Cloud? DropBox? GoogleDocs? Flash Drive?

[Weetabix]

I have a side business that I need to be able to work on from multiple locations. Those locations usually have a laptop with AutoCAD, Excel, and MS Word. Limited phone access might be useful.

Any thoughts on where best to store the documents I work with?

Right now, I'm using a flash drive, but sometimes I forget and the latest document is on one of the laptops. And very occasionally, it's not with me. I amuse myself by calling it sneaker net.

I know Google is teh evul and sharing all my private and sensitive data with the NSA, but this stuff is so boring, I'd be putting agents to sleep, so I'm not too worried about that. "I think the runoff curve number he assigned to that gravel parking lot is to high...zzzzz"

I don't like Google Doc's editors, but I don't hate them too much. Can you store documents on Google Docs that GD can't edit?

So what method of storage is most convenient for access and editing from multiple locations?

[rightisright]

I use Tonido: http://www.tonido.com/

I can access files from my office computer on my Android phone. There is no need to upload any files, you just specify which folders you want to be able to remotely access.

You would need to download the program to the on-site laptop, though. If you didn't want to or can't do that, you can always use your phone (assuming you have a smart phone) to email the file to a web based email service and access it that way on the laptop.

I use the free version because I am only access small Word files or simple .pdf drawings. If you are accessing 3D Autocad files, you will probably need to upgrade to the paid version.

[PawPaw]

On the other hand, I carry everything important on a flash drive. It's in my pocket as I speak. Never leave home without it, and there is a world of information on that little drive. I back it up occasionally, but probably not nearly often enough.

[Denis]

On the other hand, I carry everything important on a flash drive. It's in my pocket as I speak.

+1

I found a really neat one that lives on the same keyring with my house and car keys. Tiny, but the metal housing is quite sturdy.

Like all flash drives, stick it into a Linux box for a quick delete / partition / format when you get it. That gets rid of whatever files, viruses etc that are on it. There was a bunch of stuff on mine - I neither know nor care what it was, since I always nuke these drives from orbit before use.

[BloodlessWeevil]

I use Tonido: http://www.tonido.com/

I was going to suggest Dropbox, but that looks like it's much easier to use. I'll have to give it a try sometime. Keep in mind that Dropbox and Google Drive are cloud storage, while Tonido simply allows remote access to files on your computer.

[Weetabix]

I'm on a 4G Cruzer Blade right now. I have an 8G Cruzer Facet that has such an attractive form factor (?) that it will go in any usb port without bumping anything.

It's livable, but I'm not always as anal about locations as I need to be.

Can you set up DropBox to sync from a flash drive whenever you plug it in?

Everything comes back to a workable and convenient procedure and making the right thing to do the easiest thing to do. Back in the early days of small office networking, I worked hard to get people to save files on the network and work on them from there. No copying back and forth. No multiple copies. I find myself running into that now, only I'm the lazy one. I probably need to develop the habit of plugging the dang thing in every time instead of knocking out a quick spreadsheet or document and saving it locally.

If I had DropBox sync from the flash drive, I should be able to look at things from the phone if necessary, I guess.

Thoughts on this or another method?

Re Tonido - I haven't looked at it yet, but I guess that means you choose one computer to be the master computer that you live on and you access it from others? Also that it has to stay on with reliable internet all the time?

[arctictom]

Ummm flash drives, I have my critical stuff on a few 16 g flash drives that I rotate through , very comforting and one goes out of state into a safety deposit box.

[skb12172]

DropBox works, but it doesn't seem the most user friendly. Maybe I just haven't spent enough time learning how to use it.

[BloodlessWeevil]

Re Tonido - I haven't looked at it yet, but I guess that means you choose one computer to be the master computer that you live on and you access it from others? Also that it has to stay on with reliable internet all the time?

Yep

Everything comes back to a workable and convenient procedure and making the right thing to do the easiest thing to do.

In my opinion Tonido would be most convenient if you can afford to have your master computer on all the time. If you can't, I think Dropbox or Google Drive is better than a flash drive. I don't know about syncing a flash drive with Dropbox.

[Greg]

Can you set up DropBox to sync from a flash drive whenever you plug it in?

I know I could do it if I wanted to on a Linux system, but it would something on the order of changing a system config file and writing a script. I don't know of a turnkey way to do this.

Everything comes back to a workable and convenient procedure and making the right thing to do the easiest thing to do. Back in the early days of small office networking, I worked hard to get people to save files on the network and work on them from there. No copying back and forth. No multiple copies. I find myself running into that now, only I'm the lazy one. I probably need to develop the habit of plugging the dang thing in every time instead of knocking out a quick spreadsheet or document and saving it locally.

If I had DropBox sync from the flash drive, I should be able to look at things from the phone if necessary, I guess.

Thoughts on this or another method?

Any number of ways to do this. Lots of cloud sites available that exist to provide *exactly* what you need, i.e. access to specific content from any network-accessible device. There's Dropbox that we've talked about, GoogleDrive, Box (this might interest you, they are tailored to business clients), Amazon Cloud Drive (which are the 4 I use) as well as uncounted others.

You just need to tinker with your workflow a little, and be consistent. Maybe work from the thumb drive, then upload to the cloud whenever you make changes, or something. I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all solution.