how they appear. However, for documents that embed macros in tables or use very complex design elements, there are deviations and sometimes incorrect formatting.

Disadvantages

Because Google Docs is closely linked to Google services, it also has a number of functional disadvantages: For example, all participants in a session must use a Google account. The Google Docs user invites additional users by email. If more than two users work on a document at the same time, the modification overview is lost because Google Docs does not clearly distinguish between the contributions from the individual users. Also, the function of undoing individual modifications is lost if several users collaborate on the same document. For this reason, we recommend limiting the number of active users.