Monday, February 24, 2014

How to get back your Blogger Dashboard

Go to Chrome plugins (chrome://plugins/) and you should see a list of all the plug-ins your browser is using and the ones you have switched off.

Tick all plug-ins or extensions.



Refresh your browser and you should be able to see your Blogger Dashboard again.



Sunday, February 23, 2014

Cloud Storage

Previously, I used many pendrives to keep my documents, files and images. Then I started using external harddisks as storage devices. I was really wasting money.

After a lot of problems with pendrives and external harddisks, I started to use cloud storage. I actually started using cloud storage without knowing it. I became aware of cloud computing when our university went into cloud computing research in 2011. There was also a cloud forum that I had used while experimenting with social media and Internet 2. I also have an Apple user-friend who stored photos in the cloud. After a lot of thinking, this year, I decided that the cloud is 'safe enough', and I tried using cloud storage for some of my official university work - but only as back up for 'not so sensitive stuff' only. I still trust my external harddisks in case the Internet went down or I forgot my login details as I age. I don't want others having full access and control over my stuff.

I started out using Box long ago, to store interesting stories, notes, and stories about my children for writing future books. Using Box was just as a backup, and because I could access it from my workplace. I had difficulties with Box because I didn't quite understand how it actually worked, but I just tried using it anyway. At the time my Internet was very slow, and uploading to Box was a bore. The login was confusing. I had forgotten Box for a long time, but fortunately Box has improved. I'm still glad that the Box admin did not toss out what I stored long ago, even though the laptop that I had used to upload to Box is no longer in use, and my harddisk that stored the original documents have access problems.

Then I started using Google Drive to store documents which I used for teaching at my university. I also kept some useful research questionnaires at Google Drive. The Centre of Academic Excellence (CDAE) at my university also uses Google Drive to store academic documents, if not on the usual MOODLE e-Learning Management System for members to download documents. Google Drive is seamless, that I often get confused because I can't tell whether something is being made accessible by others or not.

There was a friend in Facebook who stored and gave links from her Dropbox. Then I decided to use Dropbox myself since it is quite straight forward and fast if I use my laptop. However, it is quite slow if I use my smartphone to upload photos to Dropbox. I have my Dropbox organised much like the way I have my folders organised on my harddisk.

I don't know whether it is safe to backup my laptop on any of the above - I'm still thinking. It would be nice to make backup on cloud storage and download again when the need arises, especially when I need to do roll-back or restore.

I recently came across MultCloud, which is a blessing. MultCloud lets me combine all my 3 cloud storages - Box, Google Drive, and Dropbox. I only need to login at MultCloud and the 3 clouds are there. MultCloud is accessible from any computer and smartphone, but needs Internet access. Even though I have MultCloud, I mainly use Dropbox - mainly for photos from my smartphone, as it is quite fast in terms of upload and download.

I have not tried Sky Drive by Microsoft.

Storing stuff on the cloud is useful as it is free, access is rapid, and login can be from any computer or smartphone. You don't need to bring your many pendrives and external harddisks anymore. The storage size is quite big, about 8GB each on most clouds (about the size of an average external harddisk). Most are free if under 8GB, but you will have to pay for bigger cloud storage capacities. This suits the average user, and a lot of work can get done with 8GB on 3 cloud storages. I would recommend you to start using cloud storage.

Cloud is Awan in Malay. Cloud storage would be Simpanan dalam awan.

External links
https://www.google.com/#q=Cloud+computing
https://www.multcloud.com/
https://www.box.com/
https://www.dropbox.com/ (Dropbox 3GB/previously 5GB)
https://drive.google.com/ (Google Drive 15GB)
https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/ (SkyDrive 7GB)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_file_hosting_services