Discussion on:

The truth about seven persistent Google Docs myths

Are you using the full potential of Google Docs? Have you come across any other myths you want to dispel?

....and I'll be singing the Google docs praises.

Well said that man.

I think for now Google is a USA only solution.

Please elaborate so that I can try to dispel an myths.

This seems to be a bit of coyness.

If my company uses Google docs it will put private and sensitive information on clusters of servers "somewhere." I know not who works there or what measures are being taken. I don't have to worry as much about someone I've never met walking in to my server room and accessing private data.

Is Google mining data?
Is Google insuring my data is safe and private?
Is Google going to indemnify any breaches?

The unfortunate thing the internet has created is the mob mentality of obscurity = security. That is complete nonsense; however, it is so prevalent you're called paranoid if you don't adhere to it. I tell people to do what they want. As for me, I'm not putting anything too sensitive in Google Docs.

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/infrastructure_security.html

An independent third party auditor issued Google Apps an unqualified SAS70 Type II certification. Google is proud to provide Google Apps administrators the peace of mind knowing that their data is secure under the SAS70 auditing industry standard.

Can we see their report? Can we get it from them?

This not to say, "I don't trust ya." But, "I don't trust ya."

I'm not dissing Google. But sensitive information is serious business. Heck, I use Google...Google Docs even. But when it comes to business privacy....not so much.

Contact their sales and ask for it. They will provide it.

Same goes for things like Office 365. http://www.microsoft.com/online/legal/v2/?docid=27

They are charging $50 per user per year. For the features, it's a bargain. There's not anything more tempting than to offload not only your mail and collaboration, but office suit to boot, with all sorts of other things, like CRM.

BUT THESE THINGS CONTAIN PRIVATE INFORMATION FOR BUSINESSES.

If they made this audit public, and it was legit, up-and-up, and right-as-rain, they would eliminate the concern of the most skeptical of us, with the exception of true tin-foil hats.

Win for them. Win for auditor.

No. There's NO good reason not to make it public, so you DON'T have to ask them for it after a call to a salesman.

Unless they are afraid it won't pass public scrutiny????

I'm not saying that's the case. I'm just saying that's a little suspicious.

Been the new lid on the street of the busiest street of the neighborhood. No knows who you are. U running, walking all over and try to get around and have information tranfered from one coner to another corner. Well that is is called over population. The crazy intention of multiple people are called peerpresure. Now imagine being in NYC city with a block of people yelling and scream around you. Try scream over them around the, or through them. See what happens. Well guess what? The internet are over perxise wiring weather over the bird wave a or the ground floor of the web infastructure, try arguing the television when you disagree with it, see who wins the argument. The bottom line s the internet mob mentality is your test of might, will, strength, and ability to have timing with the information geeks who translate information faster than itakes you to move your eyes right to left while reading. What I am saying point blank. You need to find your ability to use thw information effecitivly.

And the only answer I've seen regarding my concerns, which are clearly stated 1,2,3...are:

1. Google's been audited by an unnamed auditor. You can get the report by calling their sales team.
2. uhm er .... there is no 2.

So, for me to see this report, or even know who audited them, means I have to talk to someone who'll put a sales spin on it????

Look, I WANT to embrace the idea. But it's hard to not think about these issues, when you're deflected, redirected, and avoided, when you ask about them.

It's like asking politicians questions they don't want to answer.

Susan, great article!
I just wanted to mention that the "Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office" is a great way to merge the two for those who want the best of both worlds, or just can't seem to get away from MS Office.
I'm using it with Office 2010 and loving it.

http://tools.google.com/dlpage/cloudconnect#utm_campaign=launch&utm_source=en-na-us-gdb-GCC-Appsperience_02242011&utm_medium=blog

And I wrote a blog post about it not long ago:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/google-in-the-enterprise/use-microsoft-office-to-create-google-docs-with-cloud-connect/196

I have found the down side to Google doc is the incompatibilty with the tablet os or interface. The difficulties of using the pop up scripture makes it almost impossible to complete work in today day n age. The bottom line Google lagging priority to make there service avialble in a reliable manner on the there own platform is holding them back from becoming a better company. Google is making the same error as there predecessor by delivering a unfinish application design to have there user resolve a solution. In the fiscally unresposible time we are all in, I believe it would be great to have Google deliver a reliable, compitable, conglarment of service. The bottom line is the vision, Google has a great running start of a developing business market with Google docs, all they need to do now is package their hard work the right way, and tie bow around it to become the I T giants they deserve to be. Also if there is a mobile option and a desk top option, were is the tablet option "specifically for motorola xoom"?

You can't really use the lack of incompatibility with tablets as an argument that google docs is an "unfinished" product. Of course its "unfinished" it will never be finished because it will have to evolve with the changes. Google docs was introduced in September of the 2007 and the the first Android device ever was introduced in November that same year. Yes it would be nice to have better integration but Google docs is 4 years old and honeycomb was just released in May. Give them some time to make integration and get out of this mindset that "everything must work perfect immediately." It would be ridiculous for Google to delay tablets because it doesn't work flawless with a product they have been developing for 6 years.

I agree with Akilestar. It's an absurd position to imply that the product is "unfinished" in a negative manner. For that matter, what product is finished? Was Office "finished" when it was released? No, next they released office 2003, and then 2007 and now 2010? If anyone finished a product, we would not see further releases. So by that measure, I think we can safely say OS 2 Warp is a finished product. If that's what you look for in a product, then you need to look backward, not forward.
I have a Galaxy 10 tablet, I use google docs on it and it works just as well if not better than other "office" solutions out there.

Personally you can ot compare the two diffrenr companies. One company clearly states they want their own user to developed thesoftware, verse the other companies spy on you and cell your ateention as they are your pimp As far docs, it sad to realize with our discusion how far behind the software is. Understanbly it is this way because it is fiscally unresposib. if Google offer the opurtunity ti develop their Google docs from a user point of you rather then and infustructureit writer, I would defintly pay ten dollars a month week my viper engine to bloe the I pads, Samsung tablet base doc.

I want you to understand I amGman, I follow the giants to Arizona when they won the super bowl. when is Google design develop software for the young it novas. Undersanbly, image mutuple Google doc consent for at a Google doc market app. Customize your engine, n the have the software engineer sell your own design of artificial intelgence design to be compatible.

When Google take there founding value to the next platue, were there is more front end cash register sale instead of back end commercial, Google will gaurentee to be able to split down to 500 again.

It all start with repackaging Google engineering using great new marketing plan.

Your probably right about the expextation of buying a technically advance product and believe it will work right. Tho when a consumer pay hard cash or credit for technology I believe thwre should be a class action law suit against the it industry. Basically Ifsome one were to buy a car with failing engines, electrical in tergration failure, and brakes that will stop and go according to who's attention they can grab other than the user try ting to convey there thoughts, the car manufactor would have major recalls. I believe there should be acountibilty to protect the rights of the consumer financial investment.

Well to some it up, if people have been tooken advantage of for many years, then you are right, we must all just consider it as being normal and be are own mechanics of or failing integration devices.

How can you compare a car to software? Furthermore this happens all the time, its called a recall. My 2010 Ford Fusion came with Microsoft Sync, it didn't however have the ability to diagnose car problems and put that information on a thumbstick. The 2011 models did. Should I go to Ford and say that my car is faulty because this feature doesn't work on my car? That's just absurd. Integration in products is nice, but when something does not integrate correctly that does not mean its broken and we should sue somebody. Trying to get a quick buck? I guess Google should just recall google docs until it works on your iPad.

First there should be electronic recalls for faulty software. Secondly Google apps do work on I pads, if u want assistance let me know. Actually were is my easy button, any on at home depot?

Write all your notes on the apple note pad, copy and paste it to a new Google doc field. Share by email with all the bells and whistle, and watch the kodac moment on the person face when they read your work.

The bottom line is if you look at this from a user point of view, people are tired of spending their money on products unreliablity.

The problem with starting at the document and creating a new email with the document attached is that there are times when you want to attach a document as part of a reply to an email you received!

As far as I know, the only way to do this at present is to download the file, then attach it in Gmail.

And yes, you certainly can make the file visible to anyone with the link, then put the link in the email. - But there still needs to be SOMETHING that let's you refer to a Google Docs Document while composing an email - from within GMail.

Unable to to access the sharing setting on the Google doc andriod app or web browser. To me its a myth this will never get corrected? I don't know what do you think?

thanks for this great article on google docs myths!

I really believe that cloud files are the future of computing. with so many devices, it's hard to have the same files for all.
having also the option of editing that file directly in the browser makes google docs an excellent choice.

if I may, I have developed a cool little tool for google docs: it's called gdocsopen, and make things easier when moving from desktop office to the cloud. It hooks up to windows explorer and allows you to open a document directly in google docs with a double click.