Google Docs/Apps

I’ve recently been testing out Google Apps for some Primary Schools to see how well Gmail integrates with the network/ease of use. I like Gmail’s interface way better than all the seperate applications and worries about backup.

I came across this blog post about a cross-site scripting vulnerability in the way IE handles things when you’re using Google Docs. The developer that discovered it reported it and it was quickly patched, and there were no reports of the security hole being exploited.

My Colleague has said that using Google Docs or any other 3rd Party or online office suite isn’t a good idea because of possible security breaches and privacy concerns (I do tend to aggree with him) I say, provided you aren’t in medical systems, government business critical apps, or politics, the rest of you are probably OK to share your documents online within your organization - and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper (free, even) than other alternatives.

What do you think? Is Google trustworthy enough for your family finances, personal word processing documents, budgetary spreadsheets for your business, or your personal digital photos? Should small businesses trust their data on Google’s servers in exchange for convenience and cross-platform compatibility?

Let me know in the comments what you think.