Using Online Word Processors for Writing Blog Posts and Collaboration

As the correlation between the online and offline utilities becomes less noticeable, with more users finding it easier to use an offline utility to blog offline, then publish online, or use a separate online word processor for writing online and managing posts from there.

However, when you take a look at the features in several of the online-based document editors, they severely lack, or only include marginal support for sharing, collaborating, or publishing the document/post to your blog software, whether it be WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, etc.  In addition, some were, by definition, using the “online” and “mobile” terms loosely, as they did not provide online storage, account-based management, or install-free use (plugins, scripts, etc).

Note: I release that each of these online word processors weren’t designed for bloggers, although they should at least contain the option of saving as HTML or emailing/collaboration support.  All are free or only have the option of upgrading for more storage/added features.

While each online word processor may have its advantages, it is primarily the user’s opinion as to which online tool is the best, is most user-friendly, or has the best overall appeal.  For example, some people feel having more online accounts adds more data security risk, an added hassle with password remembrance, or simply adds a non-worthwhile change to their traditional posting/sharing ways.

AjaxWrite

• Description: “ajaxWrite is a web-based word processor that can read and write Microsoft Word and other standard document formats.”  The main benefit is that it looks and works similarly to the pre-2007 version of Microsoft Office and the current version of Open Office, so it will be easier for users to become familiar with the interface.
• Saving Options: Offline Only – supports popular formats such as Microsoft Office, possibly HTML
• Sharing Options: None
• Blog Posting Options: None
• Best Bet: Save your files in a format that other bloggers use, email the documents to them, or save the files in HMTL format and copy/paste into a new blog document.

BuzzWord 

• Description: Developed in Flex, the Buzzword project is called “the first real word processor for the web”, “a breakthrough in collaborative authoring for documents that matter”.
• Saving Options: Either online or as a Microsoft Word, Microsoft Word 2003 XML, Microsoft Word 2007, Rich Text Format, HMTL-zipped, or Plain Text document.
• Sharing Options: Share any document using the “Share” button in the lower left corner of the document you are editing.  It provides the ability to share with up to 5 email addresses, providing them either a co-author, reviewer, or reader role.
• Blog Posting Options: None
• Best Bet: Despite its extremely sleek interface (and the extreme lacking of support for newer browser versions), the only community sharing was the email document function.

Google Docs 

• Description: “You can easily do all the basics, including making bulleted lists, sorting by columns, adding tables, images, comments, formulas, changing fonts and more. And it’s free.”  Google Docs is referred to as the simple online editor with collaboration tools – in fact books have been written solely in Docs.
• Saving Options: Supports exporting as a zipped HTML file, RTF, Word document, Open Office document, PDF, text file, or as a copy (presentation).
• Sharing Options: Enables users to invite other people as collaborators or viewers or to email the post/publish online in a dedicated URL.
• Blog Posting Options: To begin posting to your blog, hit the “Publish” tab, then first choose form the list of 6 blog hosting providers (Blogger.com, BlogHarbor.com, BlogWare.com, LiveJournal.com, SquareSpace.com, WordPress.com).  if you are on your own server/custom, you’ll need to find the path to your XMLRPC.php file if using WordPress or select the API that you use.  In either step, you’ll need to provide your existing blog setting such as passwords and usernames.
• Best Bet: Probably a better option if you post longer posts, as there is a ~5000 post limit/~5000 image limit.  Like Zoho Writer, it allows you to view the document in HTML form online, making it easier to copy/paste in a different environment than in your typical online WYSIWYG editor.

Go-Write (Formerly TheOpenDoc) 

•  Description: “Go-Write.com is a free collaborative application, that enables teams to work effectively together over the Internet. Through workspaces you can easily create and share with friends, business partners and colleagues.”
• Saving Options: Features the ability to save (open) as an HTML, PDF, or DOC file or save online.
• Sharing Options: Go-Write’s major purpose is collaboration, so the whole sidebar is dedicated to discussion, tasks (completed/not completed) and people (who you’re sharing the document with). No direct online to email sending.
• Blog Posting Options: None
• Best Bet: Definitely one of the better choices in the online document processor sphere, as it contains a familiar look, the ability to view online as HTML, and several sharing tools.

iNetWord 

• Description: “You can edit Web pages and printed documents. It has all the capabilities you need and can replace expensive and troublesome desktop Web editors.” 
• Saving Options: Allows saving online or offline either as an HTML document (standard), a template in new pane (HTML) *not offline, Microsoft Word, or PDF.
• Sharing Options: Sharing options include: available with you and others, reserved for you to edit, and reserved by someone else to edit.  You must first (required-?) note your computer’s location and your phone number so the other people editing the document can contact you.
• Blog Posting Options: The document can either be displayed in its stand-alone web page, on a page in any web site via FTP, or on your blog (WordPress.com/hosted or by using the MetaWeblog API. 
• Best Bet: It’ll take some getting used to for most users with the navigation changed for many buttons and hidden tools, but it offers blog publishing, which is the key factor.  My main complaint was that there was no way of viewing the HMTL version online (that I could find).

Just 2 Easy 

• Description: “j2e is a web based document processor, designed for Education. Use it for all your word processing needs, [i.e] homework and worksheets, as well as your web publishing. It is really easy to use.”
• Saving Options: Documents are either saved online or as a separate HTML file.
• Sharing Options: Allows you to publish your page as either private, password protected, or freely viewable.
• Blog Posting Options: None
• Best Bet: This web based tool was designed for the education field and not for professionals creating income-generating content.  There are few ways of changing the font size, and the overall focus is on adding shapes and animation in documents.  So, stay away form this one.

Nevrocode Docs  

• Description: “Create and share your documents with other people.” Requires a desktop install.
• Saving Options: After you have installed the desktop application and signed up for an account, you should be able to have the files saved on their secure servers and save in various formats.
• Sharing Options: None
• Blog Posting Options: None
• Best Bet: As there are no real ways of emailing documents, the Nevrcode word processor doesn’t stand up to other competing tools. For power bloggers, the best thing to do is avoid this one.

Solodox 

• Description: “Solodox is a Web Word Processor for creating, editing and sharing documents and projects on the Internet.”
• Saving Options: Offers the ability to save each document as a template, HTML, RTF, Word, or Text file.
• Sharing Options: Supports collaboration between you and users you choose to share your documents with. (viewers/collaborators)
• Blog Posting Options: In the Publish drop down, select Post to Blog, where several blog services are shown. However, if you are on WordPress.com/.org, you’ll need to figure out a work-around as they are not available.
• Best Bet: Solodux is a fairly simple to use word processor with multiple built in features including sharing, tagging, and collaboration tools. However, the posting to blog feature contains mostly second class services, besides Blogger, unless you are on your own server and use the Blogger, Movable Type, or MetaWeblog API.

Peepel Online Office 

• Description: “Peepel is a unique approach to online applications, allowing multiple applications to run in the same window.”
• Saving Options: Online and offline, as Open Office or Microsoft Office documents.
• Sharing Options: You are able to give other Peepel users read or write access to your documents.
• Blog Posting Options None
• Best Bet: My main gripe with this online application was that there was no way of saving or viewing as HMTL, the easiest way of copying/pasting to your blog without losing formatting.

ThinkFree Online 

• Description: “The Best Online Office on Earth”, Think Free is the free alternative to Microsoft Office with 1GB online storage, free online document collaboration, and a free document viewer.
• Saving Options: Online w/ 1GB storage or as an HTML file or offline as a PDF. Also allows users to open files as a Microsoft Office/similar format file.
• Sharing Options: Allows co-sharing or sharing as a “reader”.
• Blog Posting Options: Go to My Account, then select Setup blog – more instructions here.
• Best Bet: While the tools appear as a viable solution for most people, I lost the whole “web publishing feel” due to the overall slowness and slow page rendering of the site.

Writeboard 

• Description: “Writebaords are shareable, web-based text documents that let you save every edit, roll back to any version, and easily compare changes.”
• Saving Options: Online only, sent to others as a URL to edit file.
• Sharing Options: Allows co-sharing or sharing as a reader.
• Blog Posting Options: None
• Best Bet: I strongly advise you not to use this solely for posting to blogs. It involves special formatting codes even for the most basic functions such as bolding and emphasizing text.

Write To My Blog 

• Description: “WriteToMyBlog is a free web based word processor for your Blog. Create Post Entries for your Blog from right here, completely free, no membership required, can Post to multiple Blogs simultaneously, manage your Posts, works with all major Blog programs, and is easy-peasy!”
• Saving Options: No offline saving available.  By signing up for an account, you can save your preferences online.
• Sharing Options: None
• Blog Posting Options: Allows posting to Blogger (new/old version), WordPress (.com/.org), TypePad, Moveable Type, and DotClear, or by using the MetaWeblog or Atom API.
• Best Bet: Sadly, it looks like development is not that frequent according to the blog, but the site combines the tools necessary for posting without the need for any extra tools or plugins – using an enhanced version of the TinyMCE word processor with support for adding Flickr and YouTube videos directly into your posts without having to go to the site.

Zoho Writer 

• Description: “Online Word Processor to create, edit and shared documents easily. Get rid of your desktop word processors.”  Zoho Writer and the parent company, AdventNet focus on building affordable software for businesses, making it the leading online-based productivity suite to Google Apps/Docs.
• Saving Options: Online or Offline- Word Document, DOCX, SXW, PDF, ODF (ODT), Rich Text Document, Text File, or HTML
• Sharing Options: Ability to share with individuals (email) or groups (other Zoho members) either as read-only or read/write. You can also email in/out documents to/from Zoho Docs.
• Blog Posting Options: When writing a document, click “Publish”, then either choose Post to Blog, Make Public, or Doc Roll.  Under this circumstance, you would want to post to blog, as the other options allow you to add recently published documents to your blog/site or create a unique URL to your post.  Next, you’ll have to choose a blog service (Blogger, LiveJournal, WordPress, TypePad already integrated), then input your username and password.  There is also the option of using a custom blog service with either the Blogger or a metaWeblog API.
• Best Bet: Zoho Writer is definitely a practical solution for managing your blog posts online, plus offers the ability to share them with other bloggers from your blog.  Because it is still in beta, it is offering unlimited storage space until it comes out of beta, when it will retain 1GB of online storage.

Overall, the best online word processors for bloggers are Google Docs, Zoho Writer, Solodox, and iNetWord with one or two of the others coming in close behind them.

Hopefully, as bloggers, we see more tools like these coming into the market with more support for adding (at least the most popular blog services) more blog services for publishing via their client. 

What are your thoughts on using online word processors to publish your posts?  Is the feature really worth it, or is it easier to blog online with the default WYSIWYG editor/offline using blog publishing software? 

Disclaimer: Inaccuracies may have occurred in the sharing/blogging fields of each site due to lack of documentation/navigation.

The word processors included are courtesy of Mashable’s 13 Online Word Processors.