Online applications like WriteBoard, ThinkFree, and Google Docs have a big advantage over traditional desktop applications like Microsoft Office Suite: file portability. Because documents are generated and stored online they can be accessed from any computer anywhere. Files can be marked private or authorized for access by others so groups can interact to edit documents. This capability for interaction can significantly ease group projects .In applications like ThinkFree and Google Doc, documents can be uploaded, edited, and then exported to a blog or web page. Some can even convert files to HTML or .pdf. While Google Docs and ThinkFree have more of the features mentioned, for the purposes of this challenge I used WriteBoard to generate this entry because it seemed the most user-friendly. It also has related applications that intrigued me, like "Backpack" and "Ta-Da List" which is touted as "the web's simplest to-do list manager"--definitely something I could use.
At any rate, online applications seem to be the way things are going so it pays to make an informed choice about which has the right features and meets the most needs. I opened accounts for each of these three applications and plan on spending more time exploring each before choosing one for more regular use. Right now I don’t have much need for the more advanced and sophisticated features of these programs. However, I can see that any of these could be useful and potentially invaluable for library projects.
2 comments:
Come on, come on! You're finishing up today, right??
Ah, but the suspense makes the heart pound faster, doesn't it? I've finished everything except #23, which I will write and post tomorrow unless I'm struck donw by lightning. I think we should have a special graduation ceremony with awards, don't you? And I think so few people are finishing we should EACH get a laptop. But I know the difference between fantasy and reality.
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