The next-generation communication intends to keep away the hassles of employing specific hardware and software from users.

Today`s online collaboration tools offer instant connectivity options as well as provide a means to undertake personal and business related activities by point and click operations.

This advancement in communication technology has initiated a cold war between desktop and web-based applications. Let us forget desktop applications for a while and discuss online office suites offered by Google and ThinkFree.

Google Docs

Google Docs (formerly know as Google Docs and Spreadsheets) was launched in October 2006, and still it is a beta. Google Docs comprises a word processor, a spreadsheet application and a presentation programme. Though Google does not offer a much diversified feature set like ThinkFree, its applications load quickly without the hassles of downloading any software to one`s system, which enables Google to provide a visually appealing and uncluttered user interface (UI).

Google Docs requires a Google account and its main page displays a document-management window listing all the documents which a person has created or uploaded on Google`s server. One can create, upload, share, hide, delete and rename any files by using a toolbar at the top-left. The users can also create folders to keep files organised. The UI of Google Docs is currently available in 48 languages.

This online suite features a fast and convenient way to share document with other users. All you need is create or upload a document, select it and press the Share tab. This will open up a dialogue box, where you can add other users as Collaborators (as having permission to make changes) or Viewers (can view but cannot make changes).

Word processor

The programme or the webpage will be launched within five seconds after clicking on Document under New tab, on the main page of Google Docs. This online application features some of the standard options available in traditional word processors like font colours, text alignment, tables, spell check utility and an option to insert pictures, etc. However, it offers only a limited number of fonts and does not supports advanced functions like Macros, AutoCorrect Options, reviewing utility and drawing toolbar, etc.

One of the most useful features of this online application is its downloading option. You can instantly download your documents in PDF, Microsoft Word, HTML, RTF, Text and OpenOffice file formats.

Spreadsheet

The Spreadsheet programme provides a colourful and clean UI with vivid and uncluttered charting, a large number of statistical and financial functions, and the users can find these options under the Formulas tab. The main catch of the application is its inserting Gadgets option, which enables the users to add maps, diagrams and even motion charts.

You can also publish your spreadsheet as a webpage for others to view by simply clicking on the Publish button on the top-right corner of the application. Discuss tab allows both the collaborators and viewers to interact with each other.

Presentation

It offers the utility to create, edit and share presentations online but the number of options available here is quite limited as compared to its traditional counterpart.

There are options to insert image and use shapes (11 only), besides basic text formatting. You can choose from 12

available themes, which are static and does not offer any dynamic content. Upon importing a complex Microsoft PowerPoint file having a dynamic layout with vivid colour scheme, Google` presentation programme could not load animated slide transitions and failed to maintain the text formatting in some of the slides.

Summary

Google Docs is simple, quick and straightforward. It offers a convenient collaboration utility amongst colleagues and other group members. If your work does not require heavy and advanced office features, then Google Docs can prove to be a handy alternative to traditional desktop-based office suite.

ThinkFree office online

It comprises write, a word processor; Calc, a spreadsheet program; and Show, a presentation application. According to the information available on its website, ThinkFree Office is compatible with Windows, Macintosh, Unix and Linux systems and can be used on internet-connected devices including mobile computing platforms and thin client.

The suite comes in five flavours — free (online-only), premium (online plus offline office), server (LAN-based suite for enterprises), desktop and portable (for iPod and U3). Free and premium both offer one gigabyte of online space. The applications of free version run inside the installed Web browser. However, the premium version offers the users to either run the applications online or on your desktop. The desktop version saves the changes in user`s hard disk as well as on ThinkFree`s servers simultaneously.

One of its interesting features is the File Sync wizard that automatically saves the changes made in documents to the servers so, even if your internet connection is down then all the modification would be marked whenever your internet connection resumes.

This online suite acts and looks like a stripped-down edition of MS Office and even uses the Office file formats as its default formats. This suite offers two modes of editing — quick and power. The former one employs limited and basic features and the later one has basic plus advanced features as well, which is why Quick Edit mode is considerably faster than the Power Edit mode.

After signing up on ThinkFree`s website, the main page, which is called My Office, displays all the files uploaded on ThinkFree`s servers as well as options to create, share, publish, delete, download, publish, and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

You can add users as Co-Authors (can read, edit and download) or Readers (can read and download only) by sending them invitations on their e-mail address. The Publish feature creates an online presence of the document and once published then anyone can view the document by visiting its URL.

Write

When using the Quick Mode, its interface and functions are more like Microsoft WordPad with slight advancements liking inserting pictures and tables, etc. However, the Power Mode looks like a low-detail version of Microsoft Office 2003.

In terms of functionality, the power mode is head and shoulders above Google`s word processor but some of the options like Save as and Open, take some time to load, which makes the overall experience a bit irritating. This application does not include Macros, Word art, reviewing utility and a few more desktop-based office features.

Calc

Upon launching the application in Power Mode for the very first time, it took over four minutes to launch; the load times greatly depend upon the speed of the internet connection. Again, the entire UI seems like a copy of Microsoft Excel with similar placement of toolbars and menus.

The list of functions was quite long like MS Excel. This productivity application is capable of saving files in .xls, .xml, .txt, .csv, .pdf and .xlsx formats, but does not provide features like pivot tables, objects and diagram features as MS Excel does.

Show

If features basic transition effects but does not provides fancy effects that are found in Microsoft PowerPoint 2003. In the quick mode, one can make changes in text by viewing the outline style of slides but cannot view the slides in detail.

This online application seem more appropriate for creating text-only presentations for the audience that does not want graphic elegance.

Summary

This online suite is capable of doing quite much as compared to Google Docs but the long loading time is annoying to the users. Secondly, if your internet connection is slow or if you want to use this service while browsing the Web, then ThinkFree Online would not be a pleasant experience for you.

Important note Users are advised to note down the requirements of Server, Desktop and Portable editions before purchasing by visiting the developer`s website.

Conclusion

The aforementioned services seem to focus two different factors — Google offers quick accessibility and ThinkFree provides high-detail functionality. If someone is looking for compatibility with Microsoft Office and some advanced functions which are not available in Google Docs, then it is quite likely that users will opt for ThinkFree. However, if it is simplicity and uncluttered interface that counts, then Google Docs would be an appropriate online productivity suite.

Last but not the least, the main catch in Google Docs is that its applications load quickly and without any hiccup, unlike ThinkFree Online.