Thing 18: Online Productivity Tools

Discovery Exercise: For this discovery exercise explore one or both of the free options above and post a blog with your opinion of the advantages and/or disadvantages of using a free online tool instead of Microsoft Office.

I have been spoiled by Microsoft. SHHHHH, don’t tell. I do not care for Open Office because it’s harder to be as productive as I can be on Word. Working with Open Office reminds me of when I had to move all my docs over from a Mac to a PC. It was not so much learning a new system as it was missing the great tools that we already had as Mac users. PCs have caught up in the non-graphic interface world, but given the choice of Open Office or MS Office, I choose MS Office.

I read an article in Wired magazine this month about why Netbooks are so popular. It was a very long article but well worth reading if you are considering getting one for you own use, of if your school is considering getting some. Since they use flash memory, you can’t load MS Office on them, you have to use open source or cloud technology to create savable docs. Most people who buy Netbooks want them just for Internet and email usage (according to the Wired article) and that does make sense if you do not need to create content on a program—if you do not need to create much content at all, Netbooks are for you. If you are willing to use open source programs and cloud technology, Netbooks are also for you.

I know this is the wave of the very-near future, but the truth is that I am very comfy where I am, thank-you-very-much. When I have to make the move, I’ll make it…and I hope by then Open Office has improved its presentation software—if not—I’ll stick with iGoogle—it’s applications are more user friendly in my opinion.

I used Google docs to make a spreadsheet to record teacher book requests from the library. Since I will be in two libraries this year, having a spreadsheet available for all the teachers to access that comes to me is a great way for me to keep track of their requests. I also used the form maker to make a form that the teachers fill in. As they fill it in, it exports the info to my spread sheet. Very cool!