using apps - under construction

To try/explain
  • Consumer account
    • Create a site using a non Google Apps account
    • Share a site with a Google Apps account

  • Google Apps account
    • Sites service on
      • Create a site using a Google Apps account
      • Create a consumer site using a Google Apps account
      • Access a consumer site shared with GA account
    • Sites service off
      • Create a site using a Google Apps account
      • Create a consumer site using a Google Apps account
      • Access a consumer site shared with GA account

Google Account types

First, you need to understand that there are two types of Google account. Google Apps Accounts and so-called 'Consumer' Accounts.
  • All xxx@gmail.com (or xxx@googlemail) accounts are Consumer Accounts.
  • Any Google account which has been created by going to https://www.google.com/accounts/ and associating an email address with a Google account is also a Consumer Account.
  • Google accounts that have been created as part of a Google Apps domain are Google Apps Accounts.

Likewise there are two types of Google site. Sites that have been created within a Google Apps domain and sites that have been created by a Consumer Account.

The two types of site can be recognised by the different construction of the site address (URL) that can be seen in the browser address bar. i.e.

  • A Google Apps Site has the form: sites.google.com/a/DOMAINNAME/SITENAME
  • A Consumer Site has the form: sites.google.com/site/SITENAME

The 'My Sites' list

The generic url for the 'My Sites' list is sites.google.com.
  • If you are signed in with a Consumer Account, sites.google.com will display the same list of Sites as sites.google.com/site/sites.

  • If you are signed in with a Google Apps account belonging to the domain domainnameX, sites.google.com will re-direct to https://sites.google.com/a/domainnameX. 

For a non-Google Apps Google Account users

If you are signed in with a Consumer Account the Sites that are displayed when you go to sites.google.com (or sites.google.com/site/sites) are Consumer Sites where you are listed in the Site permissions as a viewer OR editor OR owner.
No Google Apps Sites will be displayed in this list.

If you are signed in with a Consumer Account, the Sites list at https://sites.google.com/a/domainname
(e.g. https://sites.google.com/a/pjrprojects.co.uk ) will display 'My Sites' in the Google Apps domain domainname i.e. Sites in that domain where you are listed in the Site permissions as a viewer OR editor OR owner.

For a Google Apps Google account users

If you are signed in with a Google Apps account belonging to the domain domainnameX,  https://sites.google.com/a/domainnameX (re-directed from sites.google.com) are Sites in that Google Apps domain only if you are listed in the Site permissions as a viewer OR editor OR owner.

If you are signed in with a Google Apps account, to see the Consumer Account Sites that have been explicitly shared with you, go to sites.google.com/site/sites

If you are signed in with a Google Apps account belonging to the domain domainnameX, to see the Sites in domain domainnameY that have been explicitly shared with you as well as 'Public on the web' Sites for that domain, go to:
https://sites.google.com/a/domainnameY/sites/system/app/pages/meta/dashboard/categories
e.g.
https://sites.google.com/a/pjrprojects.co.uk/sites/system/app/pages/meta/dashboard/categories


NB. in all cases, the user account has to be listed explicitly by name. If they are a Viewer/Editor/Owner only because they are a member of a group which has that access level, the site will not appear in their My Sites list.

Consumer Accounts

Creating a Site

If you are signed in with a Consumer Account any Site you create will appear in sites.google.com.

Sharing a Site

Consumer Account Sites shared with a Consumer Account will be accessible by that account and will be visible at sites.google.com.

Consumer Account Sites shared with a Google Apps account will be accessible by that account and will be visible at sites.google.com/site/sites UNLESS: the Sites service has been switched off for that Domain or for the sub-organisation within that domain that the user belongs to.

Apps Accounts

Creating a Site

If you are signed in with a Google Apps Account:
  • If the Sites service has been switched off for that Domain or for the sub-organisation within that domain that the user belongs to then you will not have access to https://sites.google.com/a/domainname and will not be able to create any Sites

  • If the Sites service is switched on but the Site creation setting for that Domain or for the sub-organisation within that domain that the user belongs to is set to 'users cannot create sites', then you will have access to https://sites.google.com/a/domainname but you will not be able to create any Sites

  • If the Sites service is switched on and the Site creation setting for that Domain or for the sub-organisation within that domain that the user belongs to is set to 'users can create sites', then you will have access to https://sites.google.com/a/domainname and any Site you create will appear in https://sites.google.com/a/domainname.

Sharing a Site

Google Apps Account Sites shared with a Consumer Account will be accessible by that account and will be visible at https://sites.google.com/a/domainname (Check this - what if service is on but disabled for sub-org?)

Google Apps Account Sites shared with a Google Apps Account will be accessible by that account and will be visible at sites.google.com/site/sites UNLESS: the Sites service has been switched off for that Domain or for the sub-organisation within that domain that the user belongs to.

To check:
What if you are the owner of a Google Apps site and the Sites service is subsequently switched off for that domain

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