Thing 13 - Google Docs, Wikis, Dropbox

Google Docs I have used for storage for about 4 years.  The disadvantage I have is that it does require up-to-date browsers and a fast internet connection.  On slower connections and older browsers not all functionality is available, and it can be quite jerky.  Having said that, I have shared some documents with other people and I'm hoping to use it on a collaborative document which is a work-in-progress playscript.

Some examples of the files I stored in my Google Docs:

pdf files of journal articles

scripts, rehearsal schedules, minutes from my amateur dramatic society

works in progress: plays, pantomimes, script ideas

christmas card list, party guest list, present ideas list

I do like the fact that the content is saved to the cloud and therefore wherever you are with an internet connection you can access it (useful if you're in a public library; should also work on smartphones - need to try that).  This feature also makes it good for backing up data.  I think I could use Google Docs more, but it tends to screw up the formatting of my carefully crafted documents so I don't think it will replace my trusty flash drives just yet.

Dropbox was mentioned to me by a friend as a good online storage facility, and I may use it to back up documents rather than emailing them to myself (which is an easy way to lose track of where your documents are if you have lots of emails!).  If it stores files as they are without altering source formatting then it may become my preferred backup utility.  It could be useful for sharing documents, but I would have to investigate this more thoroughly.

Wikis keep getting mentioned by colleagues in the context of collaboratively writing procedure manuals, but I'm not sure whether they are actually used for this.  I have to say that I'm not used to collaborative working.  So many years in academia ensuring that your work is your own makes you a bit precious about your documents, to the extent where you work obsessively to protect your ideas from others.  It was suggested that I use a wiki or similar to update a community website I run, but I'm loath to relinquish editorial control (partly because I'm quite precious about my writing style, and partly because I can spell and a lot of people can't - spelling, punctuation and grammar are really important, even in the online world, and it irks me that the world is full of incoherent written English).

So both Dropbox and Wikis need further investigation, when I'm on a computer that I have admin rights to.  I might revisit several of these Things at a later date, once I've used them for a while.