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Old 9 Jun 2019, 01:13 PM   #1
rscaramelo
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Question de-googling.....

Hi,
Are there any good alternatives to google docs that FM users use?
Thanks
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Old 9 Jun 2019, 07:45 PM   #2
Berenburger
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rscaramelo View Post
Hi,
Are there any good alternatives to google docs that FM users use?
Thanks
One of the other of the big three?
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Old 9 Jun 2019, 09:26 PM   #3
rscaramelo
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Are there any smaller known options that might be a little more secure? In going with FM I am trying to get away from the big guys and having better email is a plus.
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Old 9 Jun 2019, 09:26 PM   #4
Folio
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I have tried using Fastmail’s “Files” feature with WebDAV. The two approaches I tried were:

1) mounting my Fastmail files as a network drive, and
2) using LibreOffice’s ability to open files directly over WebDAV without mounting the files directory on the file system.

Depending on how you use Google Docs, this may or may not work for you.
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Old 9 Jun 2019, 10:31 PM   #5
rscaramelo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Folio View Post
I have tried using Fastmail’s “Files” feature with WebDAV. The two approaches I tried were:

1) mounting my Fastmail files as a network drive, and
2) using LibreOffice’s ability to open files directly over WebDAV without mounting the files directory on the file system.

Depending on how you use Google Docs, this may or may not work for you.
I am not a heavy user of it however I do get an occasional spreadsheet emailed to me or sometimes I need to write something so having an online option is nice. I use a MacBook at home so Pages or Numbers works great but is lacking when I need it at work on my Windows PC. It does have an online version but its meh...
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Old 10 Jun 2019, 12:50 AM   #6
BritTim
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I am a fan of cloud apps for various reasons. However, if you are trying to escape the clutches of the big providers, services like Google Docs become a problem. The full functionality provided by the big providers in this area are just beyond the resources of small organisations. I do not think a browser only cloud approach from a small player is going to be found.

It seems as though you may not need the collaboration features of Google Docs and similar. If you just need a service that allows easy access to your files wherever you happen to be, together with the peace of mind that backup is properly addressed for you, it may be possible to get something appropriate. Someone suggested LibreOffice and WebDAV (supported on both Windows and Mac). This requires LibreOffice to be available on both. You may not be free to install programs on your work PC, but LibreOffice Portable on a pendrive is, more than likely, permissible. Using FastMail Files Storage (to hold the files you want always available) is an option. There are no automatic versioning or restore features which is not ideal. You might want to look for a cloud storage solution that facilitates that.

What I have takes a lot of setup. I have a Synology NAS which I keep always on, and accessible via the Internet. I can access my files in a number of ways, including via WebDAV. The NAS is configured to take daily backups of the changed files. It works well for me, and privacy is ensured, but a non technical user would need help in setting this up.
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Old 20 Jun 2019, 05:29 AM   #7
TenFour
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There are lots of alternatives to Google Docs and Drive, but none that offer the same cost/benefit ratio. Various versions of Microsoft Office 365 offer 1TB of storage and online versions of Word, Excel, etc. Zoho has a complete suite of online services that compare to Google's and even expand on what is available. iCloud and Apple's online programs are obvious competitors. Dropbox is a big player that includes simple editing with Paper. My biggest stumbling block in moving away from Google would be Photos. Nothing can beat unlimited photo storage for free (at High Quality), plus quick search and many other very useful features. I have so many photos stored there just the process of moving them out would be a multi-day affair, if not longer, and would cost me a bundle in annual fees most places.
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