Cloud computing -- a networked computer system that harnesses the resources of several servers to complete tasks and store data -- is shaping up to be the next big trend in the computing industry. Traditionally, only a few people could access the processing power of a supercomputer. With cloud computing, practically anyone could tap into that sort of power.

Since the debut of the personal computer, we've become used to storing information either on an external storage device like a compact disc or on a computer's hard drive. We're also conditioned to buy new machines or upgrade old ones whenever applications require more processing power than our current computers can provide. With cloud computing, the responsibility of storage and processing power falls to the network, not the individual computer owner.

Although it's a relatively young industry, many companies offer cloud computing services. One of those companies is Google. The Internet giant offers a suite of Web-based productivity applications under the name Google Docs. While these applications aren't as complex or comprehensive as the leading desktop counterparts, they have other advantages over traditional software.

The most obvious of these advantages is that the applications aren't tied to a specific computer. There's no need to download and install software on a particular machine. Any computer connected to the Internet can access Google Docs. Because each user saves information to the cloud system, he or she can access the same file from anywhere. Users don't have to worry about which version of a document is the most current -- it will always be saved in the Google cloud.

Another advantage is that multiple users can make edits to the same files at the same time. This is called online collaboration, and it could streamline teamwork over the Web. Because Google Docs preserves earlier versions of documents, there's no reason to worry about irrevocably changing a file. Collaborating on files might mean changing the way we think about document management. But it might also mean project managers can save time and effort.

What can Google Docs do?

At its heart, Google Docs is a suite of online productivity software. That means it's a collection of applications that make it easier to produce the kinds of files commonly used in corporate environments: documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

The Google word processing program started out as a product named Writely created by a company called Upstartle. Google acquired Upstartle in 2006 and began the process of converting Writely into a Google-branded product. The program allows users to create and edit documents online. Multiple users can access the document at the same time, making it easier for teams to collaborate on projects.

Likewise, the spreadsheet function in Google Docs started out as another company's project. A startup company called XL2Web developed a collaboration application called 2Web Technologies. Google acquired XL2Web and gave the team the resources they needed to develop the spreadsheets application. Like most spreadsheet programs, Google's application allows users to create tables, charts and graphs. The application has most of the basic functions of desktop spreadsheet programs, including sorting, filtering and formula calculations.

The story is much the same for the presentation application in Google Docs. Google acquired Tonic Systems, a company that developed a suite of Java-based presentation software. Tonic's development team transitioned to Google and modified the software to integrate with the rest of Google's products [source: The Official Google Blog].

The resulting application looks like a basic desktop presentation program. Presentations consist of slides. There are five basic slide layouts users can choose when building a presentation. Google also gives users more than a dozen choices in presentation themes. The application also includes basic functions like image and video support, autoshapes and text boxes.

None of the applications within the Google Docs suite are as robust or versatile as the leading desktop productivity software packages. But Google updates the suite often, adding new features and capabilities. While the applications don't have all the bells and whistles of other software packages, they do meet basic user needs. And while Google Docs might not do everything other products can do, it does have several features that set it apart from the rest of the pack.

Google Docs Features and Limitations

System requirements for Google Docs are pretty simple. The only thing you have to worry about is your Web browser. Google Docs is compatible with Internet Explorer version 6 or greater, Firefox version 1.07 or higher (but not Firefox 3) and Safari 3.1 or higher. Google doesn't support Google Docs for any other browsers at the moment, so there's a good chance it won't run on them. In addition, you must enable Javascript and cookies to use the applications.

To access Google Docs, you need to create a Google account. Google accounts are free. All you need is a valid e-mail address -- and the willingness to agree to Google's terms of service -- to create one. If you've signed up for Gmail, you already have a Google account. The account gives you access to many Google applications, besides Google Docs.

With an account, users can either create a new document, spreadsheet or presentation or upload an existing file to the system. Google Docs is compatible with the following file formats:

• Comma Separated Value files (.csv)
• Hypertext markup language (HTML) files
• Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel files (.doc, .ppt or .pps, and .xls, respectively)
• OpenDocument Text and Spreadsheet formats (.odt and .ods, respectively)
• Rich text format (.rtf)
• StarOffice documents (.sxw)
• Text files (.txt)

Users can also create documents by e-mailing them directly to a unique address based on the name they registered when creating their Google accounts. Google assigns a long string of numbers and letters to each e-mail address to ensure each one is unique. Google Docs uses the subject of the e-mail as the document's name and converts the contents into a document. You can also attach files in an e-mail and send them to your assigned address. Google Docs converts all file attachments into HTML format and saves them to your account.

You become the owner of any file you create or import into Google Docs. Owners can edit and delete files and invite collaborators and viewers. Collaborators can edit and export files. The owner can also choose to give collaborators the ability to invite other collaborators into a project. Viewers can look at files and export them, but aren't allowed to make edits.

The organizational approach for Google Docs is a simple file-and-folder system. You can create folders and subfolders for all your files. Google provides you multiple ways to sort data, including alphabetically or by the latest updates.

Google Docs users get a lot of storage space with their accounts, but it's not unlimited. Each account can have up to:

• 5,000 documents of up to 500 kilobytes each
• 1,000 spreadsheets of up to 1 megabyte each
• 5,000 presentations of up to 10 megabytes each

Google's corporate mission is to organize the world's information. With that in mind, the company has integrated some of its organizational and search capabilities into Google Docs. How can Google Docs take advantage of these technologies? Find out in the next section.