Crocodoc offers free online services allowing all users to upload documents in the most useful and popular formats, such as DOC, PDF, PPT, and collaboratively mark them up and place various annotations on them. While the service does not allow changing the text itself on the document, users are able to place comments on the document in various ways in form of sticky notes, highlighted text, and adding drawings.
Comments show up on the right of the document and can be replied to as well as deleted by the comment creator. Creating an account will allow you to keep track of your created documents and comments, but you can use all of Crocodoc's tools without an account as well.
Comments show up on the right of the document and can be replied to as well as deleted by the comment creator. Creating an account will allow you to keep track of your created documents and comments, but you can use all of Crocodoc's tools without an account as well.
The following formats are supported: PDF, DOC/DOCX, PPT/PPTX, PNG, and JPG.
What can you use the application for?
In addition to its unique name, Crocodoc also provides its users with a valuable service utilizing tools that are quickly becoming mandatory in today's business world, as well as offering solutions to the problems of communicating about a collaborative project when the team players are not located in the same office. Crocodoc offers the option for anyone to work with, and edit, a number of different types of documents, including Word documents, PDF documents, web pages, and PowerPoint slides. There is no charge for this basic service. However, a Pro service that offers more options for data management and security is available. Within the Crocodoc website, there is a user forum that was set up to offer helpful information on typical problems encountered by users, as well as answers to specific questions posed by users. Unfortunately, the forum seems to contain a number of spam posts and comments that are posted in response to users valid suggestions. In addition, there seems to be little feedback from the website managers.
What is the history and popularity of the application?
Founded by three MIT graduates, and one MIT attendee who dropped out in order to help launch successful internet startups, Crocodoc's creators are the same people who brought WebNotes, a tool used by professionals and educators across the globe to manage research, to the web. Y Combinator, and other investors provide funding for Crocodoc. The company is based in Silicon Valley California, and also has offices in Boston.
What are the differences to other applications?
There is no need to register to use the services of the site. However, commenting in the forum does require signing up and logging in first. It appears that the only way to sign up is by using an existing account with sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo, Twitter, Blogger, WordPress, and AOL, among some other, lesser known sites. For most users of the Crocodoc site, this should not be a problem. For the few people without such accounts, setting up such an account will take mere minutes.
How does the application look and feel to use?
The Crocodoc website is clean and uncluttered. There are a minimum of tabs to navigate, and the site is user friendly. The tools that Crocodoc offers are visible on the home page in order to facilitate ease of use.
How does the registration process work?
There is no need to register to use the services of the site. However, commenting in the forum does require signing up and logging in first. It appears that the only way to sign up is by using an existing account with sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo, Twitter, Blogger, WordPress, and AOL, among some other, lesser known sites. For most users of the Crocodoc site, this should not be a problem. For the few people without such accounts, setting up such an account will take mere minutes.
What does it cost to use the application?
Crocodoc's free usage option does not offer a way to track documents made with the service. The option to bookmark those documents made as a tracking system is available, however. For users that need, or want more, however, a Pro plan is available. For $8 per month, or $36 per year, the Pro plan offers the option to password protect documents, upload larger file sizes, saved edited documents as PDFs, and lots more tools that almost any business, or educational service, will find useful. The Pro plan does require registration as well as creating a user name and password. Payment is via a credit card with security and processing completed by Chase Paymentech. No credit card information is stored on the Crocodoc system.
Who would you recommend the application to?
Users in the business field as well as in the education field will find that using Crocodoc's services will streamline their collaborative processes.
Crocodoc Features
- Crocodoc offers lots of options if a user needs help. Emailing the support team is always an option, as well as utilizing the Live Chat feature.
- No registration is necessary in order to use the Crocodoc website tools.
- Those users who desire more security options, as well as data management tools, have the option to sign up for the Crocodoc Pro plan for a modest yearly, or monthly, fee.
- Crocodoc is a free service that is available for anyone to use.
- The website interface is uncluttered and laid out in a pleasing manner that allows users to get straight to work.
Access the Crocodoc website to check the offered features: http://crocodoc.com/
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