are you ready for cloud computing?

Are you ready to turn all your files over to "the cloud?" This interesting question is one that the major players such as Google are hoping you will answer "YES!" to.

Anyone who has used the extensive services Google offers online, such as Google docs* can see a future where you may not need all the 'general' apps on your local hard drive, as long as you're willing to move your production online and rely on a service to ensure your creations will be there when you need them. Oh, goody- 24/7 access to work… OTOH, as our lives and businesses become more global, the ability to collaborate across miles and time zones will be essential, so access wherever we are at the moment may just save our sanity in the end.

*Google docs allows you to create word processing documents, presentations (slides), spreadsheets, forms and drawings in a browser window and then either keep them private, email them, or publish them as web pages. They are fantastic for anytime you are away from your home computer or just don't want another program open, which I've often used them for. The current obstacles to widespread use are privacy concerns, reliability and connectivity. Privacy comes down to whether you trust Google not to get hacked, I guess. As for reliability, keep in mind that even the mighty Google isn't immune to server failure— my advice is the same I gave my kids when they went off to college: email your most important documents to yourself at another account, so they are duplicated and accessible online. As for connectivity, we all know that is hit or miss in some locations, especially if you are relying on wi-fi for your web connection. If you're a business person on the go, you probably already have a mobile hotpsot or 3G card that keeps you online, in which case it would be rare that access would be a problem.

Apple will make their own "iCloud" announcement at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, June 6th. Stay tuned…

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