Its best to get to know the phrase cloud computing, because as this decade continues, it is going to be the major development. And if you want to get a grip on the basic idea behind this exciting concept, then check out Google Docs.
The actual documents are familiar to any regular user of Microsoft Office and are based on five main elements: Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings and Forms.
They are not overly sophisticated applications and will seem a little ‘lite’ to many on first use, but, crucially, they are stored in a ‘cloud system’. This effectively means that they are stored in a hard drive not on the individual’s computer, but in a vast storage depository run by the provider.
It’s a simple enough idea and will eventually change how computers are configured. In future, the machine location will focus on processing power and minimum storage to run basic application frameworks, but the actual application will run at the provider’s facility. The great advantage is that desktops and laptops will no longer need to be restricted as to the size of the hard drive: all the heavy applications will be stored away in the facility.
This means that Google docs, and other systems like it, will offer a full store of applications and these will not sit on the user’s computer, but up in the sky. This concept relies on fast and regular broadband connections, so it is held back to some degree by access to the cloud, but over the years, as speeds increase, more applications will revert to a cloud location.
Google Docs is great way to manage all your documents online. Easily share with others Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings and Forms.