Harvey Levine and Candid
Cloud computing for free? Yes!
Cloud computing refers to doing your data processing online. Not just storing files online, but working with them online. Instead of using Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint on your PC, in the cloud you can use just your browser to access, for example, Google Docs software to perform word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.
Why work on your files in the cloud when you have perfectly good software on your PC to do the same tasks? One reason is that your files and the software to work on them are available to you anywhere in the world where you have internet access. Another is that files in the cloud are backed up automatically so a computer crash won’t wipe out your files. Yet another reason is that you can collaborate with others on a document and see their changes in almost real time. Want another reason? It’s often free! No more updating your Office software to the latest version at considerable cost.
Many vendors allow you to store your documents in the “cloud” for free. Not just a few small documents, but a gigabyte’s worth of files (or more). You can create new documents in the cloud using software that is free too. You can upload files to the cloud and store them for free. You can upload documents to the cloud and convert them to a format that is compatible with the cloud software. You can create, send, receive, and store your email in the cloud — again for free. You can edit your photos in the cloud for free. What about a calendar, address book, to-do list? Store and work on them in the cloud for free.
No wonder the City of Los Angeles and many small businesses and individuals are dumping Office and creating, storing, and processing their office documents in the cloud for free.
On the “Cloud Computing for Free” blog I’ll explore free cloud computing servoces from many vendors and discuss the pros and cons of each. I’ll explore the world of free cloud computing pointing out where using the cloud makes sense and where you’re better off using your personal computer.
Google, Microsoft, and many others are offering you — for free — a powerful office suite of programs in the cloud.
What do you need to access the cloud and get started? Nothing you don’t already have. All you need is the browser you already use to access the internet.
Why pay for Office when it’s free in the cloud?
Harvey Levine
Cloud Computing for Free 
I liked your articles on your blog.