For the longest time, I've been a big fan of Google web applications because of its robust and intuitive interface. Aside from Gmail which has been my default e-mail ever since the service came out, I also have been using
Google Docs which supports mainly spreadsheets, word documents, and powerpoint presentations. Time and time again, I have relied on it and even have used it to collaborate with my class mates when we worked on assignments or exam reviews. I must be a week or two behind on this but Google Docs finally support PDF uploading and reading.
PDF files has always been a favorite of mine and in some cases prefer it over regulard Word documents for a couple of reasons. First, it preserves the state of text and images alignment/positioning as compared to Word which relies on tables and restricted word formatting. Second, it relies on Microsoft Word application itself whereas PDF's are now supported across any operating system and can be viewed with any of the latest browsers. When I found out that Google Docs now supports PDF (up to 10 MB from your PC, and 2 MB from the web), it got me excited. The reason for this is, I can now upload and securely backup my personal PDF's online and access it on any PC that has Internet connection. I'm a backup type of guy and I love the idea of always backing up valuable data and files as a precaution if I lose my original copy on my PC or other potential problems. Fortunately, Google Docs allows users to store up to 100 PDF's in a single account with a limit of 10MB each file which is enough storage...and the best part is, it's free.
- Dennis