Virtual office applications allow users to access, create, and collaborate on documents from any computer with an internet connection. Examples include Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, which allow real-time collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Other applications mentioned are Zoho Office Suite, ThinkFree Office, and OpenOffice, which provide similar functionality both online and offline. Virtual offices offer cost savings compared to traditional offices by facilitating sharing and collaboration from anywhere.

1. VIRTUAL OFFICE APPLICATIONSFromthe book: BELL, A. Exploring web 2.0.Georgetown, TX: KatyCrossingPress, 2009.

2. What is about this chapter?Chapter 11 explores the development and advantages of using a Virtual Office.

3. What are Virtual Offices Applications?Virtual Offices provide cost-cutting methods to create, share and collaborate information. By being able to access your work or work of others from any computer, anywhere and anytime. Examples are Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet and Google Presentations.

4. GOOGLE APPLICATIONSTo collaborate on documents in real timeOnline storage and auto-saveAn account with an address and a passwordEdit a document, spreadsheet or presentationAccess Google docs

5. GOOGLE DOCS Google Docs allows to: publish documents online to the world as Web pages, post documents to your blog free of charge, share files and collaborate in real-time. You can also organize documents into as many folders as you want.

6. GOOGLE SPREADSHEETTo importandexport .xls, .csv, .txtand .odsformatted dataEdit formulas andcalculateresultsmaking data lookthewaytheywantChat in real time withotherswho are editingtheirspreadsheetEmbed a spreadsheetorpartof it in a blog orwebsite

7. GOOGLE PRESENTATIONSTo importexisting .pptand .pps file typesExportusingtheSave as zipfeaturefromthe file menuInsertimagesandformat to fitpreferencesEdit other’spresentation in real timePublishpresentationandprovideaccess to it through URL

8. IGOOGLE START PAGEThefirstplace to providestudents’ access to theirinformationand search the web fromoneplace

9. GOOGLE COMMUNICATIONSCollaborative work throughGmail, Google Calendarand Google TalkaccountsOrganize andcoordinatescheduleswithfamilyandfriendsShareeventsand set automaticeventremindersincludingmobilephonenotifications

10. GOOGLE NOTEBOOKfreeinteractivepad for use in anyvisited web pagesTo write notes, to cliptexts, images, and links frompagesduring browsingSaveinformation to an online “notebooks”Collaborative work, organize notes andpermitothers to editandaddtheirown notesPublish it to the world

11. SKETCHUPYeateasy-to-learn 3D software tool to simplify 3D designUsing Google Earth it allows to placemodelsusingreal-wordcoordinates to sharethem to the world throughthe Google 3D Warehouse

12. MICROSOFT OFFICE LIVE WORKSPACEIt is an online extensionof Microsoft OfficeIt allowsusers to open andsave files from Microsoft Office XP to syncronizedcontact, tasksandevetlistswith Outlook 2003 and 2007In collaborative work it allowsusers to sharedocumentsand filesInvite others to accessyourworkspacethrough e-mail

13. ZOHO OFFICE SUITEWeb officesuitwithtools for wordprocessing,spreadsheets, presentations, databases, note taking, wikis, andother applications for individual use orintegratedbenefits for collaborative workIt allows to createcontentwith its ownprogramsormanipulate files fromother popular systems

14. ZOHO WRITEROnline wordprocessorwhichsyncronizes online andoffline works whenchangings are made in documentsThis is a usefulfeature for peoplewhoneed to createandeditdocumentson planes andtrainsorprintfromofficeswith no wireless accessiZoho is a mobile version ofZohoWriter, Sheetand Show

15. ZOHO SHEETIt allowsusers to createandshareinteractivespreadsheetsonthe webIt alsoallowsaccessfromanywhereandfacilitatescollaborative work Userscancopy-and-pastefrom Excel orimport as na Excel file as well as exportthe file back to Excel

16. ZOHO PLANNERIt is an online plannerwith a calendar, to do lists, pages, and e-mail remindersthatcanbesharedwithdifferentcollaboratorsorgroups

17. ZOHO MAILIt is a web basedcollaboration groupware which includes e-mail, calendar, document management, task management, andcontactservices

18. ZOHO CHATIt supportstraditionalprivateinstantmessagingThe script canbeembeddedintopagesor blogs

19. ZOHO SHOWIt allowsusers to access, importandeditpresentationsfromanywhereUserscanalsocreateSlideshowsorimport .ppt, .ppsorOpenOfficePresentation (.odp, .sxi) files to beembedded in a blog orwebsite

20. ZOHO CREATORIt is an online database/custom application development tool to create sophisticated process logic without knowing how to code, by dragging and dropping script elements on screen.Users can import data from .xls, .csv, and .tsv files and create forms from scratch or by using one of several templates

21. ZOHO MEETINGIt is an online meeting service which allows users to conduct web conferences and chat with participants or provide remote assistanceParticipants can edit, share data, or meet online and the meeting can be saved inside Zoho Show, Zoho Notebook or any public website or blog

22. ZOHO PROJECTSThis software allows to create tasks, assign ownership, set deadlines and track milestones, work with calendars, Gantt charts, reports, and share supporting filesIt is free for one project and has a scaled price structure after that

23. ZOHO WIKIUsers create add, edit and share wikis in different versionsWiki pages can be indexed, cached by search engine robots and listed in search results of multiple search engines

24. ZOHO NOTEBOOKUsers can aggregate any type of content from multiple applications as well as share an entire book or page granting read/write permissions

25. ZOHO CHALLENGEThis application displays multiple choice and descriptive questions with immediate results for 25 studentsThe teacher can have a report or a graphical representation of the overall results of tests

26. THINKFREE OFFICE SUITEIt is a compatible 1GB application suitewithwordprocessor, spreadsheetandpresentationgraphics software for online oroffline useIt is compatiblewith Windows, Macintosh, Unix and Linux systems

27. OPENOFFICE.ORGIt is the Microsoft Office competitorwhichcanread/writemostof its file formats as well as manyother applicationsIt is freeof charge and resides on a local desktopDownload neededIt dependes oncontributionsofdevelopersandend-users

28. USES OF VIRTUAL OFFICE WITHIN THE CURRICULUMCollaborationdocumentsandspreadsheet usesTeachingcollaborativerevisionencouragingpeereditingStudentswho do nothaveslideshowcan use thewebsite to maketheirpresentation

29. ONLINE PDF CONVERTERSUserscanaccess a free online URL to PDF converter athttp://www.html-to-pdf.net/free-online-pdf-converter.aspxor use PDF Online athttp://www.pdfonline.com/from BCL Technology

30. ONLINE SURVEY TAKERSurveyMonkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/) hasproved to be a safe, simpleway to create online surveysandanalyzetheresults

31. ONLINE PERSONAL FILE STORAGEDesigned for network storage, for personal backup, file accessor file distributionUsersupload files from Internet andsharethe password onlywiththosedesired

32. ONLINE FAX SERVICEConvert a facsimiletransmissioninto a digital file thatcanbesentandreceived via e-mailUserssign a phonenumberthatwillconvertincoming faxes to e-mail attachmentseFAX (http://home.efax.com) andMyfax (www.myfax.com); http://www.faxcompare.com/

33. JOTThttp://jott.com/userscanchoosethewaythat works better for them: Jott Express (a desktop list), Black Berry, Outlook oriGoogleHomePage

34. SUMMARYA Virtual Office Application is useful for educatorsand business people in collaborative work, sharinginformationandworking as a teamVariations in formatallowusers to download the software andthenuploadtheir work or work directlyonthe virtual officespaceSome software maintainstrictcontrol, others are Open Source

35. GROUP 5 – Cláudia / Roney / SilvanaUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisFaculdade de LetrasEspecialização em Ensino de Língua InglesaAprendizagem de Língua Inglesa Mediada por ComputadorProfa. Dra. Reinildes Dias