"Google Apps (allows users to create) Documents (like MicroSoft Word) & Spreadsheets (like MicroSoft Excel) ...(soon to be joined by a PowerPointesque presentation application) already makes for an interesting alternative to Microsoft Office. Combine it with Gmail, Google Talk, and Google Calendar, and suddenly nearly all of your basic productivity programs and data can be available online.
How does a School District save $$$:
- by not having to purchase software licences for Microsoft products or install software on computers MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint type software runs efficiently over the Internet. The only software the student's computer requires is a browser.
- by not having to purchase and maintain a server to hold student files. Students are automatically given secure accounts from a simple text file of names. They are each given 6 GB of space which is typically 100 times larger that the space given to them on a school server. All this can be managed simply by an administrator at the school. All communication and files are secure and private from the public Internet. Files are automatically checked for viruses (do not have to purchase virus checking software)
- by cutting printing costs. Google Apps allows documents to be shared .. between students for group work and with the teacher for marking. No file is every lost and is automatically saved every minute.
- By allowing students to use their own computers (with wireless access) because they can access their Google Apps files without having to log onto a school server. Presently most schools will not allow students to hook their computers into the school server because of the fear of viruses. Allow students to use their own computers allows school to cut down on the purchase of computers in they want to keep the student/computer ration the same.
At my school I have started testing Google Apps with Classes click here. It looks very promising !
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