In a previous post on computer software and services I use, I mentioned cloud computing.
Here's a clear simple explanation in video of cloud computing.You can read the text/transcript here.
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Today I gave a class, Life Level III - Computers Are Everywhere.
My students and I talked about how computers and the internet are so important to how we live now: both our work lives and our personal lives. I mentioned a few things (programs, websites etc) and I'd like to write a post about them with info and links. Cloud computing Doing things via the internet/websites instead of directly on your own computer. Cloud computing has benefits such as:
Anything from webmail (Hotmail, Yahoo Mail) to online customer relationship management (Salesforce.com) is cloud computing. Back-up Having an extra copy of data, in case the original is lost or damaged. You can copy files onto a flash drive or external hard drive; print out copies; or make back-ups on tape or optical disks (CD, DVD, BD). But now you can also do it via the "cloud": there are online backup services. One I use is Crashplan, which lets you & your friends help back up each other: safe encrypted back-ups of your data are stored on their computer, and their back-ups are stored on yours. That way it's free. I also use Dropbox. It's not technically a backup service. It's online storage (access your files from any computer with a browser), online synchronization (install Dropbox on two computers and files on one computer will automatically appear on the other) and online sharing (you can share a folder on your computer with a friend and the files in that folder can be accessed by your friend). I use it to have extra copies in case of a problem (like back-up), share files with friends and co-workers, and have the same files on all the computers I use (2 at home, 3 at work). Dropbox's free plan is limited in size, but you can get more free storage by referring other people to their service. So if you click this Dropbox link and complete the procedure of joining Dropbox, I get more space. :) EDIT: I just found out Dropbox is yet another site with problems caused by the Great Firewall of China. >:( There is a way around: change the hosts file. Open it, and add this to the end:
There's another similar service NOT (yet) blocked by the GFW: SugarSync. Here's my referral link for SugarSync, i.e. if you use this link to join Sugarsync, I get more free space :) Password Manager Program or service that stores all your passwords. Remembering lots of different passwords is almost impossible. Writing them all down on paper is not safe (the paper can be lost, or read or stolen). Using only one password for everything is not safe (if someone gets that one password, they can access everything). I have made all those mistakes :) and finally I started using a password manager. Personally, I use KeePass, a free open-source program. I only need to remember one password (the one for KeePass) and the program remembers all the different passwords for logging on to work computers, websites etc. I save my KeePass in my Dropbox folder so that I can access it from anywhere. There is also a "cloud" solution: LastPass, an online service that works with your web browser and stores your passwords. Well, these are just a few links and ideas on software and services I've used, related to issues discussed in today's class. I hope you might find it useful. |
G.A.L.E.S.L. / joe3
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