Monday, May 9, 2011

My Google-apps terms

Problems

Google's naming (e.g., Google-apps, Google-docs, Google-sites) does not capitalizes first letter (i.e., otherwise we have to write fully "Google-xxxx") and also names them in plural.  This is not practical in documentation when we refer particular source in its service.  Worst of all is GDocs text document that its term is also too generic.

For examples:
  • "... refer 'Project-X proposal' GDocs document":  someone might wonder: is it the 'document' type or another document type?
  • "... posted in Google-sites 'Project X' under section ...", or "in GSites 'Project X' ..." and anyway neither of them appears grammatically correct about plurality; or we have to write longer "... Google-sites site 'Project X' ..."


My terminology:
  • GDocs, GSites: Google docs/sites services
  • G.document or G.text, G.spreadsheet, G.presentation, G.drawing: document of Google-docs's native types (i.e., not an uploaded file).
    • GDocs.xxxx where xxxx is either of text, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing: another alternative as GDocs.text looks less confusing than G.document or G.text.
    • Note that 'text' document does not mean plain-text file (.txt) which is so familiarly perceived.
  • GDocs file: GDocs uploaded document/file, not converted to native type.
  • G.site: a site in GSites system
  • GSites page/comment: page or comment in a G.site.