By now you’ve probably seen some of the Microsoft commercials that talk about “going to the cloud.” (If you haven’t, you can check them out on YouTube.) Some of them are pretty corny, but I definitely agree with their sales pitch—it’s a really good idea to move your office to the cloud.
Going to the cloud, or cloud computing, has gotten really popular over the past few years, especially now that more and more people work from home. If you don’t know what it is, let me explain. Cloud computing is just internet-based computing. It means you have the ability to access things from any computer because those things are stored on the Internet.
Check Your Email in the Cloud
That might sound kind of confusing at first, but it’s not. If you have a Gmail or a Yahoo email account, you can check your email from any computer, right? If you upload photos to a drugstore’s website to print them out later, you can get at those photos from any computer, right? That’s taking things to the cloud. Your “stuff” is stored online.
Not only does cloud computing make it easy to access things anywhere at any time, it’s a way to back those things up in case your computer ever dies on you. I know a lot of people that have made the mistake of only storing their data on one computer … until that computer crashed and they lost everything! Now they back things up.
Store Your Files in the Cloud
I like to use DropBox.com, a cloud storing site. It syncs your files online and across your computers. You can even share folders with different people all at once if you’re all collaborating on a project. DropBox backs up your files automatically—you don’t even have to remember to do it—and a copy of everything gets stored on their secure servers.
If you take advantage of cloud storing and you have a laptop, you can work from anywhere in the world. That’s how I was able to travel for so many months last year. I’m starting think that the days of having an office are dwindling for most people, even the days of having a home office. If you can work at Starbucks or work sitting next to the pool, why shouldn’t you?
Start Cloud Living Today
“Cloud Living” is a phrase that’s used to describe earning a living from the cloud—the cloud being the internet, of course. Cloud living basically refers to the ability to do whatever you want, living the internet lifestyle, while you make money from the cloud. It’s what I do with my affiliate marketing business.
So today I’m going to urge you all to move your office to the cloud. Not only can you work from anywhere you want to work, you can thank me when your computer crashes and you still have copies of all your data.
I keep a lot of stuff in the cloud: email, files, documents, spreadsheets, etc, and it has made life so much more flexible. I can now work anywhere I want and am not tied down to a particular location. It’s great
Hi Steve,
I never heard of cloud computing before. But I can indeed see the benefits of it. The most major one for me would be convenience as it will allow me to work anywhere I wish. I shall check out Dropbox and start moving.
Thank you for the suggestion!
Irving the Vizier
Hi Steve:
I have know about it for a while but have not used it. But if everyone is doing it , I will have a look at it again.
fran A
I moved everything to the cloud about a year ago. Dropbox is one of my favorites. Also, if you have not tried it out, check out Evernote. It is now my virtual brain, everything from wine I drink to notes I take for work goes into Evernote, and I haven’t even scratched the surface on the things that are possible with it.
If you want to do an entire back up of your PC, check out Mozy, it works great!
Sean
If you’re not Cloud Living, you’re not living.
But seriously, there is tremendous upside to living in the cloud. With services like Google Docs (text editor, spreadsheet, presentations), Remember the Milk or Google Tasks (Task managers), Splashup (image editor), and so on, you can basically rely completely on cloud living. That’s what Google is aiming for with their Chrome OS.
Do make sure to backup your files in other locations, though, just in case.
Irving,
It does take a little effort and pain to set it all up, but the convenience at a later date makes it all worth the early effort!
Hi Steve,
I certainly see the benefits of Cloud Living.
Going fully virtual creates a mobile work environment. You can work from anywhere and at any time if you have access to an internet connection.
I’ve worked from the library and a few places on the road recently. Like yourself Steve, I see some travelling happening for me in the future. Time for me to fully adopt Cloud Living soon.
I too feel that the idea of a Home Office will gradually fade away. Home base will be virtual.
Thanks for sharing the important reminder.
RB
@ Sean Yes, I have akso checked out evernote. It is kick ass too. there are so many good options out there these days!
@James, Very good points about backups. It is easy to live with all your info online. I have not had any problems, but there always could be an issue and what you do about it is so limited.
@all Threading is still jacked up so i will only be responding in general or to specific points until it is all resolved. I do read every comment though, and I appreciate them all.
I generally have every major project within some kind of cloud app or software; the only thing I really do locally is the actual writing and production but then all of it is save to dropbox, shared on my blog, etc. Most of my connections are all through social profiles as well – cyberpuuuunk.
Going to the cloud sounds like the thing to do. I have put a few things up there. As much for backup as anything else, but it certainly does seem like this could be a way to get solid and efficient uses out of a lot of files regardless of computer or app. As things migrate towards more and more app this becomes a more powerful tool!
Living in the Clouds makes perfect sense because then you are truly free to do your business from anywhere. Life. As it should be.
No need to comment, Steve. Just wanted you to know I stopped by to see how you are doing. Until next time, aloha. Janet
Cloud storage is definitely the way of the future especially with Google trying to develop an entire operating system that is based on cloud storage.
Practically you only install a small(as in size) interface that connects to your operating system within a cloud. There you will have all your files, settings etc. This means, that any computer in the world can be just like your home computer.
All the data of the operating system is streamed on demand, which means it’s only viable if you have a pretty fast internet connection.
So I think “the clouds” are closer then they seem.
Hi Steve, my husband is a software engineer and he’s a big fan of the cloud. He really believe this is where the field is going, especially for backup. In fact, he has been trying to convince a Dean at a local college to use the cloud rather than spend a lot of money to upgrade their computer system.
BTW, I’m liking the new look! 🙂
Love the concept Steve, and props to you for achieving ‘cloud living’. I’m getting there, and loving the journey. I think we all seek freedom in this life, freedom of all types actually, and this new way of communicating and working further adds to that.
Good stuff man.
Marcus
Cloud living can be great for you and the environment. It is smart way to have back up, as well.
Hi, great post. I run my business from the iPad now hosted in the cloud, including Windows applications. Just released a eBook that takes you through the process.
Drop me an email Steve and I would be glad to give you a free copy.
I’m working on moving documents, pictures, etc. to the cloud right now.. I’m using Google for everything, but am backing up things in 4 other places, just in case. I’ll rarely use those other services, but they’ll be nice to have as backups.
For sure. better to be safe than sorry, and multiple backups (at differing locations ) is agreat idea. Worst case you lose “some” work
@Steve Nice introduction to the concept of cloud computing.
@Sean I’m also a huge fan of Evernote, although what I really want is a hybrid between that and Stickies for Mac. I like being able to arrange my notes graphically across the screen instead of only seeing them in a list or grid.