Week 8 #18 - Web-based Apps

I've tested a few web-based applications like Google docs but haven't used them frequently as I've always had Word or Open Office on my PC. I joined up to Zoho and started off by having a look at the notebook. I grabbed some notes from my uni days and started transcribing some of them.

This would have been great at uni although I think I would have wanted to perfect my touch typing. I could log onto Zoho, create a book for a particular subject and add blank pages. I could add text, images, URLs etc in my notes of the lecture. I could add links for articles from online databases etc. Once finished I could share this with another person and give them read or read/write permission if they wanted to add something to it. It takes studying together one step further. Perhaps lecturers could use this service for the class notes and save a few trees.

Here's a sneak peek at what I created:




Wow that takes me back to the fun days at RMIT <:-D

Zoho Meeting looks interesting as well. I created a Learning 2.0 meeting for tomorrow and invited my sister. Interestingly it said the presenter should be on a Windows PC. How rude :-)

I had a look at the FAQs for Zoho Meeting and it says the service can be used to share the desktop online and provide remote assistance to customers. Working in IT this might be a useful service to assist with web or PC problems.

Google Docs offered a little less. I could create documents, spreadsheets and presentations and share these docs with others.

Hmmm I think Microsoft should be a little worried. Who wants to spend approx $750 for Windows Office 2007 Professional when you have access to these tools?

Lastly I had a look at Google Calendar. I did have a look at this a few months ago, thinking about using it as an organisational calendar for events. I could share the calendar with everyone and embed it into the sidebar of my library blog. Still thinking about this. I don't want things entered multiple times as we already have our events added to the Intranet for the bookings system. Anyhoo it has potential in and organisation and at home. You could set up a private calendar for members of your family and share it with each other.

Cheers, webgurl