What value is there in "Offline Google"?

The announcement by Google to support offline use of Google Docs (and other Google Apps in the future) will supposedly introduce some exciting possibilities.

From my viewoint, for all the reasons that I want to use Google Docs, offline access is not top of my list. In fact, I don't even think it is on my list.

I primarily use Google Docs for collaboration, centralised storage and for access from other PCs.

So on the collaboration front, I'll be keen to see how offline/online file synchronisation is handled. I have serious doubts.

And having a copy of the document locally on my PC, so I can edit it offline, now defeats the purpose of centralised storage, as how do I ensure that any changes I make, or new documents I create, are safe?

I certainly don't use Google Docs because it is free, as I use the much better and more powerful OpenOffice on my home PC.

So why do you use Google Docs, and is being offline a real benefit to you?

Stuart