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New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

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Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#51

Post by chestnut-tree »

gdulli wrote: post #24

I'm at my first company that uses Google apps and it's been a bad experience. There's so much about email and calendaring that Outlook/Exchange got right that it's hard to be without it after taking it for granted. Using a native rich application is always going to be superior to building a web app on top of a browser. Once you're used to real applications, Gmail and the other apps aren't suitable for anything more t…

I completely agree. I'm not impressed by the new features of Google sheets when desktop apps have had these features (and much more) for years and years. Sure, Sheets runs in a browser which is an impressive feat, but it can't match the speed, responsiveness, or the much richer interactions possible with a desktop app.

Plus, if I'm running a desktop app I can be pretty sure it's not tracking and recording my every action. Can the same be said for when you sign into to use Google Sheets?

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#52

Post by oftenwrong »

gdulli wrote: post #24

I'm at my first company that uses Google apps and it's been a bad experience. There's so much about email and calendaring that Outlook/Exchange got right that it's hard to be without it after taking it for granted. Using a native rich application is always going to be superior to building a web app on top of a browser. Once you're used to real applications, Gmail and the other apps aren't suitable for anything more t…

>Using a native rich application is always going to be superior to building a web app on top of a browser.

Always? You think that will be true 20 years from now?

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#53

Post by FigBug »

dragonwriter wrote: post #32
FigBug wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still find it bizarre that the actual files still aren't synced in the google drive desktop app. Instead they are synced and stored in the browser. I'm assuming this means you have to go into the browser and get the latest versions before you go offline, rather than the desktop app keeping you in sync. The desktop app really feels neglected, like it's a checkbox feature to compete with Dropbox.

> I still find it bizarre that the actual files still aren't synced in the google drive desktop app. I suspect one of the reasons for that is that the native storage isn't a file format at all, and that all of a users sheets (and other files for the Google apps) are stored in a set of entries in an online database. > The desktop app really feels neglected, like it's a checkbox feature to compete with Dropbox. The abi…

> I suspect one of the reasons for that is that the native storage isn't a file format at all, and that all of a users sheets (and other files for the Google apps) are stored in a set of entries in an online database.

If the DB entries can be duplicated to the users browser, then they could be serialized to a file in the users google drive. This would allow people to back up their files, move files out of google drive when it gets full and move them back in when they need them. That guy that lost all his files a few months ago would have been ok. I can't see a good reason the .gsheet files are just bookmarks. I want my files.

Also, if somebody from Google is reading this, please add a reconnect option to Google drive. Exiting and re-running drive is a pain after every network failure, hibernation, etc.

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#54

Post by pisarzp »

nailer wrote: post #27

Can we insert rows normally now? In a discoverable, intuitive way, like Edit -> Insert rows used in every other spreadsheet ever? Currently the solution is this: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/44684?hl=en Eg, to add 30 rows, select 30 random rows, no matter what they are, as long as your selection is 30 high. Then you right click the row area, you get the option to insert 30 rows. Who does UX for these produ…

It works almost just like in Excel. Select row (or 30 if you need them, "shift + space" is the shortcut, same as Excel) Then go to Insert menu (Ctrl + ⌥ + I) and then W.

Very easy and fast.

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#55

Post by peter_l_downs »

mierle wrote: post #30
gdulli wrote: post #24

I'm at my first company that uses Google apps and it's been a bad experience. There's so much about email and calendaring that Outlook/Exchange got right that it's hard to be without it after taking it for granted. Using a native rich application is always going to be superior to building a web app on top of a browser. Once you're used to real applications, Gmail and the other apps aren't suitable for anything more t…

I recently went through an acquisition where we transitioned from Google Apps to the Microsoft suite. I do not share your love of Microsoft's suite. Among the many problems I have with the Microsoft suite, Outlook is at the top of my list for generating the most frustration. GMail's priority inbox and new-style inbox where machine learning is used to sort out mail is a productivity booster for me. With Outlook, I reg…

I was about to write this comment!

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#56

Post by wodenokoto »

azakai wrote: post #23
discardorama wrote: post #9

"works offline" ... in Chrome only!

It's been years and still Google only implements offline mode in docs for Chrome? This looks shameful, but perhaps there is some reason that Google people reading HN can explain? From what I can tell this requires a Chrome app from the Chrome Web Store. So it is not standard HTML5 stuff. Does Google intend to fully support non-Chrome browsers? This behavior seems to show otherwise.

While it is hard to say what Google expects to do or not to do, it does seem like Google are building an app platform on Chrome in parallel to the so called web app platform (HTML5 + Javascript).

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#57

Post by foz »

alexman wrote: post #43
nailer wrote: post #27

Can we insert rows normally now? In a discoverable, intuitive way, like Edit -> Insert rows used in every other spreadsheet ever? Currently the solution is this: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/44684?hl=en Eg, to add 30 rows, select 30 random rows, no matter what they are, as long as your selection is 30 high. Then you right click the row area, you get the option to insert 30 rows. Who does UX for these produ…

The one thing that really annoys me is that they don't have a keyboard shortcut for adding a new row. Now I always have to 1) Shift space to select the current row 2) Press the "right-click" button the keyboard 3) Press the down arrow 4 times to select "Insert 1 above" 4) Press enter Or else I've to use the mouse, which is equally slow. It's really silly given that how often people insert rows.

This is something Apple Numbers did right. Option-Up or Down makes a new row. Bliss.

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#58

Post by callesgg »

gdulli wrote: post #24

I'm at my first company that uses Google apps and it's been a bad experience. There's so much about email and calendaring that Outlook/Exchange got right that it's hard to be without it after taking it for granted. Using a native rich application is always going to be superior to building a web app on top of a browser. Once you're used to real applications, Gmail and the other apps aren't suitable for anything more t…

I hear that stuff all the time, but no one seams to be able to tell me what those features that are "just right" are.

   I can't assume I can right click and get anything useful
In a browser the right mouse button is generally not used that is right.

   The concept of a consistent menu bar you can access with hotkeys is gone.
Google apps have hotkeys just learn them, then you can use them.

   the input lag is intolerable.
That kind of depends on your computer/Internet line. For me google apps loads faster than outlook. But that is for me.

Our company probably saves something like 3000 USD per user by using google apps. Mostly administrative costs.

Could you list some features that are not just cause you are used to Outlook?

Re: New Google Sheets: faster, more powerful, and works offline

#60

Post by DominikR »

csmuk wrote: post #47
sheetjs wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The $0 Google Docs is correctly priced for what it offers: spreadsheet functionality for the lower 80% of the market that doesn't use advanced features and most likely wouldn't pay for a solution

The $0 skydrive facility (gives you Excel, PowerPoint, Word) is the same on the MS side of things. Hell even a WP8 handset with office is $80 now. If you want to pay for it you get a crap load more from O365.

> If you want to pay for it you get a crap load more from O365.

Might be true, but Google Docs has more than enough features for me so I'm not going to pay for O365.

And I am surely not going to use a WP8 handset as long as the ecosystem is so poor compared to Apple's App Store/Google Play.

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