Cloud Computing Web-Based Applications That Change the Way You Work and Collaborate

Table of Contents
Copyright..................................................................................................... 1
About the Author........................................................................................ 3
Acknowledgments....................................................................................... 3
We Want to Hear from You!........................................................................ 4
Reader Services.......................................................................................... 4
Introduction............................................................................................... 6
How This Book Is Organized........................................................................................................................................................... 7
Conventions Used in This Book...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Let Me Know What You Think........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Part I: Understanding Cloud Computing................................................... 10
Chapter 1. Beyond the Desktop: An Introduction to Cloud Computing....................................................................................... 12
Cloud Computing: What It Is—and What It Isn’t..................................................................................................................... 13
From Collaboration to the Cloud: A Short History of Cloud Computing................................................................................. 16
The Network Is the Computer: How Cloud Computing Works............................................................................................... 20
Companies in the Cloud: Cloud Computing Today.................................................................................................................. 24
Why Cloud Computing Matters................................................................................................................................................ 25
Chapter 2. Are You Ready for Computing in the Cloud?............................................................................................................. 28
The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing................................................................................................................................... 29
Who Benefits from Cloud Computing?..................................................................................................................................... 35
Who Shouldn’t Be Using Cloud Computing?............................................................................................................................ 38
Chapter 3. Developing Cloud Services.......................................................................................................................................... 42
Why Develop Web-Based Applications?................................................................................................................................... 43
The Pros and Cons of Cloud Service Development.................................................................................................................. 43
Types of Cloud Service Development........................................................................................................................................ 45
Discovering Cloud Services Development Services and Tools................................................................................................. 47
Part II: Cloud Computing for Everyone..................................................... 54
Chapter 4. Cloud Computing for the Family................................................................................................................................ 56
Centralizing Email Communications........................................................................................................................................ 57
Collaborating on Schedules....................................................................................................................................................... 58
Collaborating on Grocery Lists................................................................................................................................................. 59
Collaborating on To-Do Lists.................................................................................................................................................... 59
Collaborating on Household Budgets....................................................................................................................................... 60
Collaborating on Contact Lists.................................................................................................................................................. 61
Collaborating on School Projects.............................................................................................................................................. 62
Sharing Family Photos.............................................................................................................................................................. 63
Chapter 5. Cloud Computing for the Community........................................................................................................................ 66
Communicating Across the Community................................................................................................................................... 67
Collaborating on Schedules....................................................................................................................................................... 67
Collaborating on Group Projects and Events........................................................................................................................... 70
Chapter 6. Cloud Computing for the Corporation........................................................................................................................ 76
Managing Schedules.................................................................................................................................................................. 77
Managing Contact Lists............................................................................................................................................................. 78
Managing Projects..................................................................................................................................................................... 79
Collaborating on Reports.......................................................................................................................................................... 80
Collaborating on Marketing Materials...................................................................................................................................... 81
Collaborating on Expense Reports............................................................................................................................................ 81
Collaborating on Budgets.......................................................................................................................................................... 82
Collaborating on Financial Statements.................................................................................................................................... 83
Collaborating on Presentations................................................................................................................................................. 83
Presenting on the Road............................................................................................................................................................. 84
Accessing Documents on the Road........................................................................................................................................... 85
Part III: Using Cloud Services................................................................... 88
Chapter 7. Collaborating on Calendars, Schedules, and Task Management............................................................................... 90
Exploring Online Calendar Applications................................................................................................................................... 91
Exploring Online Scheduling Applications............................................................................................................................. 102
Exploring Online Planning and Task Management................................................................................................................ 106
Chapter 8. Collaborating on Event Management........................................................................................................................ 112
Understanding Event Management Applications................................................................................................................... 113
Exploring Event Management Applications............................................................................................................................ 116
Chapter 9. Collaborating on Contact Management.................................................................................................................... 126
Understanding Contact Management and CRM..................................................................................................................... 127
Exploring Contact Management and CRM Applications........................................................................................................ 129
Chapter 10. Collaborating on Project Management................................................................................................................... 142
Understanding Project Management...................................................................................................................................... 143
Exploring Project Management Applications......................................................................................................................... 144
Chapter 11. Collaborating on Word Processing.......................................................................................................................... 152
How Web-Based Word Processing Works.............................................................................................................................. 153
Exploring Web-Based Word Processors.................................................................................................................................. 155
Chapter 12. Collaborating on Spreadsheets................................................................................................................................ 170
How Web-Based Spreadsheets Work...................................................................................................................................... 171
Exploring Web-Based Spreadsheets........................................................................................................................................ 173
Chapter 13. Collaborating on Databases..................................................................................................................................... 186
Understanding Database Management................................................................................................................................... 187
Exploring Web-Based Databases............................................................................................................................................ 188
Chapter 14. Collaborating on Presentations.............................................................................................................................. 200
Preparing Presentations Online.............................................................................................................................................. 201
Evaluating Web-Based Presentation Applications................................................................................................................. 201
Chapter 15. Storing and Sharing Files and Other Online Content............................................................................................. 212
Understanding Cloud Storage................................................................................................................................................. 213
Evaluating Online File-Storage and -Sharing Services........................................................................................................... 215
Exploring Online Bookmarking Services................................................................................................................................ 219
Chapter 16. Sharing Digital Photographs................................................................................................................................... 226
Exploring Online Photo-Editing Applications........................................................................................................................ 227
Exploring Photo-Sharing Communities................................................................................................................................. 234
Chapter 17. Controlling It All with Web-Based Desktops.......................................................................................................... 240
Understanding Web-Based Desktops..................................................................................................................................... 241
Evaluating Web-Based Desktops............................................................................................................................................ 241
Part IV: Outside the Cloud: Other Ways to Collaborate Online................ 250
Chapter 18. Collaborating via Web-Based Communication Tools............................................................................................. 252
Evaluating Web Mail Services................................................................................................................................................. 253
Evaluating Instant Messaging Services.................................................................................................................................. 258
Evaluating Web Conferencing Tools....................................................................................................................................... 262
Chapter 19. Collaborating via Social Networks and Groupware................................................................................................ 270
Creating Groups on Social Networks...................................................................................................................................... 270
Evaluating Online Groupware................................................................................................................................................. 274
Chapter 20. Collaborating via Blogs and Wikis......................................................................................................................... 282
Evaluating Blogs for Collaboration......................................................................................................................................... 282
Evaluating Wikis for Collaboration........................................................................................................................................ 286


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