Google Docs has folders, but they're still tags Jul06 '07
In a recent appearance upgrade to Google Docs & Spreadsheets, folders were added.
But they don't behave like normal folders. They still behave like tags/labels, which were available in earlier versions of Google Docs.
This is causing some confusion amongst bloggers, who are proclaiming that "folders are back!" No, actually they're not back. This is just a guise.
Garett Rogers says:
Next, the whole folder structure is brand new. Strangely enough, Google abandoned the "tag" and completely replaced them with folders. Earlier today a friend of mine called me up to ask how to make folders in Google Docs - I'm betting there were a lot of people in that same boat and that's why it was changed.
Google Docs didn't abandon the tag - they simply changed the name. The concept is the same, and always has been.
The "folders" in Google Docs have every capability of a "tag" or "label," but with the appearance of a folder. That's it. They just made them look like folders, with little folder icons.
They're really tags.
"Real" folders
Folders have long been a part of operating systems and email clients. The concept of folders is familiar to everyone who's ever used a computer.
It's important to understand the distinction between folders, and tags/labels.
Behavior-wise, folders have one major drawback: You can only have one folder per item. For example, in Microsoft Outlook, I get an email from a family member, which I'd like to store in my "Family" folder. Simple enough.
However, what if that email also embodies a "Sports" topic? I also have a "Sports" folder. Ideally, that email should go in both the "Family" and the "Sports" folders.
You can't do this with most applications that allow you to utilize folders.
However, in Google Docs, you can do this. You can simply drag an item to many different folders. This makes organization much more fluent and intuitive.
Categories: Google 
, Organization , Software
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matthom is published and produced by Matt Thommes - an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from a suburb of Chicago.
Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.
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