Three Different Ways Student Can Save Files, Part 3, Google Docs

As I’m heading to BlogHer this week, I will be featuring a 3 part article from BitMoms and BitDefender. As a BitMom, I will be featuring monthly articles written by BitDefender experts. Previous posts featured USB drives and emailing documents.

August signifies the winding down of summer and the fresh school year.  This year as you shop for back to school items, check your family computer to ensure that your antivirus software is current and can safeguard your machine from potential viruses that can come from opening infected files at home and school.

These days, students have a myriad of ways they can create and save documents to be accessed in multiple locations but each has its benefits and risks.  Here’s a quick run down of the top 3 ways students save files along with the pros and cons of each.

3. Google Docs

Google Docs is a way you can create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets online using your Gmail account.

Pro: The use of Google Docs is free, easy to navigate and use, and allows users to access their documents from any computer with an internet connection which makes it an efficient choice for students on the go.  Google Docs enables users to share their work and collaborate on an assignment which is useful for group assignments.  The autosave feature helps making sure that changes are frequently saved and working in Google Docs eliminates the problem of incompatible file formats.  Since Google Docs is its own system, creating, editing, and saving documents while they are part of Google Docs is a safe way to avoid potential viruses and malware.

Con: Google Docs requires an internet connection in order to access documents.  Some schools don’t allow the use of Google Docs.  If you convert your Google Doc into another file format to email it to someone, there is the potential that a virus will sneak in the emailed document.

Regardless of your child’s preferred way to save and access documents both at home and school, knowing the risks that come with each method helps prevent potential problems that could jeopardize your student’s ability to get work turned in on time and harm your family computer.  If you feel like your computer has been compromised, you can always run BitDefender’s free online scanner directly from your browser to immediately clean your system memory.

This article was provided as exclusive content by BitDefender because of my role as a BitMom Blog Network Member.  No compensation was received for sharing this post however; BitMoms is providing me with a blog conference stipend and other materials to help me facilitate sharing topics of internet safety and security with my readers and through the BitMom Community.

About BitDefender®- BitDefender is the creator of one of the industry’s fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified security software. Every day, BitDefender protects tens of millions of home and corporate users across the globe — giving them the peace of mind of knowing that their digital experiences will be secure. More information about BitDefender and its products are available on the company’s website.