Cloud working

Having worked with Google docs regularly and Buzzword a bit for the past two years, it was interesting to try Thinkfree. The possibilities for formating were useful, but I found the advertising a real disincentive to working on the site. There also seemed to be periodic delays when between typing and the characters appearing on the screen. In situations where you need to share a document or calendar, cloud computer comes into its own, but needing an internet connection to access these documents is a disadvantage in some locations. Are there any recommended readings about possible concerns about storing files in giant servers, many of which are in other countries?