Writely has re-opened registration, which was suspended in March after its acquisition by Google. Writely isn’t using Google Accounts yet, which was one of the reasons for suspending registration (the other, probably more major reason was moving Writely’s backend infrastructure to Google), but is asking users to sign up for a Google Account using the email address they currently use to log in to Writely.

If you’re thinking of trying Writely and wondering what it can do for you, I can tell you this: I stopped using Microsoft Word when I discovered Writely. I keep all my documents on Writely, edit from any computer connected to the Internet, easily share them with collaborators by just emailing invites, and I can generate Word or PDF files if needed. Some of you might be saying, “I’m not comfortable storing my douments online. Isn’t it a security risk?” Your computer might crash, get stolen, or you might not have your computer with you when you need a document stored on it. By contrast, Writely has not had any security problems since I started using it, and Google has a very strong stance on information privacy, demonstrated earlier this year when it refused to give the US Government data on users’ search queries.

Even if you still feel apprehensive, give Writely a try. Start with documents you feel comfortable storing online, and I’m sure you’ll find it an indispensable tool!