using cloud to share files - any experience?

[incywincyspideragain]

I sit on various voluntary committees and am getting bit fed up of sharing minutes etc via email as people always have updates to make or items to add to agendas and then we end up with varying versions being printed out for meetings.

I think sharing via cloud should be possible.
I use google docs for myself - do others need a google email address to be able to access them?
Are there better services for sharing - I've ruled out dropbox
I pretty much need something web based but don't want to maintain a web site and host it

In the past I've used yahoo groups for sharing and storing files - I found the interface easy. The commitee members vary in age, some are not keen to use this form of file sharing, the easier the interface the better.

Any thoughts?

I use Google docs as well. You don't need a Gmail address to access, so this could well be the easiest solution.

I'm playing with google drive, bit flakey on work comp - won't let me upload files
Will stick with it for time being and see if I can get anyone to use it!

Dropbox is the easiest to use (and therefore very popular). Maybe SugarSync is the next easiest? Both seem v good and have free options.

Why did you rule out Dropbox Incy? We use it all the time for sharing files for a club. You can share any file without the other person needing Dropbox on their computer.

"I sit on various voluntary committees and am getting bit fed up of sharing minutes etc via email as people always have updates to make or items to add to agendas and then we end up with varying versions being printed out for meetings."

Not sure that sharing documents "improves" the situation. Someone needs to take control and responsibility for such agendas, and what can/ should be added/ removed.

If there are errors on minutes of meetings then they should be handled either at the next meeting or the person "correcting" them should circulate what they think should be in place (ie point out omissions /errors, not be allowed to freely edit to how they want things to appear), and then a decision made on whether their memory is good or bad !

My two-penneth, but ignore at your peril :)

something you feel strongly about then

So it works something like this; we do have some one to take control of agenda, email (a) goes out asking for items, email (b) with agenda attached maked v1 - get back a couple of additions so agenda v2 goes out but still get members printing v1 to bring to meeting.. I figured if it was shared there could be a live on line copy rather than various versions lost in email or even just a shared folder with the latest copy in so you could just think 'I'll print the agenda' and get it from central place rather than email trail

Minutes are circulated 1 week after meeting as they contain peoples actions - ammendments are usually made then (sometimes they are grammatical - I don't make any excuse I'm dyslexic) final ammendments in meeting as you said - I guess ideally it would be better to make nothing available on line as then I could send paper copies and wait to see if anyone wrote back maybe the actual problem is we have too much freedom to access the info...

jefftracy I'd initially ruled out dropbox as I thought you had to pay for it but looks like 5Gb free like google, worth another look, thanks for SugarSync link, I'd not heard of it

I suppose the real problem is those who print v1 of the Agenda and thus arrive with out-of-date (possibly) copy.

As I don't have Word on every machine (sometimes use Open Office, but some machines have not installed anything) I tend to view documents from my sisters (who sometimes send things in Word) on Google Docs.

I've used it and can share documents as either read-only or read-and-modify on a user by user basis, so you could make an Agenda available with 'DRAFT'

I send out PDF versions of the agenda and minutes so people can't change them (for PtA committee).
I've been in a work situation where we had someone who would often access the original (shared through the main server) and make changes to minutes. We would come to meetings with a load if actions we didn't know about, but that's a whole different problem.

That said I prefer Dropbox to google docs. So much easier to use.

Ooops - was meaning to preview it !

'DRAFT' between every item and the next, and then when amendments have been incorporated, send out e-mail saying the final version of the Agenda is available (and include web link again).

At least that way anyone printing version 1 should be reminded it isn't te finl version and more fool them if they take it to the meeting... it will be very obvious if it says DRAFT every few lines