It’s Time To Get Cloudy

Having your head in the clouds was once a bad thing, or so I’ve been told. Today it means something totally different. For those of you who don’t know about cloud software or technology, think Google Docs. Having your documents in “the cloud” allows you to share a document instantly with anyone you want to have access to it. It also allows for two users to simultaneously work on a single document from different corners of the globe.
This is obviously a huge benefit for businesses small and large, but what about your average Synthesis reader? How can you put such cloud technology to work for you? First off, for all of you who refuse to use “backup” outside of Ludacris lyrics, cloud technology has it built in by design. You can set your computer on fire (hell, you could burn your whole house down) and still access your information from another computer (preferably in another country to avoid arson charges).
The cloud also makes file sharing much easier. Now you can have your mom and your sister correct your “History Through Film” paper at the same time. So whether you’re trying to write a doctoral dissertation on the Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human, or keep a spreadsheet of your Alliance’s farming coords in Evony, the cloud will keep your documents safe, and allow them to be edited by multiple people simultaneously.
If you’re interested in the cloud, and you’re too cool for Google Docs, I recommend that you get Box. Just go to www.box.net. It’s free, it’s powerful, and you can upgrade your account to business class if you want to have password protected sharing and full-text searching. With a pro account you can also sync your desktop files with your cloud, download statistics on your docs, have a full version history, and integrate with Google Apps. They also have an Enterprise level, but unless you’re the CEO of the Umbrella Corporation or your given name is James T. Kirk, you won’t need it.