Beyond Paper

A Few of My Favorite Things

Inspired by Dopp Juice, here is a list of my favorite online applications and a short description of how I use them:

1. GMail.  More than just email, I’m using it like Steve Rubel suggests as a database.  The search is super-fast and I just email info to myself with a secret code for it to be saved in my database.  Right now, I’m still only using 2% of my capacity - so I’ve got lots of room.  One thing about Gmail you really need to watch - the threaded conversations are fab, but if you get two responses in at the same time, it is easy to miss of of them because you naturally tend to look at the most recent one. 
2. Thunderbird.  I have Thunderbird installed on a Kingston Datatraveler flash drive and I back my GMail account up to it.  That way I can access my database when I’m offline and it Google, Gods forbid, crashes, I still have my info.
3. Google Apps.  I have my own domain set up for Ensey Group which my entire family can use.  With it pointed to Google Apps we can share info with each other easily, including Calendars.
4. Facebook.  I’m a newbie to Facebook, but I’m using it to stay in touch with both friends and clients in a more personal way.  I post photos to it, stream the feed from this blogs, and also post other interesting information.  It is a great way to connect with people - I’ve reconnected with my nephew, for example.
5. Jott.  Okay, I don’t use Jott as much as I could, mostly because I forget my mobile phone all the time.  How I should use it is to email myself all the things I think of when I’m running errands.
6. Moleskin. Yup - not internet related, but about the only way I can manage a todo list.  I use it for all notes, date each entry and jot down the associated client.