I'm really interested in this Google Drive thing. I'm working on my PhD, and I've got all my precious documents in an 8GB USB that is the bane of my existence. I back it up to my computer regularly, but not nearly enough (maybe once a month or so), and I live in fear that I will lose it and several days' work along with it. At least once every couple of weeks I have one of those 'oh sh*t' moments where I look in the pocket of whatever bag I'm carrying and the USB isn't where I think it ought to be. Then I breathe into a paper bag and look more slowly, and there it is, laughing cruelly at my pain. (My passport does this too, btw.)
Of course that fear is not enough to make me back things up more regularly. You know, all those bad habits I castigate the students who come see me for are alive and well in me! Oh well. Do as I say...:)
Anywho. I've wondered if Google Drive could be the answer to my problems (not enough to actually try it, but there you go). The only thing is that I've got several SPSS files, and they aren't exactly the standard word processing document or spreadsheet. So I uploaded one of my datasets. It's got a funny looking kind of icon which made me think it might not work, but when I downloaded the file from my Drive and clicked on it, SPSS kicked right in. So as long as I'm working on a computer with the program I need loaded onto it, I'm surmising that I can open the files saved on Google Drive. Huzzah!
I've gotten used to working from the USB, so changing that groove might be challenging. And I'm also worried about having 16 jillion versions of the same document floating around in different folders. I'll have to think that through. But this Thing has been a very useful for me. Thanks Kate! (Again - can anyone tell me how to tag?)
tagging in Blogger is called labels - so when you write a post, click on the labels link and add some tags (is that what you were after??)
ReplyDeleteyes I think that does sound like nightmare material. Backup and backup regularly I reckon. My daughter lost 6 years worth of stories the other night - she had them on one beaten up USB that just gave up. No other backups even tho we had talked about it (often). It's a horrible lesson to learn.
Have you had a lok at DropBox? We look at it as part of thing 11 - but that may also help?
I love how you write - just like hearing you I imagine :)
great that you tried it all out with SPSS and Drive - that's the whole point of 23Things- trying stuff!
Thanks Leighana for the tip re: SPSS!!!! I also assumed that it wouldn't be possible to include a program like this. Must *play* more! Must *explore* more!!! :)
ReplyDelete