23 Things #18

#18 of the 23 Things is: explore online productivity tools like Zoho Writer

I recently used Google Docs to collaborate with some of my classmates on a group project (powerpoint presentation) for a different class. I think it is a fantastic collaboration tool...when you need to collaborate with a group on a short-term project this is a much better option than creating a wiki. One reason the Emerging Technologies committee (at the library where I work) preferred using wikis instead of Google Docs (for document collaboration) had to do with the fact that we use Microsoft Publisher to create many of our handouts (which is not currently supported by Google Docs).

I created a Zoho Writer account and created some documents on that site. I tried to import a Microsoft Publisher file to this site (however, that file type is not supported). However, if you wanted to collaborate on a word processing document with a group, this would be a great option (you can always export it to MS Word if that is the program you have on your computer). I especially love the fact that I can create a document using Zoho Writer and then export it as a PDF!

I think Zoho Writer is a great tool that could be useful to library staff that want to collaborate on documents. I don't know if online productivity web-based apps like Zoho Writer or Google Docs means the end of Microsoft Office Suite...but they are certainly a great alternative to buying Microsoft (so are open-source software products like Open Office).