14 DAY TRIAL // With Google Apps and Google Docs in particular, the company is trying to climb a very steep wall. Microsoft is very entrenched in the enterprise market and its Office suite is still as popular as ever. Google has been making progress, but it’s still barely scraping the surface. In a new effort to convert the ‘non-believers’ Google has launched demo versions of three Docs editors which don’t require a Google account to use.
The demo, available at docs.google.com/demo and prominently advertised on the Docs homepage, features three full-fledged editors. Users who want to try out the tools will be able to edit documents, spreadsheets and create drawings. If you keep up with Docs development, you’ll notice that these are three new editors Google has recently introduced. The first two are completely revamped versions, while the latter has only been launched.
When you first visit the demo page, you are greeted with a document instructing you what to do. “Just start typing ... and share the link above with a friend to try collaborating in real-time. Note: This demo document will only be available for 24 hours from the time it was created. To start using Google Docs and create your own docs, sign up for an account,” the message says. Similar instructions are available for the spreadsheet and drawing editor.
Other than the 24-hour expiration date, the editors work just like they normally would. You can even invite others to collaborate on the documents. Obviously, they won’t need a Google account either.
Many people have Google account these days, but it’s precisely those that don’t have one that would be the hardest to convince to try out this newfangled ‘cloud computing’ thing. Lowering the bar will make it easier for those preaching the Google ‘gospel’ to find new recruits and maybe convince their company to Go Google.