Thing #13-Online Productivity Tools

Talk about your lack of online productivity: I just spent the last 45 minutes posting an entry regarding Thing #13--and I was saving the entry on a regular basis, and when I went to preview--I lost everything. Arrrrrgggghhhhh!

I was writing about the fact that I feel that the term online productivity tool is an oxymoron, unless you are one of those individuals who is really tied into using the computer 24/7. I have been trying to add a countdown gadget to the blog and I just can't seem to get it to work, and it has not been a productive use of my time!

I chose to mock up a start page on iGoogle, probably because of its familiar look. I like the idea of a personalized start page--in fact, on my home computer I do use one, and I have added things like the local weather where all my close family members live, local news for me, etc. I won't make iGoogle my permanent start page here at work due to the fact that theoretically there is an in-house start page that everyone is supposed to default to. I probably won't change the one I have at home, either, as it is all set up.

I could see the value of a calendar at work, but since we already have difficulty with everyone trying to follow a paper desk schedule and keeping that current--I could see problems with an online version. There is a calendar function tied into our email program, and again everyone is supposed to keep it up to date so that meetings can be scheduled. It's that keeping it up to date part that is a little tricky for some people! I did like the idea of the Backpack concept--I especially like the demo of tracking the process of filling an open position. For specific projects it could be handy.

It was helpful to learn about the file converters--that could be useful here at the Library as we have many of our handouts in word documents, but we would like to attach them to email reference questions as pdf's. I'm going to try that feature out at the next opportunity. Things like the sticky notes or the list makers--again I only see the value if you are tied into your computer 24/7.

I did like some of the cute widgets/gadgets, and I am now going to try to add my Countdown timer. It should be in the right hand column. It's counting, but it's not counting correctly!