Search engine provider Google has begun the process of rolling out offline access to its Docs service, it has been revealed.Initially trialled on a small percentage of internet users, Google Docs offline enables people to access their documents without being connected to the web.
Commenting on the new offering, Philip Tucker, a software engineer at Google Docs, stated: "You no longer need an internet connection when inspiration strikes. Whether you're working on an airplane or in a cafe, you can automatically access all your docs on your own computer."
He added: "Cloud computing is great, but you need the cloud to make it work. On an airplane, on the shuttle commuting to work, or at home when my cable modem goes down, I want to work on my documents. And, until now, that usually meant saving a copy and editing on the desktop."
With the offline version, however, users can now take their "little piece of the cloud" with them and, once the feature is enabled, they will have a local version of their document list and editors, along with their documents.
When internet users are connected to the web, all the changes they make on Google Docs applications are saved to the cloud.
If they subsequently lose their connection, some features are sacrificed but they will still be able to access their documents and, when the connection comes back, the documents are synchronised with the server.
According to CRN magazine, the move to roll out offline access to Google Docs is "an important step" by the search engine provider in its battle with Microsoft Office Live.
