[OPLINTECH] What's your favorite tool?

[Chad Neeper]

Being a business, you may not really be interested so much about my own
particular point of view here, but FWIW:

I've been leveraging Google more and more in recent years. The tools I use
pretty much daily include:

Google Chrome. I used to use Firefox, but switched to Chrome for best
compatibility when I started leveraging Google more. There are a few things
I miss about FF, but in general I find Chrome to be pretty darned
impressive. What I didn't know before I switched was that the
behind-the-scenes positioning of the browser is absolutely brilliant...the
next 3-5 years are going to be VERY interesting in the Chrome/Chrome
OS/Android space!

Google Search. Who doesn't? I use it daily for a myriad of things.

A subset of Google Search would perhaps be Wikipedia. I find Wikipedia to
be an invaluable resource, especially in the technical (computer) arena.
It's my go-to for terms or topics I'm unfamiliar with, but need a quick and
accurate understanding of.

Google Drive to store instant backup copies of all of my important data
files, even though I access 99.9% of those files locally via Windows
programs. Having a copy in the cloud gives me an off-site redundant copy in
the event my primary computer and backups fail. A limited number of the
files with more standard formats (mostly pdf files, some jpg) can then also
be accessed via any other Internet connected device if the need arises.

Google Calendar allows me to have a copy of all of my calendars
synchronized across devices, mostly via Windows on my computer and my
Android phone. It also allows me to share my personal calendars with family
and sync to family's Android devices.

G-Mail for my e-mail...again accessed via my computer and/or Android phone.
I also fully use the Address Book for phone numbers, e-mail,
physical/mailing addresses, even birthdays, which then display on the
Google Calendar.

Google Tasks to keep track of certain tasks that need done. Those that have
a deadline also show up in the Calendar...

Google+, which helps to flesh out the Address Book a bit with additional
information and to network a bit.

Quicken for my personal and business accounting. I use the Windows version,
but I understand there is an online version that might satisfy your Android
requirements.

LibreOffice...formerly OpenOffice until Oracle thoroughly bungled it up and
the important devs forked it to become LibreOffice. I've explored moving to
Google Drive for my word processing and spreadsheet needs, but Google's too
far away from having the comprehensive set of features I need for anything
but the most simple documents. Very sad about that.

Google Play. I used to use iTunes, but since I started moving to Google, I
ported all my music over. Now it's all there, whether I'm on my Android
phone or my computer...and the price is right!


Some of the more technical but still general purpose tools that I
frequently use include:
RDP/VNC apps for remotely controlling computers over the Internet.

The GIMP for any amount of graphics or picture editing. It's power rivals
that of Photoshop, but it's free.


There are other tools that I use daily, weekly, or at least frequently, but
they're more specialized to IT.

HTH,
Chad


______________________________
*Chad Neeper*
Senior Systems Engineer

*Level 9 Networks*
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

*Full LAN/WAN consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools*


On Wed, Oct 23, 2013 at 3:08 PM, Laura Solomon <laura at oplin.org> wrote:

> Hello folks,
>
> I'd love to know what your favorite tools are for managing your work, your
> life, or some combination.  They can be web-based, or apps (if they're apps
> though, I want only those that have an Android version too, please).  They
> can be things you have to install to a computer, even.  Examples of
> productivity services like Evernote, or Don't Forget the Milk are good.
> I'm on the lookout for new ones I've not heard of, or ones I've long
> forgotten.  They can be strictly for library work, or for managing some
> other aspect of your existence. They could be for creating content for your
> blog or website.  Whatever your favorite tools are, I really want to know!
>
> Can you please share?
>
> Laura
>
>
> --
>
> *Laura Solomon, *MCIW, MLS
> *Library Services Manager*, Ohio Public Library Information Network
> (OPLIN)
> (614) 728-5252 (voice) | (614) 728-5256 (fax)
> laura at oplin.org |http://www.oplin.org/
>
>
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>
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