Sunday, January 01, 2012

A Computer without Data

A few years ago, I would have said that was a really strange concept. But now, in the context of cloud computing, it makes a lot of sense. The data is in the clouds and the computer just accesses the data remotely. I think that they used to call that a terminal – whatever! Of course, we were doing cloud computing before it had a name, and have been operating virtually since 2006. So, what’s to change?

In a nutshell, I am finally ready to keep my computers clean – to store all the data I need someplace else that I can access it and change it from my computers, my cell phone, my netbook or anyone else’s computer. For years, our client databases , accounting files, and management systems have been Web based. Last year, I started saving finished work in what I called Work Product folders, by client.

So what’s left? E-mail was what was holding me back. I had resisted moving where I did email from an Outlook file on my computer because I really felt the online email service was just too slow! So whenever I traveled, I had to take my laptop with me so I could access my searchable email archive. Old habits die hard!

A few things happened to make me reconsider how I handled email. The first was that I managed to repair a relatively new laptop that I had replaced because the cursor jumped around. So now suddenly I have two pretty nice laptops that were basically identical. Then my son and my husband make some changes in the home WIFI network that really speeded up Internet use. Now I can finally get the speed I need to use the Web-based email program.

The implications of using the Web based email program are huge! Now I can do my email on any of my devices and I am actually operating on the server. That means when I delete a message, it is gone (well in the trash and can be recovered until I empty the trash). You know what they say about handling something only once!

On the whole, Web-based email sounds like a perfect solution, BUT! Unfortunately, I get around 500 emails now a day and even just keeping the stuff I must maintain for our company archive would quickly max out the storage I have on my email account. So I left my Outlook account set up on both laptops and let it download automatically. So, yes, I am keeping some data on my computers, but I am only using it as an archive – so I am pretending that it doesn’t count. Besides I have set up an archive folder on the my Web based email desktop and move anything especially worth keeping there.

Since all of our important documents are stored in the clouds and I have solved my email problem, I am really free! Well, not exactly – there is still the calendar. I have had my calendar on my iphone for the last few years and had given up on having it on my computer, Alas, I have discovered (later than the rest of the world, I suspect) that you can link a Google calendar to your iphone. This is nice, though I must admit that I am seldom without my phone. On the other hand, others who need to can easily access my calendar.

So, another year – another radical change! When I stop liking change I will know I am truly old!

1 comment:

Delia Skye said...

Thanks for clarifying the concept of a computer without data. I just downloaded iCloud on my computer and am beginning to learn what that means. I want to consolidate even more with photos, documents, e-mails and more. Now to practice as I learn.