Computer Files: Access, Formats & Sharing (Guided Notes)

Computer Files: Access, Formats Sharing In this lesson, you will learn how to access files locally and remotely through cloud storage, NAS devices and VPNs, and how to share files with colleagues, students, friends, and family members. Accessing Computer Files Locally Text files, movies, photos, spreadsheets, databases, and PDFs. You can't have a computer without files. A computer file is a place on a computer where information is stored in a package - like paper documents in digital form. You use files to store your data (from photos to reports you write for work or school), but files also contain all the programs that you run on your computer.There are many different types (or formats) of files: 'doc' files contain text, 'JPEGs' and 'PNGs' contain photos, 'mpegs' contain videos, 'exe' files are PC programs that run on the computer, and so on. All of these can be accessed by simply turning on the computer and double-clicking on the file. This is called local file access, because you are in the same place that your files are stored - you are accessing them from nearby. Accessing Computer Files Remotely However, sometimes you want to access files while you're away, like in a coffee shop or on holiday in Hawaii. This is called accessing files remotely - from a location that is different from where the file is stored. For example, you might need a document you left behind on your computer.There are many ways to access files from a remote location. Probably the most common these days is something called cloud storage. Cloud storage is where your files are stored or backed up on the internet. They are stored securely on someone else's computer which runs around the clock, and allows you to access them using the internet whenever you need to, and from wherever you are. There are many advantages to this. It's convenient, reliable, and backups can be done automatically so that any changes you make on your computer are immediately available online.However, technically you are relying on the security of someone else's system. That someone else might be Microsoft (OneDrive), Google (Google Drive) or Apple (iCloud); pretty trustworthy, but it's still possible that they may have a security failure.Another option is to access files on your computer directly from a remote location. This can be done by turning your own computer into a kind of mini cloud server. You can do this three different ways: by buying a dedicated piece of hardware called a NAS (network attached storage) device, by installing VPN (virtual private network) software on your computer, or using another system like an FTP server. NAS devices can be expensive, and FTP servers are not very secure, so for many people, setting up a VPN is the best option. Indeed, this is how most businesses allow their workers to access their files from home. If you've ever worked from home and had access to the items on your computer at work, this is probably how it was done. File Sharing But what if you need to share files with multiple people? Well, there are ways to do that too. Again, internet services are the most common. There are websites like Dropbox and Google Drive, which not only allow you to put your files online for easy access, but also let you invite other people to access folders that you set up. This can be a great and easy solution if you need to share files between family members, with students (if you're a teacher), or colleagues. But a VPN can also be used by businesses to provide access to shared folders as well.File sharing can also be done locally. If you have several computers in your house, it's possible to set up a folder or number of folders on your computer that are shared folders. This allows the people who live with you to access the same files. This could be especially useful if you want to be able to access each other's music collections, or access family photos, for example.It's worth bearing in mind that some file formats are easier to share than others. If you use standard programs and file formats like Microsoft Word's 'doc' and 'docx' files, or Adobe's 'pdf' files, or 'jpeg' photos, you'll have no problems - almost everyone can use these kinds of files. If you use any programs like OpenOffice, everyone should also be able to access the files that you create.The exact process to set up each of these file sharing and remote systems is different depending on the software you use, and what type of computer you have. But whether you're a PC or Mac user, all of these options are at your fingertips and just a Google search away. Lesson Summary Everything on the computer is made up of files, and those files can be accessed locally by sitting in front of your own computer, or remotely from a laptop, smartphone, or internet café. Accessing files remotely can be done using cloud services, by buying and installing a NAS drive, or by setting up a VPN or FTP server. Cloud services are most convenient and often free (depending on how much space you need), and NAS drive can be the most secure but is expensive, and a VPN is somewhere in between.Files can be shared among a group of people websites like Dropbox, full cloud services like Google Drive or iCloud, or using a VPN. Files can also be shared locally (between people in the same home) by creating a shared folder at home.