ETEC 522 – Sept. 2011

Considering cloud solutions

Cloud computing has been a central part of my MET experience, but I have yet to use it in my professional life.

Since starting MET many, many moons ago, I’ve gotten much more comfortable with cloud computing options like Google Docs, wikis, multimedia publishing tools, etc. The usability of these has improved, even over just the last couple of  years. When I first used Google Docs I would never have considered using it in a professional environment because of the unreliable formatting and sometimes quirky functionality. It wasn’t a tool we could use to create a finished product – while it was great for collaborating and collecting ideas, ultimately it couldn’t do what its “installed” cousins could. I have yet to use a cloud computing solution that offers the kind of template functionality and large document management features that I’m used to, but that doesn’t mean those tools aren’t possible.

To use cloud solutions in the workplace, I’d need to be sure the network could handle it. I work on large multimedia files, which often slow down my local drive to a near standstill. Also, while I love the idea of my work being accessible anywhere, anytime, it can also make it more difficult to leave things at the office, or at home, or wherever it is that will allow you some time off.