Top Four Benefits of Cloud Computing

There are few web tools as useful both in your professional life, and in your personal one, as cloud computing, yet nowhere near as many people are benefitting from it as they could. That’s why this week on the Oliver Rawlings blog, I wanted to list my top four benefits of cloud computing.

As a tech buff, the way people react to new technologies annoys me sometimes. What they should see as a tool that they can use to ease the burden and the pressure in their everyday life, they often see as change; people don’t tend to like change. That’s what I think has happened to some people’s opinions of cloud storage.

Cloud computing is internet based computing. Where basically before people would download services like Microsoft Word and Excel, and use them on their computer, saving documents to their computer, a cloud based service has these programmes all on it, so you can use it anytime, anywhere. You can also access your saved documents anywhere through the cloud.

So now we know what it is why should, whether at work, at home, on the bus, in the supermarket etc. you be joining the cloud?

1) Its Flexible: Have you ever tried to move a document you’ve saved on your computer? You have to invest in a USB or email it to yourself, which is a pain in the you know what and means you have to find somewhere with internet. With cloud computing, it’s as simple as using your device somewhere with internet.

2) Its Cost Effective: Buying windows programmes such as Word and Excel is pain, and it’s expensive. Who needs the hassle and the impact on their bottom line? Because with cloud based services you’re not paying that much for a lot of essential programmes, it’s far more cost effective.

3) Its Safer: It really is safer folks. Have you ever been in that heart-breaking position where you’ve been in writing a very important document and your computer has crashed? You can recover the document somewhat, but often it doesn’t save everything you’ve done. Don’t need to worry about that with the cloud!

Its Interconnected: Think about it like this. When you’re using the cloud at work, everybody has access to it, simultaneously, with no effort at all. That’s makes working together on a big project, sharing information etc. so much easier, because you have a common place to develop the project and store it.

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The Meaning behind the No Makeup Selfie

If you’ve been on any social media over the past few weeks, you’ll have come across the no makeup selfie. They’re everywhere.  What is the real meaning of the no makeup selfie and what does it say about society at large?

Selfie are already everywhere, Oliver Rawlings readers, these days they are as natural a part of modern life as breathing, sleeping and eating. They’re so big even President Barack Obama is doing it. I bet you’ve done it regularly, reader.

So it’s hardly surprising that there’s a selfie trend; what is surprising is the fact that it is a no makeup trend. Basically people are taking pictures of themselves without makeup and posting them to their social media accounts to raise awareness.

It’s certainly working, and you could definitely label it a trend. Everyone from the person on the street, to the celebrity in Hollywood, to even the odd politician is getting in on the action. It’s been grabbing international headlines.

So why is it generating so much attention? The reason has to be the attachment society has to vanity. Many women often feel naked without makeup on and therefore this suggests that the makeup selfie is the ultimate expression of nakedness, of metaphorical honesty.

This metaphorical honesty explains why people feel that no makeup selfies will raise awareness of cancer. Being honest, in any sense, with the hardest parts of yourself is one of the bravest things you can possibly do. Indeed, people are being congratulated on the bravery they have shown in daring to post pictures of themselves online bare-faced.

This feeds into the common cancer discourse. As is right, those who live with and overcome cancer are seen as some of the bravest people in the world. Those who turn their horrific experience into an awareness raising campaign are even more so. So there is a clear correlation; it’s bravery highlighting bravery, honesty, highlighting honesty, all to raise awareness.

However, I believe that the no makeup selfie says something bigger about society. The fact that we see simply taking a picture of yourself bare-faced as an expression of honesty implies we have something to be ashamed about when it comes to the way we naturally look.

We still need something to cover the supposed imperfections to make us acceptable, and in the modern world, that in itself is unacceptable. Perhaps the no makeup selfie will raise this kind of awareness and understanding as well. 

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