OK, I'm composing this post in Google Docs. I can certainly see some advantages to using online apps: not having documents tied to a particular PC, not having to wonder whether a shared computer will have the right software, being able to share files, etc. And there are some possible uses for libraries. For example, staff throughout our system use Google Docs spreadsheets for scheduling; supervisors have editing access, while other staff can view the schedule from wherever they happen to be (including checking it from home if need be).
I also tried out Google Docs form creator, which was very interesting; here is the result (I had to add this in Blogger after sending the post from Google Docs):
(Mind, I'm not sure yet what becomes of this information after someone clicks "Submit"; I'll post a follow-up when I know more.)
There are, however, a few drawbacks or limitations as well. If all of your schedules are on Google Docs, a loss of Internet access (which does happen from time to time) can become a significant problem instead of a minor inconvenience. Forgetting to log out of your account on a shared computer opens up security and privacy issues. Less important, users who like to use a variety of fonts in their documents are now likely to be satisfied with the limited number of fonts available in Google Docs.
So while online apps can be very useful, I don't think I'm quite ready to give up my desktop apps just yet.
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So - after submitting the form, the results show up in a spreadsheet in my Google Docs account. This could conceivably be useful as a quick and easy way to post a survey on a library Web site.
TYPO CORRECTION: That should say that "users who like to use a variety of fonts in their documents are NOT likely to be satisfied...." Also worth noting: Blogger's editing interface apparently does not like the embedded form and therefore won't let me edit the post now.
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