Using Cloud Based Services

The cloud can be defined as an online storage "drive" where you store information.  The advantage over traditional storage media, such as the thumbdrive, is the ability to access information from any location.  WIth cloud computing, you can access your information from a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.  The three most popular services include Apple's Icloud, Google's Drive, and Microsoft's Skydrive.

Apple computer's Icloud allows an Apple user to create and store documents on their cloud.  Using online versions of their Iwork  software which includes Pages, Numbers, and Presentations, documents are saved online.  You can access them from your iphone, ipod touch, ipad, Macintosh computer, or any computer that has internet access, allowing you to work from anywhere.  The disadvantage with Icloud is the ability to export documents into a format that allows the Apple product to play nice with open source file formats, or MS office files.  In order to have these file formats to work with other programs, you must export the document to a office format on a Mac computer running Apple's Pages, Numbers, or Presentation software. When you do print, it will turn it into a .pdf format, which is and acceptable way of sending documents to share with others.

Google's Drive allows a Google user access to their online "Drive" account.  Here you can upload documents, create  word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation files, as well as have a storehouse for Chrome applications you choose to select with your Google account.  Many of these applications are free for users to use, and allow access by the user from a phone, tablet, or computer on any platform.  There are numerous applications that can enhance your productivity, depending upon your particular interests and needs.

Microsoft's Skydrive allows the user to create and manage documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.  You can also upload pdf and photos to your Skydrive to use wherever you may be within your documents.  Word, Excel, and Powerpoint have web versions that are more considered office "light", however for basic document work can easily meet most peoples needs.  One added bonus is an online version of One note, which is similar to a regular paper notebook.  You create a notebook. then pages within the notebook to store your information.  If you use One note, realize that the text, graphics, etc are part of a digital ink, and can be copied and pasted into office products.

Which every cloud service you choose, there are advantages and disadvantages to each one.  Decide what you are comfortable with and take care with whom  and how you allow others to access your shared files.

It's a Tool

   

It's a Tool

 With the advent of personal computing in it's various forms, the one thing being noticed at the Community college is the skill of people using their portable devices to interact in the social media of their life, creating groups, private threads, and collaborative groups.  The idea that people can be this productive with their social network needs to be expanded to their productivity network within the context of learning.
     Companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Google, IBM, Corel, Apache Open Office, and Adobe are using cloud computing to provide clients the ability to collaborate on projects online.  Collaborative  access to files stops confusion as to the version of the document you are working on for the project.  It allows each team member the ability to edit and make changes that benefit the end product.  Taking the skills people have with their social media to their productivity media does not take very long, however it is a diffusionary process requiring some dedication in order to learn the software that is being used in a collaboartive fashion.  This is where the challenge is for people using technology:  Being able to relate one set of skills used in one construct and apply it to another.  For some it is an easier process than others, however with dedication any obstacle can be overcome.