Thing #45 -- Cloud Computing

I commented on the rise in web applications in Thing #2. It's an update of early days of computing. Back then, everything was kept on a large mainframe computer, and so-called dumb terminals (basically monitors and keyboards) were hooked up to it. Then desktop computers became more and more powerful, and everything was done locally, using the workstation's own processor and memory. Now we've arrived at cloud computing, which is just the modern day equivalent of the mainframe and not-so-dumb-anymore terminal--applications, documents, all kinds of data, really, are stored on a server somewhere and accessed anywhere via an Internet connection and a web browser.

My primary experience with cloud computing is using Apple's MobileMe service, and account that gives me space on the cloud to store files, and access to my email, calendar, contacts, and photos. My husband and I are able to synchronize between what is on the cloud and all our computers, whether at home, at work, or on our iPods. Eventually we would like to purchase a new router for our home network that would allow us to use the Back to My Mac feature. Then we would be able to access files between computers directly, without needing to upload them to the cloud for sharing first.

For work, I've used both Google Docs and Zoho, and written about them in previous posts. I haven't used Zoho beyond the one, rather unsuccessful, experience. Google Docs, on the other hand, continues to be an important tool as I collaborate on projects with librarians from other instutions.

There's always a tradeoff between access and security, and cloud computing is no different. It's nice to have access to files from anywhere, but that also leaves open the risk of others getting unauthorized access to those same files. Our campus, like most others, has a firewall in place to prevent many kinds of access to campus networks from off-campus. However, as more and more tools I use are web based, I have discovered that I can do increasing amounts of work from home without running into firewall problems. This can be important as the college makes contingency plans for how to continue operations in the event of a swine flu pandemic, or other severe outbreak.

Thing #9 -- Web 2.0 Collaboration Tools

I've used both Google Docs and Zoho Writer previously and they are a useful way to collaborate, especially for projects involving librarians at multiple institutions. The ability to chat with collaborators from within Zoho is a nice feature, although at one point we ended up switching to the phone to work out a problem because it was easier! In theory, I also like Zoho Notebook, which allows you to build a project that includes multiple types of files--documents, spreadsheets, web sites, etc. However, in practice, we've had problems with it, as the contents of many documents in the notebook aren't appearing. I'll admit, this could be more a problem with us not understanding how to share documents properly rather than with the application itself.

As far as straight word processing goes, Google Docs and Zoho Writer seem equally capable--I didn't have a problem creating and editing a document in either one. Google Docs' autosave feature is a little annoying at times, but its interface is a little clearer. One feature that would be helpful is automatic notification if others have edited the document. I didn't see that this was possible in either application, but perhaps I just missed it.

Thing #8 -- Tools for Sharing

This Thing includes lots of tools for putting content on the web. In general, I prefer to work with other non-web applications, probably because I value features and efficiently over sharing. As a Mac user at home, I am familiar with Apple's iLife suite of tools for personal use. Plus, it is fairly easy to share content using those tools and my iDisk. (I don't need to share with the world, just friends and family.)

For creating slideshows, I tried Thumbstacks and Zoho Show. Thumbstacks was extremely tedious to use--I can't imagine ever using it for anything. Zoho, by contrast was easier to use and more robust. I created the same presentation in both applications and it took me far less time in Zoho. My presentations are below.

First, from Thumbstacks. Unlike with the Zoho presentation following, I couldn't find a way to embed this in my blog.

Then from Zoho:



I also like that Zoho allows you to import an already created file. If I were to use Zoho for presentations I am likely to still create them using PowerPoint and upload them to Zoho. One use that struck me with both Thumbstack and Zoho is the ability to give the presentation remotely.

Of the other tools mentioned for this thing, I played around with LazyBase and eFolio Minnesota. (I decided I'd worked with pictures enough already and so skipped those.) LazyBase is certainly easier than Microsoft Access or FileMaker Pro, both of which I use for work and personal reasons. I like their template for "restaurants I need to try."

One thing with all these tools that I see as a drawback is having to create, and remember (!) all the different accounts I create to access the tools. Both Google and Zoho provide several different applications for one login, but these other stand alone tools make things more complicated.