Google's Writely, and more
There is lots of conversation lately about is Google evil? What if Google decided to be evil (via Google Blogoscoped)?
But no one argues much about whether Google is useful.
I am a great fan of GMail, and have, one by one, abandoned all my other accounts. So simple, so efficient -- and I love search, don't sort. Some of you may have noticed that I now have email at my domain, which is thanks to GMail Domains Beta. I'm amazed that they let me in, this little one-person operation -- but I'm delighted. It's even better than regular GMail.
Do I mind the ads?
Could anyone who has ever used Yahoo Mail or Hotmail object to the unobtrusive -- and even sometimes interesting -- Google ads?
I signed onto Writely before Google bought it (I think someone at The Well pointed me to it) and now use it almost exclusively. When I first heard the prediction that one day we would do most of our work online, and our computers would be used mostly as terminals, I thought that was nuts -- of course I would want my own software on my own machine with all my own files. And if I were still working with client files and confidential information, I would no doubt still feel that way.
But now I'm at home, and have nothing that must be so guarded. I've experienced several hard drive crashes in the intervening years, and lost files due to my not-atypical haphazard backup practices. I've had TypePad crash repeatedly in the middle of preparing complicated posts.
Writely has never crashed on me, and when my browser has, the Writely document comes up exactly how I left it. Exactly how I left it, and accessible from any computer.
It was initially a bit buggy; less so every day. It offers direct publishing to some blog hosts -- not TypePad at present, which is not a problem for me. I prefer cut & paste and publish to draft in any case. Nice clean interface, all the usual bells & whistles, spellcheck, collaboration, and tagging! What more could one want in a word processor?
Only recently did I discover that I can offer it to you, even though it's currently not open for new registrations. The Writely Blog tells me:
No need to wait until Writely registration opens up again. When you have a Writely account, you have the power . . . Just add them as collaborators on a Writely document and click "OK" to email them. You can invite up to 50 new people by adding them as collaborators to Writely documents.
So, all 50 of you who would like a Writely account, drop me a comment or an email and tell me where to send the invitation. If GMail still requires invitations (surely not?) I can send you one of those, too.
[crossposted to Watermark]



Yes please - I'd like a Writely invitation. Please send it to tillermeister@gmail.com. Thanks
Posted by:Tillerman | June 10, 2006 at 06:48 AM
Please may I have a Writely invite too?
Thanks in advance.
White
(whitefiver at gmail dot com)
Posted by: | June 12, 2006 at 11:50 AM
Hey,
I'd sure appreciate a Writely invitation if you still have one to spare!
johnilangille@gmail.com
Thanks a lot!
John
Posted by:John | June 13, 2006 at 05:24 PM
Hi,
Could you please send an invite to: richard.eid at gmail? Thank you.
Posted by:Rich | June 15, 2006 at 08:53 AM
Please send me a writely invite
wayne@aquaexperts.com
Posted by: | June 18, 2006 at 09:53 PM
Please send a writely invite to shapere at gmail dot com. Thanks!
Posted by:Al | June 18, 2006 at 11:49 PM
i would very much like an invite to writely. i promise to also pass along my writely invites once i sign up.
tia
Posted by:mamund | June 19, 2006 at 08:45 AM
I would love a writely invitation to la8rga8r@gmail.com. Thanks so much!
Posted by:Tina | June 19, 2006 at 09:18 AM
Yo, I'd love a writely invite! I've never used Gmail and would be interested in trying that too if you can send an invite for that also.
apinksquash@msn.com
- Thanks, Joe
Posted by:Joe | June 20, 2006 at 12:52 PM
I'd like a Writely invitation. Could you please send it to: aceharris "at" gmail.com
Posted by: | June 20, 2006 at 01:25 PM
Hi, Can I have a writely invite?!! Thank you so much!! Your articles are great!!
Yours,
Coach Mark
Posted by:Mark Berry | June 20, 2006 at 02:45 PM
Hey I would love an invite if possible, thanks!
James
jamesmdasher(at)gmail(dot)com
Posted by:James Dasher | June 22, 2006 at 06:28 PM
I would love to have an invite to Writerly if you have any left! Thanks so much!
kj@good-enough.org
KJ
Posted by:Kathy | June 23, 2006 at 03:30 PM
if you still have invites, I'd love one. Just got back from CTC in Boston and was quite impressed with Google's capabilities.
Posted by:kevin | June 23, 2006 at 07:48 PM
Please send me an invitation - mikeiza17@yahoo.com ... thanks!!!
Posted by:MIKE | June 25, 2006 at 03:01 PM
I would very much appreciate a writely invitation, I find it a hassle transporting files I'm working on between school and home and this would help me greatly. Thanks! - corydkiser(at)gmail(dot)com
Posted by:Cory Kiser | June 25, 2006 at 09:37 PM
I would love a writely invitation. I'm at mononoke24@yahoo.com
Posted by:Vanessa | June 29, 2006 at 11:00 AM
would you send me an invite?
allisonalbrecht at hotmail dot com
thanks!
Posted by:allison | June 30, 2006 at 06:39 AM
If anyone has anymore writely invites, please send me one at:
dsdeis@gmail.com
Thank you
Posted by:dsdeis | July 02, 2006 at 11:10 AM
could you please send me an invitation on my email: na.affan@gmail.com
Posted by:Poet | July 03, 2006 at 01:34 AM
Hello,
If you have any writely invites left, I'd love to have one please.
Thanks
drkencarter@gmail.com
Posted by:Ken Carter | July 05, 2006 at 10:01 AM
Hi,
I'd really appreciate a writely account also.. Please share the love..
mickfromperth@gmail.com
Posted by:mike | July 06, 2006 at 06:22 AM
Please send me an invite to writely
jojobu@gmail.com
Posted by:jojobu | July 06, 2006 at 06:44 PM
Please may I have a Writely invite too?
Thanks :-)
Petr
Posted by:Petr | July 09, 2006 at 06:33 PM
Please may I have a Writely invite too?
Thanks :-)
Petr
akbrno@gmail.com
Posted by:Petr | July 09, 2006 at 06:35 PM