7 Things you should know about Google Apps

This 7 Things describes Google's collection of web based programmes and file storage that run in a web browser. Users don't have to buy and install software; instead they just log on to get to their files and the applications needed to manipulate them.
There are apps for communication (gmail, Google Talk and Google Calendar), productivity tools (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and surveys) and more. The base version is free or users can pay to get extra features.
Google Apps are popular with students and some tertiary institutions are now using gmail for students while maintaining inhouse systems for staff. There is concern amongst staff about keeping their files on someone else's server with resulting security breaches and loss of control.
It's possible for a group of users to share files so they can, eg, work collaboratively on a document rather than distributing copies to each user so they can work on them separately.
The big plus for Google Apps (and similar products from other providers) is that they foster a collaborative teaching and learning environment.