The tools I use to make the trains run on time
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Basecamp
in 125 toolboxes
add to my toolboxWeb-based project management tool.
pros:Including several types of resources for each project is easy (to-do lists, documents, image files and writeboard rants). Automated reminders of milestones. Good place to store often used templates.
cons: The UI takes some getting used to, and it's easy to lose track of what project you're in. You may find that you spend as much time managing to-do lists and milestone as accomplishing them.
tagged: AJAX, ASP, globalmelt, groupware, hosted, lasatech_pm, management, project, project-management, projectmanagement, project_management, Ruby, rubyonrails, task, time, tracking -
Google Calendar
in 76 toolboxes
add to my toolboxA free web-based calendar.
pros: It's a Google product, which is good for both support and embedability. Auto reminder options for events (from "10 minutes before" pop-ups to "10 days before" emails). It's pretty without being distracting.
cons: As a Google product it's not the securest place to store data, and suffers from all the "you get what you pay for" issues (what do you mean you closed my account and lost three years of dates?)
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Google Docs and Spreadsheets
in 83 toolboxes
add to my toolboxWeb-based word processor and spreadsheet tool. Formerly Writely.
I need to use this more to form a full opinion, but my notes on Google Calendar apply.
tagged: documents, globalmelt, google, hosted, lasatech_doc, management, project, spreadsheets, web-based, wiki, word, word-processor, writely -
OpenOffice
in 203 toolboxes
add to my toolboxFull-featured open source office productivity suite, featuring word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing and database packages; free MS Office replacement.
pros: Open Source FTW! Large supportive community, with plenty of user written tips and strategies online. And let's not discount how much fun it is saying 'no' to Microsoft.
cons: Those that are used to MS Office will find menu items are in different places and formatting tricks are usually similar but, annoyingly, different. With the recent Oracle purchase of Sun it might be time to switch to LibreOffice.
tagged: apc, bloatware, calc, crossplatform, editor, microsoft, office, officesuite, opensource, powerpoint, preocessing, presentation, productivity, spreadsheet, spreadshet, suite, word, wordprocessing -
Pidgin
in 91 toolboxes
add to my toolboxA multi-protocol Instant Messaging (IM) client
The watchwords here are 'multi-protocol'. You may find it useful for keeping tabs on your wandering E.D. or Program Heads
tagged: AIM, apc, chat, crossplatform, gaim, IM, instant, instant-messaging, instantmessaging, IRC, message, messaging, MSN, ngoinabox, NOSI, open, opensource, pigeon, secbox, YAHOO -
Quickbooks
in 34 toolboxes
add to my toolboxSmall business accounting software.
pros: It's a feature rich product with impressive flexibility. If you're comfortable with the idea, it will handle everything from payroll to accepting credit cards.
cons: Unless you have accounting training, some sort of support becomes necessary at scale. "Simple" actions require the adjustment of many fields, resulting in high chances of error (which tend to cascade throughout the ledger). The reporting component of QB is not a straight forward one, and may inspire random acts of violence.
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Skype
in 228 toolboxes
add to my toolboxFree/cheap Internet telephony and handy IM tool.
um...free phone calls to Europe? Yes please.
tagged: apc, calls, chat, crossplatform, free, globalmelt, IM, instantmessaging, internettelephony, leadlearn, MacOSX, management, OnDemandNPO, phone, project, secbox, Security, skype, skypeout, tools, video, voip
