Google and Zoho

Thoughts on...

Google Docs:

• I've used this before, primarily to back up Microsoft Word files for assignments.
• I discovered that you can not only collaborate with others on a document--you can also sign up for an RSS feed that notifies you of any changes...cool! I will definitely keep this in mind for group projects.
• At this point of available functions, how do these collaborative documents differ from wikis? Is the wiki's additional value the ability to organize pages? All of these tools are starting to blend together, sort of like how TV and internet and PDAs and cell phones and DVD players are starting to blend together on single comprehensive devices....
• I mentioned before my wariness of Google knowing so much about me...I use Gmail personally, and share my calendar with close friends. I don't care to use Google for my documents as well because I'd rather limit the information that a single company knows about me. Which is why I appreciate...

Zoho:

• This is the first non-Google service that I prefer to Google! Yippee!
  
• The interface is just prettier.
• The downsides? No RSS feeds for the word processing doc, as far as I can tell. Also, I had to scroll sideways to see the whole editing space. Maybe that wouldn't be a problem with a larger monitor, but still...
• I also appreciated the version number that appears on the bottom bar. I updated the document twice, so it went from version 1.0 to 1.1 and then 1.2. I wonder if I made a major change, if it would jump all the way to 2.0 or it would continue to graduate in tenth increments.

Both services seem interoperable with lots of other things, including blogs and commercial office software. Very nice! I wonder if this makes Microsoft or other companies nervous....

And also, I wonder how long these beta services will be offered free. Will they start charging, or will there be advertising? Is their plan to get us "hooked" and start paying for more? I just might sign up!