Drive Docs

Google Drive (or Google Docs) looks to be a fantastic program. I have had a gmail account for a couple years but did not realize what I had at my fingertips. My word processing experience is mostly in Microsoft Word and the other Office programs but I may start switching over to Google entirely. The most obvious strength is the price difference. The Microsoft Suite is very expensive even for the most basic package while Drive comes right with my account and allows for inexpensive collaboration with others whether friends, family, or students. The collaboration that Drive allows is wonderful and is a major advantage over Word. The biggest disadvantage I see is the limited fonts that the program offers. Perhaps I need to look into it further but I only saw about five and couldn't tell if there is a place to download more.
Another huge advantage, and one that fits very will with the Common Core Standards is the storage capabilities in Drive. To have Google save "drafts" even without hitting the "save" button is fantastic. I prefer to write my papers in one sitting because if I go back later and rewrite something two or three times, I can't see them all and figure out which one I like best. With Drive, I can look at multiple "saves". In the same way, I can look at what students are writing in my class and give input. I don't have to wait for the "final draft" before giving guidance and steering them in the right direction (as the article mentioned several times). My concern with the Common Core and the Drive is the automatic editing of misspelled words and the writing process beginning with the word processor instead of on paper. I need to look further into the Standards to understand the spelling requirements, but starting on the word processor that will automatically change a word one misspells regularly will (in my opinion) cripple the spelling ability of the individual. It already happens occasionally in text messages. If there is a strong spelling requirement in the Common Core, then this worry is unnecessary so we'll see as I learn more about the Standards.
My partner and I had some fun with the collaborative writing and editing. It's a great feature for future classes. When I was younger, I would hand my paper to the person next to me to read and make editing marks. Then we might pass them again for one more person's editing help. After we got them back, the teacher could look and see our original with lots of student writing. Now, with the Drive collaboration capabilities I, as the teacher, can look at and offer suggestions even while other students do. I have one slight concern and that comes from personal(ish) experience. My wife and a friend were sitting in a seminar one time and they were bored so they started writing a story on a piece of paper one sentence at  a time. One would write a sentence then pass the paper. The collaborative writing and editing could become a similar distraction in class. If all the students have computers and the accounts, there is the danger that they could just talk back and forth or write stories instead of paying attention. Though simple Google Chat could have a similar effect. Perhaps I'm too paranoid? Who knows.