Switch to Google Apps

Recently I switched my entire family over to Google Apps. This gives us a couple things that I am hopeful will increase our effectiveness. Time will tell if it works or not, but I am hopeful. Worst case scenario is that nothing improves. A very compelling reason to switch was also that it is completely free. Google charges nothing for this service and provides a lot of benefits.

• Gmail use while using our @yorkfamily.info email addresses. For myself I have no problem accessing my mail while out of the house, but Robyn and kids didn't have a solution for this. Now they do. They can continue to use their email client on the computer if they want, or they can always access their email in the browser.
  
• Shared Calendars. We all have a Google calendar and can view each others calendar items. You can mix/match overlaying various calendars and see any events you choose. This should be great for coordinating all the various activities our kids are doing all the time.
  
• Google Apps. The ability to create documents , work on them on any computer and anywhere, then simply save them, all right in the browser is a powerful concept that I am hoping takes off. Google has replacement apps for the traditional Microsoft Office suite that is plenty powerful enough for my family. Word Processor, Spreadsheet, and Slide Shows are all there. It also makes it extremely easy to collaborate on documents simultaneously. Picture this scenario. Rachel is working on a school report and I am traveling out of town on business. She calls me up on the phone and asks for some assistance with a section of her paper. I log into Google Apps and bring up her document at the same time she is looking at it at home. As I type something in the document, she sees my updates in real time on her screen and she can also type additional information simultaneously. Collaboration at its best.
  
• I don't have to backup any files. All email, Calendars, and Documents created in Google Apps are backed up by Google. I still perform backups to capture things like photos and home videos stored on the computer, but I don't have to worry about all other documents.

This is also a deliberate step for me to transition my computer life to Software as a Service applications. I can see the writing on the wall that this is the future of software, so I might as well transition now to get a leg up. I already replaced Microsoft Money with mint.com (completely free) to track personal finances, I use a online version of Quickbooks for my accounting software.