Overview of Etherpad

Etherpad is a digital document creator, created and supported by AppJet Inc, a Californian company, which allows up to eight users at any one time to create, edit and delete the text on a document in real time. Think of a group activity where you ask children to brainstorm on one sheet of paper, and then consider the enormous advantages that this has when eight children (or 16 if pairs share) have access to creating this same document.

Although billed as real-time, there is just a small delay, but given this is a new, and beta, service, that isn’t something to grumble over. Users can show their identity, select their colour, and save edits (although this doesn’t allow tracking of the comments they made). There is also the facility to create an etherpad document using your own name; etherpad.com/bestpancakerecipe, for example. Although this is clearly susceptible to vandalism, the ability to save and restore relieves this pressure. Continue reading →