Google Docs for UKOER resources

Overview: Google docs allows the online, collaborative editing of documents, presentations and spreadsheets, typically within closed groups. While the emphasis of the service is on shared content creation, it may be used for dissemination of completed documents. There are two distinct APIs, the Documents List API allows upload, listing of a user's documents and querying of the contents of a document, while the spreadsheet API allows these functions plus the ability to read or write to the spreadsheet--useful since it allows a user interface for a shared spreadsheet to be embedded in a web page or application.

Formats and Standards
Google Docs allows import and export to most common office document formats from Microsoft and OpenOffice however compatibility with some of the advanced features supported by these formats is patchy. Plain text, CSV and RTF are also supported as is PDF for export and publishing a document as a web page.

API
The APIs are RESTful, based on the Google Data protocol and ATOM Pub, with code libraries available in Java, .Net, PHP and Python (however the PHP and Python libraries only cover v1.0 of the API and Java is the only option to cover v3.0 beta). Authorization is handled Google's own AuthSub protocol for public applications or Client Login for single user applications.

The Document List API allows discovery, retrieval, export, access management and replacement existing documents, and the creation or upload of new documents. Folders for documents can also be created and existing documents moved between them. While the content of documents can be searched and displayed it cannot be modified with this API. Where the API retrieves lists of documents it return the result as an ATOM feed.

The Spreadsheet API provides access to and manipulation of data in a spreadsheet at any level from the entire workbook down to single cells or charts. It can be used to modify parameters used in calculations and to return the results, so that users may access a shared spreadsheet through a third-party website. There are spreadsheet gadgets and a visualization API which facilitate the creation of charts and graphs and their embedding on other sites.

Feeds
The Document List API retrieves lists of documents as an ATOM feeds with OpenSearch extensions.

Other metadata
While Google Docs may be shared publicly there is no separate summary page for documents, just the document itself. While some basic metadata exists in the background and can be accessed through the Document List feed, it is not widely displayed by Google.

Collections and Grouping
Sharing can be to ad hoc groups, useful while developing resources. Documents can be grouped into folders, the contents of which can be displayed separately.

Content export & embedding
Content can be exported in most MS and Open Office office formats and in plain text, CSV and PDF (however there are some issues with compatibility of advanced features. Documents can be exported as web pages. The Spreadsheet visualization API and Gadgets allow embedding of whole spreadsheets or parts (e.g. a single chart) into other websites.

Visibility on Search Engines
As of Sept 2009 public documents are visible to search engine crawlers.

Usage stats for resources
Google analytics can be used.

UKOER
not known

Others
not known

Notes and comments
The main value of Google Docs is probably for the collaborative development of OERs and perhaps their use in teaching. It may make sense in some circumstances to use Google Docs to host copies for dissemination, but this would probably have to be supported by an external site acting as a catalogue.