Google docs and Dropbox

For this week I had a look at and played around with Google documents and Storage Cloud Dropbox

Firstly Google docs:

Group members from an online subject I am doing had already set up a Google document for a group assignment so had a look at that.  I have discovered files can uploaded and edited by all people who have been added to the account. Various file types can be added such as text, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings and PDF files. There is also a chat facility where people can chat in real time and also work on the document and the same time. I haven’t used the chat facility as yet but I think I may have to in the future as we progress with the assignment.

At my work place they also use a Google document for casuals staff to put down and update their availability for work, it is an easier way to share information and everyone involved has access to it.

At the moment I am working on a power point presentation for the online subject information centre management so have been adding my contributions and editing it. I think it makes great collaborative tool between colleagues and students to share information and work on an assignment. It allows you to upload files to share and can chat and work in real time and others can edit your work and vice versa while working on the document. Advantages are can be accessed on any computer with an internet connection.

Drop Box

I also installed Dropbox on my home computer and test out some of its functions. The differences I noticed with drop box and Google docs is you can drag a file from your home computer into drop box, it is purely a storage unit you not able to create a document like you are able to in Google docs. 

In terms of comparing a USB stick with Dropbox and transferring files between home and uni, I set up a drop box account at uni and dropped some of my tutorial work in there and I didn’t have any problems at home accessing my files, but I think a USB would be much quicker to access and to save files rather than dropping/saving the files in dropbox.

I also tried to open my files online through my account on another computer at home and had no problems. In addition, I installed dropbox on that computer and everything seems fine. I was also able to access my files at uni without any hiccups.  I also created a shared folder and sent an invite to my buddies so they can access it, just to test out how it works. I asked them to suggest a way if there is a way we could use it havn’t heard back from them yet and in what way we can use it. 

Personally I will probably use Dropbox as another form of backup for my university work  files and as well as for my resume and other personal documents. 

A problem or issue with dropbox is files cannot be accessed without an internet connection or if it isn’t installed on the computer will not be able to access the files.  Another issue with drop box is there may be restrictions to sites that can be accessed at workplaces and software that can be downloaded so again Dropbox cannot be utilised.