10. Cloud computing (Google Docs, Dropbox, etc.).

Cloud computing is a metaphor used by Technology or IT Services companies for the delivery of computing requirements as a service to a heterogeneous community of end-recipients. The term cloud theoretically signifies abstraction of technology, resources and its location that are very vital in building integrated computing infrastructure (including networks, systems and applications). All Cloud computing models rely heavily on sharing of resources to achieve coherance and economies of scale similar to a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet).

Google Docs ( Now known as Google Drive ) is a free, Web-based office suite and data storage service offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users. Google Docs combines the features of Writely and Spreadsheets with a presentation program incorporating technology designed by Tonic Systems. Data storage of files up to 1 GB total in size was introduced on January 13, 2010, but has since been increased to 10 GB, documents using Google Docs native formats do not count towards this quota.[3] The largely anticipated cloud storage feature by Google is said to be replacing most of Docs' features in 2012. This extension or replacement of Google Docs called Google Drive was opened to the public on April 24, 2012.

Since Google Docs launch 1 GB of storage was included for free. On 24 of April 2012 the free storage increased to 5 GB. Currently additional storage costs per year are: 20 GB-$5, 80 GB-$20, etc. up to 16 TB.

Google Docs supports 15 file formats:

• Microsoft Word (.DOC and .DOCX)

• Microsoft Excel (.XLS and .XLSX)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.PPT and .PPTX)

• OpenDocument Format (.ODT and .ODS)

• Adobe Portable Document Format (.PDF)

• Apple Pages (.PAGES)

• Adobe Illustrator (.AI)

• Adobe Photoshop (.PSD)

• Tagged Image File Format (.TIFF)

• Autodesk AutoCad (.DXF)

• Scalable Vector Graphics (.SVG)

• PostScript (.EPS, .PS)

• Fonts (.TTF, .OTF)

• XML Paper Specification (.XPS)

• Archive file types (.ZIP and .RAR)

Dropbox is a Web-based file hosting service operated by Dropbox, Inc. that uses networked storage to enable users to store and share files and folders with others across the Internet using file synchronization. It was founded in 2007 by MIT graduates Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi as a Y Combinator startup.

Dropbox allows the user to place files on remote servers using the client or by using a Web browser interface. Although the main emphasis is on the synchronization of technology and information sharing, Dropbox keeps track of downloads, that after deleting files from the server was able to restore the data. Also, is the history of changes to files, which is available during the last 30 days, except this is a feature for an indefinite history of file changes «Pack-Rat».

History file is on the basis of delta-encoding to save space occupied by files. In the history of changes is recorded only difference between one version of a file from another. Files downloaded through the client does not have restrictions on size, but the files are uploaded via the web interface are limited to 300 MB. There is also an opportunity to spread the files shared through the folder «Public», which allows to use the service as file hosting. In versions 0.8.x and provide an opportunity to share any folder «My Dropbox» for later access through the so-called «shareable link», that is, through a web interface. To collaborate on projects service has the ability to create «Shared» folders for sharing those with a different account on the service. Available automatic synchronization of files and folders, and storage of versions with the ability to roll back.

Currently, in addition to applications from third-party developers, there are official clients Dropbox for platforms such as Windows, Mac OS and Linux, as well as on mobile: IPhone, IPad, Android, BlackBerry, and Bada. The development program for Windows Phone 7 on the official website of the balloting for the creation of a client by Symbian.

Unlike a number of analogs, Dropbox does not use data encryption on the client side, which, in particular, has made possible an incident June 19, 2011, when an error in the updated server software for four hours was possible to log into any account using the any password.