We’ve talked before about some of the many things you can do with Google Docs — from creating a custom RSS news page for your website to, most recently, the new shared folders feature.  Since then, Google has kept on turning out some small but significant improvements to Google Docs, to streamline the editing tools, add useful management options, and make online collaboration with non-Google-users more convenient.

Uniform Interface

Google Docs editors now have a standardized look and feel, so the links, title area, menus, and toolbar are now almost exactly the same whether you’re working on documents, spreadsheets, or presentations.

New Settings

“Where items open” seems a small tweak, but it removes a small annoyance and could conceiveably save you a load of clicks in the course of a work day.

Better Sharing

One of the roadblocks to collaborating with Google Docs, for many organizations, was the need for others to also be Google Docs users if you wanted to share a document. Now it’s possible to email your document as an attachment to anyone you want to share it with.

… and much much more

Check out 100 Great Google Docs Tips for Students at AccreditedOnlineColleges.org for a giant list of links to hacks, tips, and shortcuts to help make your Google Docs collaboration more productive.  Of course, I’d be more productive if Google Docs would make a pot of coffee while I’m working, but let’s face it — there are some things that even the wonders of web-based technology can’t accomplish!

Did you know that Google does crowdsourcing, by the way? Visit the new product ideas page to make your suggestions of ways to improve Google products and root for the features you’d like to see added next.