Week 5: Web Office Tools (July 21-27)

Welcome to week 5 of Web 2.0: Introduction to Second Generation Web Tools.

In this week’s assignment, we’ll cover Web office tools.

Web office tools allow people to create, edit, and share documents over the Internet in real time. Documents are stored on a remote server instead of your local drive. The main advantage of using web office tools is that these documents are accessible anywhere there is an Internet connection.

There are both pay and free services that offer web office tools. This week you will be working primarily with the popular web office tool, Google Docs. Google Docs includes a word processing and spreadsheet program, and a presentation tool. You will become familiar with each of these programs throughout the week.

To make sure everyone is starting from the same place view this video below for an introduction to Google Docs:

Discovery Exercise

Step 1: Create a Google account and take a look around

Step 2: Create and save a document

Step 3: Upload a spreadsheet and edit the file

Step 4: Create a presentation slide and share the file

Step 5: Compare Google Docs with other online web office programs

Step 6: Blogging Assignment

Step 7: Optional Assignment

Discovery Exercises Step by Step

Step 1: Create a Google account and take a look around

1. Go to http://docs.google.com and click on the blue button on the bottom right-hand of the screen, “Get started.”
2. As you enter your email address, keep in mind that it will be displayed to others with whom you share documents. You may want to use your work email address for this class rather than your personal email address. Notice underneath the Re-enter password box there are two checkboxes, one that says “remember me on this computer” and one that says “enable web history.” If the computer you are using to create the account is a public computer, uncheck the box that says “remember me on this computer.” Keep “enable web history” checked.
3. When you’re done entering information, click “Create account.” You’re in!
4. Look around.

Step 2: Create and save a document

1. Log into Google Docs. Go to the NEW menu and select Document. The screen will reload and note you are able to type and edit your document like any word processor.
2. Once you are finished typing your message go to File and select Save. The file will automatically be given a name from the text you typed. You have the option to Rename the file to something you specify.

Step 3: Upload a spreadsheet and edit the file

1. Select any Excel file or create a new test file.
2. Log into Google Docs. Go to the UPLOAD menu. Using the Browse Your Computer option find the the file and select UPLOAD.
3. Make a change to the file (add your name, change a number, etc.). SAVE the changes you made by going to FILE. Then look for the SAVE option. You may notice the file is automatically saved.

Step 4: Create a presentation slide and share the file

1. Log into Google Docs. Go to the NEW menu and select Presentation. The screen will reload and note you are able to type and edit your presentation slide.
2. Add an image to your slide: Find an image on the Web or select one from your own files. Click “Insert image” in the toolbar. Move the image around on your presentation slide until you get it where you want it. Try resizing the image.
3. Change the theme to your presentation: Click “Change theme” in the toolbar, choose a theme.
4. Add another slide to your presentation: Click “New slide” in the toolbar, choose a slide layout.
5. Save your file and then Share the File. On the upper right hand side of the screen you will notice a tab that says SHARE. The screen with change and you can enter a list of e-mail addresses of people with whom you wish to share this file. Share your file with two friends, typing each email address on a new line. You can choose to share the document with them as collaborators, which gives them permission to change the document, or you may choose to share with them as a “viewer,” which allows them to view the document but make no changes. Select the Invite option. You can then add a message that will be sent with your invitation. Select SEND INVITATION and you are done.

Step 5: Compare Google Docs with other online web office programs

Explore some of the following links and see how these programs compare with the tools Google offers.

Zoho Web-based Office Suite: http://www.zoho.com/

Zoho review on Slate.com: http://www.slate.com/id/2161519/

Zoho review in Technology Review: http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/18816/

Microsoft Office Live: http://workspace.officelive.com/

Microsoft Office Live review in PC Magazine: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2077628,00.asp

Webex WebOffice: http://webex.com/smb/weboffice.html

Webex WebOffice review in PC Magazine: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1950633,00.asp

Step 6: Blogging Assignment

Create an entry in your course blog for Week 5: Web Office Tools and respond to the following question: Is this the future of all software products? What do you think? As you have done in previous assignments, paste the link to this blog entry into the activity tracking form.

Step 7: Optional Assignment

Did you know you can publish a document created in Google Docs to your blog? Create a document in Google Docs and then click the “Publish” button on the top right-hand of the screen. Enter your blog site settings and click “Post to blog.” Give it a try!

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