Google Drive Ne’er Fear The Cloud

https://drive.google.com/

Matt Cornock Department of Social Policy and Social Work

Files vs Google Docs: Files

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Files (Word, PPT, PDF) need downloading before editing and re-uploading after editing. Use Google Drive sync on your PC or Mac to do it automatically.

Files vs Google Docs: Google Docs

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Google Docs exist ‘in the cloud’ and are edited in a web browser.

Reasons: Archive space

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It’s easier to put frequently used files on a network drive. Google Drive is suited for archives, sharing and collaboration.

Reasons: It’s not email

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Email attachments can lead to bad version control. Google Drive can be used to host normal files too (Word, PPT, PDF).

Reasons: Collaboration

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Collaborating on a single copy of a Google Doc can take place simultaneously.

Reasons: Commenting

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Share a Google Doc for commenting and feedback is collated in a single place.

Reasons: Templating

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Tutor shares a template, template copied by students in Google Docs, students share to friends, to tutor or to the world.

Reasons: Colleague independency

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Sharing essential documents provides access to the definitive version even when the keeper is otherwise indisposed.

Reasons: Multiple devices

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Access through any web browser and Google Drive apps for many devices.

Reasons: Searchability

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Super-speedy searching within Google Docs, PDFs, Word docs and PowerPoints. Makes archiving journal articles a doddle.