COOL TOOLS: Google Docs > FTP?
Posted by Jorge | Filed under Tool of the Trade
Last week Google quietly mentioned an interesting upgrade to Google Docs:
“We’re happy to announce that over the next few weeks we will be rolling out the ability to upload, store and organize any type of file in Google Docs. With this change, you’ll be able to upload and access your files from any computer — all you need is an Internet connection.” [read entire post here]
What are the implications here? Well, when coupled with their recent folder sharing upgrade, it begins to smell like a possible FTP replacement. Not to mention being a far more collaborative solution for artists/writers/inkers/colourists/letterers/etc… Now, of course, the basic/free level only allows for 1GB of non-Google formatted material but their $0.25 per additional gig (per year) pricing means you could conceivably get 300GB of storage for $75 a year. Sure there are external hard drives for that but can you access it anywhere any time? Is the HD as open to other hands as this?
Not a Google cheerleader… but this merits more than a little rah-rah from us indie creative types.
Tags: FTP, Google Docs, online storage
2 Responses to “COOL TOOLS: Google Docs > FTP?”
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L Jamal Walton Says:
January 21st, 2010 at 6:12 pmFor $75/year I can get FTP and unlimited web space.
I like Google Docs for writing collaborations, but for everything else, I use FTP.I can see Google Wave being used for making comics since all the material is right there for everyone to see and when someone joins at a later step they still have access to all the previous discussions.
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Jorge Says:
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:11 pmOh, I agree, Jamal. If you compare storage capacity pricing, FTP clearly beats out Google Docs. But, and maybe I should have more clearly articulated this, I think there’s something very attractive and powerful about Google Docs accessibility and sharing capabilities. I too maintain webspace with FTP accounts but you know how clunky it can be to meet a new artist or letterer or, hell, perspective publisher and give them access to your folders. Docs makes that so easy, I can do it on my iPhone.
On a side note, love what you’re saying about Google Wave. In fact, Darrin Stephens and I have built two whole chapters of Kaeru-Boy within Wave. There are both pros and cons to it (mostly related to the Beta nature of Wave) that I’m documenting for a later posting.
