• • The content of the source is professional and well written. Additional volumes are in creation, and copyright information is present and recent.
• International Journal of Technology, Knowledge & Society. 2010, Vol. 6 Issue 2, p1-16. 16p. 1 Diagram, 1 Chart
• Educators, supervisors and mentors strive for the 'eureka moment', the moment when someone, "gets it". As we move more of our lives into online interaction and collaboration, there has never been a more important time to 'get it' than now. Teamwork between humans has provided an advantage to groups and societies which profoundly affect their levels of achievement. Online collaboration opens avenues for people to leverage themselves. Those who fall behind will be disadvantaged. The theme of this paper is assisting the 'eureka moment' in a digital environment so that the power of online collaboration can successfully be unlocked. The collaborative power of Web 2.0 and the pervasiveness of the Digital World into all walks of life have increased the urgency for advancements in this area in order to capitalize on the rapid uptake of collaborative technology. How the revelation of core concepts, time, space, virtuality and trust, affects new participants in online collaboration is explored. There is also discussion on the impact of participant identity which requires a 'persona' to act as a lens in collaboration and how this leads to an 'anonymity paradox'. The dynamic nature of virtual collaborative projects is also considered; in particular the impact on group leaders. The paper concludes that in order to unlock the power of online collaboration it is necessary to change focus from current solutions aimed at symptoms such as 'rules and guidelines' towards solutions addressing the underlying conceptual causes which result from the Internet's virtual nature. Addressing these issues has the potential to profoundly change our thinking and will be beneficial to organizations and communities.
• Curtin University, NSW, Australia

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• • Site continuity is maintained, as well as the connectivity for fast access. Content from this site is usually educational and precise.
• These FAQs will try to answer some of your questions about online collaboration and working collaboratively online. If you have a question that hasn’t been answered below, please feel free to get in touch.
  
  Question: What is online collaboration?
  Answer: Simply put, online collaboration lets a group of people work together in real-time over the Internet. Those engaged in online collaboration can work together on word processor documents, Power Point presentations and even for brainstorming, all without needing to be in the same room at the same time. There are many great online collaboration tools available, which can help your team accomplish its goals.
  
• Question: How is online collaboration different from web conferencing?
  Answer: A web conference enables people to meet online in real-time. While presentations may be given and notes taken, a web conference is much the same as a face-to-face meeting in that it’s more about a discussion than working together on the documents being presented, for example. Online collaboration on the other hand, involves a team working together, often at the same time, and on the same documents.
• Question: What are the key features in an online collaboration tool?
  Answer: First of all, a successful online collaboration tool needs to be easy to use and set up. Then, it needs to be secure and to have the features that will fit your purposes - these are different for every team. So if you mainly want to hold online brainstorming sessions, for example, it’s important that the tool you choose has a good whiteboard functionality. Other useful features are the ability to upload documents, a calendar and notifications by e-mail when changes have been made to a document.
• Question: How can online collaboration help business?
  Answer: The Internet has enabled an increasingly dispersed workforce, and it's not uncommon to see modern-day employees working with people from all over the world. Collaborating online is the perfect way to diminish the distance between employees, as they can work together on the same documents, at the same time as if they were all in the same room. This means that projects can be done much faster, as there is no need to send documents back and forth between offices, and it also means that communication between employees is improved.

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• • The piece has professional content for the purpose of supporting collaboration based on fact. Credibility is regarded as accurate and true. Several contributions made the final piece.
• International Journal of Production Research. Apr2013, Vol. 51 Issue 7, p2034-2048. 15p. 2 Diagrams, 4 Charts
• Global patterns of industrial production have resulted in relocation of industrial operations groups in an effort to create new markets for mass and customised mass production. The collaborative effort between these dispersed teams increases the likelihood of combining ideas and knowledge in novel ways. Internet technologies enable these virtual collaboration networks to seamlessly engage in discussions that demonstrate a richness of perspectives when it comes to problem-solving and innovative idea-exchange. Indeed, knowledge creation and harnessing collective knowledge are salient features of collaborative networks (CNs) and this is witnessed by a new interest in these entities. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) display a difficulty in partnering and collaborating in global networks, especially since their technological infrastructure may be lacking. Given the widespread adoption of collaborative technologies in social contexts, this research seeks to examine how such informal interactions are facilitated in SMEs through Web 2.0 tools. Specifically, this paper seeks to contribute to existing literature by examining how Web 2.0 affects the collaborative effort in two SME CNs; this study demonstrated that the collaboration effort is amplified when Web 2.0 tools are available. Other parameters such as trust in other members’ ability; perception of usefulness; and enhancement of collective knowledge are seen as supporting the CN mutuality. In addition, it brings together the three diverse research areas of collaborative networks, internet collaborative tools and psychological barriers and enablers.

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• • Article discussed the topic in a clear and professional manner, resulting in accurate content and enhanced credibility. The source also inspires critical thinking.

• With the help of technology, students in a growing number of classrooms are collaborating with their peers—both in their own schools and around the world—to solve problems and complete projects. This trend has important implications for schools, which are under enormous pressure to engage students in academically challenging ways that are relevant to their lives.

   

  Online collaboration addresses a key 21^st-century skill that many companies say they’re looking for in their employees: the ability to work with others to solve common challenges. And there’s evidence to suggest that students are more motivated to do high-quality work when they’re working in groups with (and being judged by) their peers.

   

  With the generous support of ePals, we’ve put together this collection of stories from our archives to help you learn how other schools are leveraging the power of technology to facilitate online communication and collaboration in their classrooms.

   

• • Source provides reference to several other supporting articles, ensuring its credibility. Proper citation format is used, in addition to an informational content listing.
• • Team assignments early in the term should include
    relatively simple, well-defi ned tasks that require a specific product so students can concentrate on the mechanics of teamwork (Michaelson & Sweet, 2008). For example, a good first-time task may require teams to collaboratively complete a table of defi nitions and refl ect on their team interaction during the process, allowing the instructor to award points based on how well the students worked together to accomplish the goal. As the term progresses, the instructor should assign more complex and ambiguous tasks that promote higher level thinking skills. (Of course, regardless of complexity, assignments should always be relevant, solvable within a reasonable time frame, and intrinsically interesting.) For example, instead of having students make a list or choose among a few alternatives, students could be asked to “make multiple comparisons and discriminations, analyze content information, and verify rule application” (Michaelsen, Knight, & Fink, 2004, p. 65).

• • The source presents credible information in an educational context. Use of proper citation is present and copyright notices are correctly in place.
• Impact of Asynchronous and Synchronous Internet-Based Communication on Collaboration and Performance among K-12 Teachers.
• This study investigated the use of asynchronous (mailing lists) and synchronous (chat sessions) Internet-based communication and their impact on teachers' attitude toward collaboration, activity completion rates, and test performance. The study also investigated the impact of collaboration on activity completion rates and teacher performance measured by objective tests. The treatment was an interactive web-based course designed to enhance the collaborative teaching and learning communities of participating educators as they acquired Internet skills. Participants had access to chats and were members of two course-related mailing lists. They completed a pretest that assessed their Internet skills in the areas of searching and using e-mail. Following the pretest, they completed tutorials specific to these skill areas; then they completed a posttest. The study used two instruments, the "Stages of Concern Instrument: Attitudes Toward the Internet" and a criterion-reference performance test. Researchers logged use of mailing lists and Internet chats to measure engagement in Internet-based communication as a collaborative tool. Data analysis indicated that attitudes toward collaboration did not affect test performance, though there was a relationship between attitudes toward collaboration and use of Internet-based communication.

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• • The piece is well written and has a professional credibility. Proper use of context is noted, as well as site continuity. Copyright information is easily found.
• Google Docs enables multiple people in different locations to collaborate simultaneously on the same doc from any computer with Internet access.
   
    For example, teachers can work together on a single document to develop curriculum plans for the year. No one has to compile all the edits together, since everyone is making changes to a single doc. Because the document is online, teachers can collaborate beyond the school and start sharing with others in the district. With everyone contributing ideas and comments, everyone benefits from a more collaborative curriculum.
• Another example is for students paired with another class for a group assignment. While the students may never have class together, they can start a document and edit it at any time. After class, they can even open the document and write together, chatting about the project directly in the doc. They can then share the document with a few classmates for peer editing. When they complete the project, they can share the final version or create a copy to share with the teacher, who can also provide the grade and feedback directly in the document.
   
    With everyone working on the same doc, there’s no back and forth of versions and edits. This can also accelerate the feedback and revision process, allowing teachers to provide quick comments and students to incorporate changes as they’re writing.

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• • Piece is current and well written. Properly cited and includes reference listings for credibility. Use of context is informative.

• A new era in creative collaboration

     

  Thanks to the web, it's easier than ever to collaborate on exciting, unique projects with other artists. Inspiration, feedback and even financial backing is all just a click away

• Lennon and McCartney, Scorsese and De Niro, Morecambe and Wise – some of the world's greatest art has been created through collaboration. Two heads are indeed better than one. But what if you had 10 brains to pick, 100 people's experience to draw on, 1,000 creative streaks to harness or even 100,000 imaginations to juice?

  This is the reality of creative collaboration today. Thanks to the web, people across the globe whose paths might never have crossed can weave together their ideas to create unique stories, drawings, films and much, much more. Whether they find each other on social networking sites such as Twitter, or in dedicated spaces such as Carnegie Hall's online meeting place for students and established musicians, there are very few limits to what can be achieved. It's exciting stuff.
• Thanks to the ease of sharing words across the internet, the world of literature is filled with creatives willing to challenge norms of how to write a story. In January Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald invited readers to submit a new chapter for a crowd-sourced novel called The Necklace, while late last year, British fantasy author Silvia Hartmann wrote a novel live in Google Docs. Fans could see it being created – word by word – and offer suggestions for character development, plot and vocabulary.
• Multimedia collaborations like this are now possible thanks to a massive range of specially designed websites, platforms and apps designed to make life easier for creatives who want to make the most of others' minds. The likes of Cage, Scribbler and Conceptboard allow people to easily work together on design-led projects, while the newly launched Framebench is an interface that allows people to design, edit, email and speak about the same piece of work in one place. Musicians can use sites such as Soundcloud, Acidplanet and Kompaz, while artists can download the Sketchshare app and draw while their contemporaries watch and feedback.

• From generating ideas to financing them, producing the content to working out where to take it next, the internet is facilitating collaboration in a way that has never been before possible. It's changing our perceptions of what creating a piece of art involves and taking our own ideas to places we never dreamt they would end up. There's never been a better time to be creative. Just imagine what Lennon would have done.

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• • The article notes proper use of context, as well as content. References and citations are issued respectfully with the interest of continuity.
• • Ethnography as method remains orthodox in its application. It is largely replicated through the lone field ethnographer model. In challenging this fieldwork model, the authors describe distance collaboration via the Internet linking two researchers across space and time in the fieldwork process: one in the field, the other home
    based. Using a reflexive, retrospective analysis of e-mail correspondence generated during the fieldwork experience, they explicate key factors in their successful
    collaborative effort. In addition, interchanges conducive to “thickening” the ethnographic inquiry are highlighted. The collaborative process, facilitated through the Internet, lent psychological strength to the field researcher and added to research quality, timeliness, and trustworthiness in this focused ethnography. Cyber-technology invites exploration of new approaches and resultant challenges in
    conducting ethnographic fieldwork.

• • The article notes proper use of context, as well as content. References and citations are issued respectfully with the interest of continuity.
• Computers & Education
• Web-based learning environments are becoming increasingly popular in higher education. One of the most important web-learning resources is the virtual laboratory (VL), which gives students an easy way for training and learning through the Internet. Moreover, on-line collaborative communication represents a practical method to transmit the knowledge and experience from the teacher to students overcoming physical distance and isolation. Considering these facts, the authors of this document have developed a new dynamic collaborative e-learning system which combines the main advantages of virtual laboratories and collaborative learning practices. In this system, the virtual laboratories are based on Java applets which have embedded simulations developed in Easy Java Simulations (EJS), an open-source tool for teachers who do not need complex programming skills. The collaborative e-learning is based on a real-time synchronized communication among these Java applets. Therefore, this original approach provides a new tool which integrates virtual laboratories inside a synchronous collaborative e-learning framework. This paper describes the main features of this system and its successful application in a distance education environment among different universities from Spain.

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• • The source offers various content and ensures credibility and proper citations. Copyright information is easily accessible and context is use in a correct format.
• Musicians Collaborate from Afar on the Web

• Imagine if John had never met Paul, or another Paul had never met Art. Well, these days online-jamming Web sites are making it easier for thousands or even millions of would-be Lennons and McCartneys or Simons and Garfunkels to collaborate — without ever meeting each other in person.

  On one such site, Jamglue.com, "Peace & Hate," a song by a group called The Submarines, is being modified by other users. Anyone who fancies themselves a musician can go in, press a "remix" button, and add their own tracks or make their own version out of the same parts.

• Jamglue is one of half a dozen new sites where musicians can meet and compose and play together.

  "We've already seen the stage where people are consuming music over the Internet in a whole new way," says Wired News writer Eliot Van Buskirk. "What we haven't seen very much of is people creating music in a new way using the Internet and that's what this is all about."

• "You can literally plug a guitar into your computer and start playing with somebody in another city in real time," he says. "Or in a more serious studio session, where you each lay down tracks individually and create a finished product."

  A site called eJamming lets you play live with other people.

  "As the next generation of musicians comes up with these sites where they can collaborate with each other, hopefully more Johns will meet more Pauls," Van Buskirk says. "I think there's a lot of potential for these sites to become sort of a next-generation record label."

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• • The content of the source is professional, educational, and informative. Continuity in site availability and connectivity enable the user with credible information.
• AudioDraft gives musicians new tools for online, worldwide collaboration
• Finland, the country that’s brought not only Nokia but open source endeavors like the Linux operating system and MySQL databases to the world, is now applying the open source philosophy to music production. A fresh Finnish start-up called AudioDraft is building a platform to help musicians write music together even if they’re separated by a physical distance.

• AudioDraft is a browser-based application. People who need music—movie producers, ad agencies, businesses looking for a jingle, or other artists—can use AudioDraft to commission a piece from the community using the “Sourcing” interface. The idea is to set up a contest, offer a sum of money the company can decide on, and pick a winner from the suggestions.

   

  The idea of crowd-sourcing music through a contest has been put to action before by a Nashville, Tenn.-based company called MusikPitch, which we covered recetly here. However, where MusikPitch seems to be aimed at having individual artists write pieces on their own, AudioDraft is designed to let artists collaborate on a commission, sharing the financial risk of not winning the deal and sharing the prize money, if they win.

• But what really differentiates AudioDraft from the competition is the sketching feature, says co-founder and CEO Teemu Yli-Hollo.

   

  Using the “sketching” interface, one collaborator can put in a drum track, another one can record guitars and bass, a third one can insert a vocal track, and so on. In the Internet age, music is already being done this way, with files being emailed or Dropboxed from one artist to another across the world (like the prolific musician Mike Patton, who created his Peeping Tom project in 2006 with collaborations from Americans Norah Jones and Kool Keith as well as the British duo Massive Attack, sharing tracks over the Internet instead of booking a studio.) AudioDraft is where the individual tracks come together, and it works as a virtual “sketch pad” to build the song.

• “In addition to developing an online sequencer for building the tracks, we have integrated some social networking features so artists can comment on the song on the timeline of the track. For instance, they can tag a comment to a point in the sound wave and leave a comment, asking what is this sound peak right here, should we tweak that, and so on,” says Yli-Hollo, who is also a musician and runs his own independent record label in Finland.

   

  When artists are satisfied with the piece they’ve created, the entity that commissioned the piece will review all the suggestions and decide on a winner. The winning group then receives a commission for their work.

• “We are working with independent, unsigned artists who produce quality work. We want to give artists other means to create and find distribution for their music than the old record label way, and to make crowd-sourcing music easier,” Yli-Hollo explains.

   

  Another cool possibility for the software is to give fans access to the actual production of a song. “Imagine if an artist like Madonna would build a song online, giving fans access to hear the song as it is being written, having them comment the track and share the process of writing music,” Yli-Hollo suggests.

   

• AudioDraft is already being used by the international production team of a feature-length film called And White Was The Night to make original music for the film (trailer here). The movie team is a Columbian-Costa Rican-Finnish-Iranian co-production.

   

  AudioDraft, while based in Helsinki, is looking to break into the international market and hit music-making centers like Los Angeles, New York and London with the product.

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• • The article has appropriate use of context and citation and proves the credibility of the topic in discussion. Copyright information is readily available.
• Jammin' over the Net

• Until a few years ago, collaborating on music over the Internet meant laboriously swapping MIDI and audio files via e-mail, FTP, or the World Wide Web. Sharing ideas in this way is still popular in many quarters, but it can never provide the same stimulating interaction that you get when working with someone "side by side" in a joint effort.

    

  Spontaneous communication is the key to effective collaboration, and the Internet has actually provided this type of interaction for quite some time in the form of IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and Web-based chat rooms. Using these chat facilities, people from around the world can send text messages back and forth in real time.

    

  Of course, exchanging text is hardly a substitute for trading your latest and greatest licks. That's why a few pioneering companies decided to expand on the Internet chat concept. Two such companies, Res Rocket and Full Tilt Design, provide products that allow anyone with an Internet connection and a multimedia-equipped computer to quickly exchange MIDI (and soon audio) data with fellow bandmates, no matter how far apart they live. Even though the current state of technology doesn't offer true real-time, long-distance, interactive musical collaboration, we're getting closer to that goal all the time.

• Consisting of client and server software components, Res Rocket is based on the MUD (Multi-User Dimension) or MOO (Multi-user-dimension, Object-Oriented) online environment. Gamers have been using MUDs or MOOs since before the Internet was opened to the public. These MOOs are basically enhanced chat environments that consist of more than just a single virtual meeting place for people to gather. Instead, they provide a whole virtual atmosphere with multiple meeting areas that are interconnected.

    

  The Res Rocket system is actually a modernized MOO, which its creators call the MUSE (Multi-User Studio Environment). The MUSE consists of dozens of interconnected virtual studios in which people can meet and share their musical sequences via "live" jam sessions. As of this writing, the system has a population of over 11,000, and with more than 1,000 new members being added each month, you're guaranteed to find someone who shares your musical interests.

    

  To gain access to the MUSE, you must first create an avatar (the online persona used to represent you in the MUSE) by submitting your name and email address to the Res Rocket Web server. After you receive your assigned password via e-mail, you must download a copy of the Res Rocket proprietary client software, called DRGN (Distributed Real-time Groove Network). It's currently available for Windows 95/NT and Macintosh operating systems. There is no charge for using the DRGN software in the public studio areas because this part of the MUSE system is sponsor-supported.

• The tracks that you see in the Arrangement window include the ones that you create as well as those created by the other members in the current jam session. You can edit any of the tracks that you create, but you can't alter someone else's tracks. The owner of each track is listed in the left pane of the Arrangement window, along with the usual track name, track instrument, mute status, etc. All of the sequences in all of the tracks in the current jam are listed in the Sequence Library. This window provides access to any sequence (even those recorded by the other members) for cutting and pasting into your own tracks, if you'd like.

    

  To create a new track, you. simply click on the DRGN menu at top of the screen, and select New Track. Then just name the track and select an instrument for it, and the track will appear in the Arrangement window, with your avatar name listed in the Owner column. You can now record a new sequence into the track the same way you would with any MIDI sequencer: click the Record button, and start playing your MIDI instrument. There are no step-entry or notation-entry functions, so you'll have to perform all your parts, but you can slow down the tempo, and quantizing is available.

• Once you've finished recording a sequence, you can play it back to make sure it sounds right, and then you can let everyone else hear your contribution to the jam by clicking the Send Changes button. DRGN will then send your sequence over the Net to the Res Rocket server, which will send your sequence back out over the Net to everyone else who is participating in the current jam. This process usually takes only a few seconds, depending on Internet traffic at the time.

    

  The beauty of the Res Rocket system is that, instead of trying to stream MIDI data and thus having to compete with the inevitable Internet-related delays, it simply sends small sequences when instructed. Once these sequences reach a user's computer, they can be manipulated and played back locally. This means that Res Rocket can be used with any type of modem and with any baud rate. It also gives each member the freedom to set up individual mixes without altering the original sequence data and without affecting how the jam will play back on everyone else's computer.
• NetSessions, from Full Tilt Design, is quite a bit different from Res Rocket. Instead of relying on a separate server to relay MIDI data, users are hooked up directly to one another using the IP addresses furnished by their ISPs (Internet Service Providers). Of course, this also means that the software only works on a one-to-one basis, but that may actually be the perfect solution for songwriting duos that want to conduct private jam sessions.
• Though NetSessions is easy to use, you must go through a few extra steps for first-time setup. After you establish an Internet connection, start the NetSessions software, then select your input and output devices directly on the NetSessions main screen (see 3). To use a MIDI sequencer to send your data, set the NetSessions input device to the NetSessions MIDI Driver. Next, start your sequencer and select the NetSessions MIDI Driver as its output device. After that, all MIDI output from the sequencer will be channeled through NetSessions and out over the Internet. Rather than using a sequencer as your NetSessions input device, you could select any other MIDI In port in your system, such as a Sound Blaster external MIDI input, and send data directly from your keyboard. This would allow you to have a "live" performance with your partner.
• Once you're connected, NetSessions provides a simple chat window in which you and your partner can send text messages back and forth for discussion during a jam. You can also start making music the same way you would during. any MIDI recording session, except whatever you play is also transmitted over the Internet and heard by your collaborator. The only thing that needs to be handled differently is the actual recording of MIDI data. Because most sequencers have their own way of handling incoming MIDI data, you must use NetSessions' built-in recording function to record the output of your colleague. You can then save the data as a Standard MIDI File and import it into your sequencing program for editing and playback. This method of recording is a bit awkward at times, but Full Tilt Design is currently working with many of the top MIDI software manufacturers to make NetSessions compatible with their recording protocols.

• Because of the current nature of the Internet, neither Res Rocket nor NetSessions can provide the ideal long-distance environment, which is true real-time interaction. At the moment, in order to have someone in a different location record a new track for your composition, they have to record the track locally so they can stay in sync with any existing tracks. In a true real-time environment, data would be transferred instantaneously and you could just punch in a performance right over the wire. There is simply no way to eliminate the inherent delays that plague today's Net. Perhaps when the next Internet protocol (IPv6) is implemented, its provisions for time-sensitive multimedia data and higher-speed local connections from homes and studios can solve the problem.

    

  In the meantime, these companies are forging the future of online musical relationships. Res Rocket is currently beta testing the new version of its system that will allow the transfer of audio in addition to MIDI data. This new feature may be available by the time you read this. The company is also looking into updating its DRGN software to allow musicians the use of their existing sequencing Software during jam sessions. As mentioned earlier, Full Tilt Design is also working to improve its product with easier connection and recording features.

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• • References are clearly available and long standing credibility ensures accurate information. Proper citation and source listing is properly displayed and notated.
• Collaboration in the Cloud -- Why Aren't You doing it?

• Cloud computing and collaboration are a match made in heaven, yet someone must have forgotten to pay the matchmaker because the union is taking its time getting consummated. Strong web-based collaborative tools, such as SharePoint, have been around for a decade or so, but many organizations still stick with what’s comfortable and rely solely on email.
  
  Email is the go-to collaboration tool for knowledge workers, despite the fact that it is only one piece of what can be a highly efficient overall cloud strategy. Why, then, is email still the primary means of collaboration? Here are four main reasons: 1) it’s convenient, 2) it’s easy, 3) everyone uses it – all the time – and 4) it still works.

   

• Without taking advantage of the available cloud collaboration tools you could experience limitations such as: only one person being able to work on any given version of the document at once, or    ending   up with multiple, conflicting versions. In heavily regulated industries, those conflicting versions can pose problems beyond simply deciding which document version you should actually be working on.

   

  Meanwhile, shuffling documents (or presentations, videos, etc.) back and forth undermines productivity. The workflow necessitated by this means of sharing is deterministic, allowing for only one working style. People must work in isolation, sequentially. I suppose your team can crowd around a desktop PC in someone’s cubicle, but that’s not collaboration, that’s a distraction.

• The rise of cloud computing is fundamentally changing collaboration. Basic tools such as Outlook and Word are transforming into cloud-based tools. Cloud-based collaboration means that many of the initial barriers to entry for   collaboration, such as expensive initial investment in infrastructure, have been removed.        Instead, it allows for pay-as-you-go usage and enables workers to keep using the tools they’re already used to, only with cloud-based features added on.

   

  A powerful platform like SharePoint is orders of magnitude more powerful when linked to the cloud. Partners and contractors can be rolled into project workflows more easily, with more controls and fewer risks. Remote and branch offices no longer feel like they’re out of touch with headquarters, since they have the same access to the same tools at the same time.

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• • The source provides a variety of online information that is correctly and accurately documented. List of resources and online databases of information were found.
• Cloud Computing For Collaboration

• It’s not just about cutting costs, cloud computing can also help your employee’s
   productivity and collaboration levels, even if they’re in pajamas.

   

  Now I know we all heard about Marissa Mayer’s recent ban on Yahoo employees working from home, but she had the data to support her choice. Please don’t take my comment as accordance with her decision, I firmly believe providing employees the opportunity to work at home is an essential policy companies should have.

   

  However, if you’re concerned about eventually experiencing Yahoo’s low productivity levels, don’t fret too much. If you invest in cloud computing platform for your business and equip your employees with the right applications, you will never encounter the mess Mayer had to clean up.

   

• So What Is Cloud Computing Collaboration?

   

  Before I launch into the benefits, some of the ways you can use cloud computing for collaboration identified by BizAnytime.com are:

   
   
  • Web & video conferencing
   
  • Project, team and client workspaces that are shared and accessible
   
  • Discussion forums
   
  • File sharing and storage, especially large files
   
  • Task management
   
   

• Cloud Computing Offers 3 Collaboration Advantages

   

  The first two advantages go hand in hand: collaboration Cloud computing is reinventing the collaboration wheel, allowing employees to not only work from home, but also from the beach, or the pool, anywhere. That’s the point. Your employees, using cloud computing, can access critical corporate data from their mobile, tablet, or laptop.

   

  Say someone was working on a PowerPoint for a customer meeting, but went on vacation without their laptop (impressive I know) and forgot to send it to the presenter. That’s got disaster + fire drill + probably a lost deal written on the walls.

• By equipping your employees with the right cloud computing tools, the PowerPoint would be stored in a centralized location, accessible by the presenter, or the creator on his mobile device from vacation if there were any needs for updates.

   

  These updates can happen in real-time, no need to download, save, resend; the document can be edited, saved, closed out and accessible to the next person all within minutes.

   

• The third cloud computing collaboration advantage is the speed of updating your applications. As your business evolves, so will your demands on your applications. Before it would take a few years and a lot of headaches to update what you had, but now it can be done quickly and easily.

   

  No matter which cloud you use, public, private or a hybrid. All can fit your collaboration needs. However, if you’re a small to mid-size business with not that large of an IT budget I would stick with the public or a hybrid cloud. You can pay as you go, only for what you use, and not deal with the cost of infrastructure maintenance.

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• • The article offers well written information with comparability and proper use of context. Online citations offer credibility and copyright information is available.
• • Proper knowledge-base access and document storage
    has long been an issue for the Document Management Team (Access Services) at the Information and Library Services of University of Maryland University College. Team members researched Share-Point and decided it could be exploited as a combination of intranet and cloud computing technologies. SharePoint’s features allow it to
    be a 1-stop location tomanage information in a secure, efficient, remotely accessible, and consolidated manner. The team could then reduce redundancy and knowledge gaps by using the collaboration and communication features. This article will discuss the steps
    the team took to transition several previous avenues of document storage and knowledge base access into SharePoint, specifically in the case of creating a troubleshooting wiki for remote circulation locations.