Week The Third Part 2. Dropbox and Google Docs

Dropbox is a fantastic example of a program that does exactly what it says it will, and well. And, it's free, unless you want to purchase more storage room.  

I love the functionality of Dropbox, as it allows you to store data in the 'cloud', which you can then sync between computers and devices. I downloaded it to my uni laptop, and my home desktop computer, and then synced to my smartphone, so that whenever and wherever I need access to my documents I have it, provided I have access to the internet. 

Cute Dropbox icon on my laptop

Any changes automatically updated to all my computers and devices. Magic!

Dropbox for iPhone, great for access on the go

Storing my data in Dropbox is a much better option for me than using USB transfer, which I find is slow and hard to keep track of, especially as I have multiple files with many folders.

I used my USB stick to transfer files between my laptop and home computer, and ended up confused as to which version was the most current. 
It was also a lot slower than the Dropbox uploading process, and I had to keep transferring the files whenever I made changes. I found this time-consuming and tedious. I also had problems with my USB device as it died halfway through a transfer, rendering my files unusable. Also, there is the danger of losing your USB stick, which isn't an issue at all with using Dropbox.

Moving on to some of the differences between Google Docs and cloud storage tools such as Dropbox, I think both are extremely useful tools, but for different purposes. 

The Google Drive interface where Docs live now is extremely easy to use. I created a drawing, and shared it with some classmates.

You can also add comments, which really aids communication

Lucky classmates! You get to draw too!

Different file options

There are options as to what files you can create and share: a document, presentation, spreadsheet, form or drawing, or another file from template. This makes Google docs incredibly versatile. 

I can see how this practice could be useful in a professional situation, for example sharing documents of shared resources and files between all the librarians in the same workplace.

Google Docs is good for collaborative and instant updating of files that need input from multiple parties, and perhaps is a better choice for sharing files for this usage rather than Dropbox, which is more useful for backup and storage.

It just depends on the usage and tasks required as to which tool is better for which job. I will definitely be using Google Docs for my next group assignment to further explore its potential.