SAN FRANCISCO : Google on Wednesday launched a test version of a service that lets users create documents or spread sheets online instead of needing word processing software on their computers.

The Google Docs and Spreadsheets service was a "mash-up," or meshing, of its Spreadsheets programme and word processing capabilities from Writely, which Google bought earlier this year.

"We took Writely, the web word processor, and integrated it with Google Spreadsheets," Google product marketing manager Jen Mazzon said in her company blog.

"The result is one place where you can create, store, share and publish your documents and spreadsheets online. Keeping your documents and spreadsheets online is a treat because you can access them from anywhere via a web browser."

The move was part of a "Web 2.0" trend in which software applications are hosted online by companies instead of bought by users and installed on home or workplace computers.

Google's new service was seen by analysts as a rival to the ubiquitous Word and Excel programs by software giant Microsoft in Redmond, Washington.

A key benefit of the service is that it allowed people to collaborate online by being able to simultaneously work on documents or spreadsheets from varying computers and places, according to Mazzon.

"I'm looking forward to the day when all my applications are online," Ken Leebow, author of the book series 300 Incredible Things to Do on the Internet, wrote in a review of the Google service.

"Whenever I have an idea or information to place in the book, I just go to the nearest computer." - AFP

Gee, I hope this doesn't overshadow their purchase of YouTube.