Who says a web-based office suite doesn’t make sense? I’m writing this post in Writely, a web-based word processor that supports posting to weblogs (complete with preview mode) as well as real-time collaboration, basic document management, and several other very nice features. It even does auto-save, and there’s a spell checker too, complete with squiggly lines underneath misspelled words.
I decided to give Writely a try after Steve Rubel explained how he uses it to draft blog posts, thinking it might make a nice alternative to the antiquated TEXTAREA widget that is, remarkably enough, still the primary interface for editing the web after all these years.
Now that I’m using it, though, I’m beginning to see how it could grow into more than that, at least for me. Sure, it’s fairly simplistic, but it does all the basics reasonably well, so that’s actually a feature (Steve says: “Think of it as Microsoft Word for the Web – except with just the parts you need!”). Combine that with the ability to access my documents from any computer, as well as the collaboration facilities (which look interesting and appear to go above and beyond the heavyweight email-based collaboration features found in more traditional office suites, though I haven’t tried them yet), and I’m intrigued.
Now, if there were only a Writely component I could include in other web applications, or maybe even graft in as a substitute for the TEXTAREAs on arbitrary webpages using some sort of Firefox extension or Greasemonkey script. I’d love to see support for the Open Document Format too, so I could use Writely as a sort of document store and pass documents between thin client and fat client seamlessly. Then we’d be getting into really intriguing territory. (While I’m at it, a way to pull down the templates and style sheets from my weblog for a true WYSIWYG editing experience would be very nice too. Heck, as long as we’re thinking outside the box, why not just allow me to edit the page directly?)
(As I’m writing this, I can’t help but think of the Innovator’s Dilemma
Update: I couldn’t get the blog posting feature of Writely to work, so I ended up copying-and-pasting the HTML into WordPress. Oh, well. On a brighter note, while I was fiddling with the blog posting feature, CNET News.com reported that Writely is adding support for the Open Document Format and intends to add support for PDF too. Suite!
You’re running WordPress, so when you upgrade to the forthcoming 2.0 version, you’ll get to enjoy the new, integrated TinyMCE post composition screen.
Personally I dislike it, but I know a lot of people who will love this. My mom composes all her blog entries in Microsoft Word, and then transfers them to her blog with good ol’ fashioned copy-and-paste. TinyMCE will present her with a comfortable composition screen and allow her to eliminate Word from her workflow.
You can see it in action at this test blog.
I recognize that this doesn’t address your actual wish (Writely everywhere); but perhaps TinyMCE will be “good enough” to replace many textareas.
It’s not so much that I want Writely everywhere–it’s more that I want rich editing everywhere. Ideally, an open API would emerge that’s eventually standardized into a web platform of sorts (de facto or otherwise), so I could use the rich editor of my choice, which in turn hooks into my document store of choice, which in turn hooks into other document stores via open APIs, and so on.. Now that would be something, wouldn’t it? -ian
Ian, have you checked out Fckeditor?
Chenpress a WordPress WYSIWYG plugin which replace the default editor with FCKeditor 2.x.
Thanks for the heads up on this one, I can see it being a very useful tool and a pointer to how thin/fat client integration can develop in the future. I’m going to enjoy using this!
David,
Yes, I have, and I remember having several problems with it (enough that I stopped using it), though I can’t remember what those problems were. That was a while ago too, so it’s probably worth another try. From a “bigger picture” perspective, I’m hoping to eventually have something that can be delivered over the web as a component, i.e., that I don’t have to install on my server.
-ian
Ian,
I also created a writely account recently & was wondering about other office web applications. I came up with this for a spreadsheet in my first search. Haven’t had time to search for more though.
http://numsum.com/
Take care,
Jim