Productivity Tools to Get the Job Done

Do you need software tools to use at home? The problem with many of the tools we all use at school is that they are very expensive. Most of us can't afford to buy them all for our use at home—and we know that teachers do a lot of school related work at home. Here's a simple and cost effective way for you to get the productivity tools that you need: “Open Source” software tools. The simple definition of "Open Source" is that the product is free to download, use, and distribute. For a more complete definition, visit the Open Source web site at this URL: http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php.

Open source applications include:

• 7-Zip: a file archiver and compressor utility
• Audacity: a sound/music editor
• ClamWin: a virus checker
• Firefox: a web browser
• Gaim: a chat tool
• Gimp: a photo and image editor
• Nvu & KompoZer: a web page editor
• OpenOffice Base: a database program
• OpenOffice Calc: a spreadsheet program
• OpenOffice Draw: a drawing program
• OpenOffice Impress: a presentation program
• OpenOffice Math: an equation editor
• OpenOffice Writer: a word processor
• Sudoku
• Sumatra: a PDF reader
• Sunbird: a calendar
• Thunderbird: an e-mail client
• Tux Paint: a drawing program for children
• VLC Media Player

This is only a partial list of the available applications. You will see some of them on your computers at school, including Audacity, Gimp, 7-Zip, and Tux Paint. Where can you get these tools and how do you use them? Here's what I do. I like to have my files and programs easily available, but I don't like lugging around a laptop. I found an easy way to have my files and programs. I carry around a flash drive with all of my favorite applications and files. I can actually run the applications directly from the flash drive so I can get to everything I need from a USB port on any computer.

Here's how it works.

• Put a flash drive in an available USB port. I recommend at least a 1GB drive. (See more information below about flash drive compatibility with the district's computers.)
• Go to the PortableApps web site: http://portableapps.com/apps. You will find most of the downloads at this location.
• Download the PortableApps.com Menu directly to the flash drive. (Note: as long as you are installing directly to the flash drive, you will not be restricted from downloading and installing by the district's network restrictions.)
• Download the applications you want to the flash drive.
• Use the Menu tools to install the applications.

You now have a portable productivity tool. You can easily use your programs and files at home and at school. When you insert the flash drive into a USB port, a Window will open asking if you want to open PortableApps. Click OK and the PortableApps icon will show on the tool bar in the lower right portion of your display. To open any of the applications, just click on the icon and then on the application. The OpenOffice applications are compatible with the Microsoft Office Suite. I have had no problem opening or editing MS Office documents in OpenOffice.

Need Help? Call Linda or Noreen in Instructional Technology.

A word about flash drive compatibility. Not all flash drives are created equal. Some of the fancy new drives do not work very well with the PESD network restrictions. When you're shopping for a flash drive read the label carefully. If the drive has the U3 symbol on it, it probably will not work well in PESD computers. All PESD teachers will get a network compatible flash drive early in the 2007-08 school year.