eNetworking 101: The Blog: Article: (part 3) Social Networking Tools: Let's Be Social

[This article is divided into three parts: Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3. This article was previously published in the November 2007 issue of the RPCN Newsletter and a version of this article appeared in Oct/Nov issue of the Bulletin of the Information Technology Division/SLA.]

COLLABORATE

I am writing this article using Google Docs (docs.google.com). Google provides software that allows you to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations on its web site, with many of the features or functionality that you are already familiar. The files are password protected, but I would not place anything in them that was proprietary or confidential. Google Docs allows you to create and edit a files with a group of collaborators, whom you select. Multiple people can edit the files at the same time. Google keeps track of the changes (revisions) and the person who makes them. (That information is viewable, if necessary.) I find Google Docs and Zoho (www.zoho.com), which provides even more tools, to be great tools when working at a distance with a colleague. There is no need to email files back-n-forth and worry about who has the correct version. In one instance, a group of more than a dozen people edited a procedures manual in Google Docs. We were able to make changes effortlessly, leave comments, and mark text that needed to be discussed. This allowed the group to work faster and more accurately.

At their core, wikis are a way of collaborating or allowing a group to share what they know on a specific subject. The most famous wiki is wikipedia.org, which is an encyclopedia being built by thousands of people. Wikis are a great way of building and maintaining manuals, since they often require input from several people and need to be maintained by several people. Many wiki web sites allow wikis to be built for free, but your wiki will likely have ads in it. To eliminate the ads, you may need a fee-based account. To find a wiki that suits your needs, check the wiki matrix at www.wikimatrix.org.

Why am I using Google Docs for writing this article? I'm on my laptop and don't want to have to transfer the file to my desktop to edit later. With this document in Google Docs, I can work on it from either machine, or from another location, as I tweak my wording. In this case, I'm using Google Docs as my word processor instead of MS Word. (By the way, you can export documents created in Google Docs using several common formats, including MS Word.)

Both Google Docs and Zoho are free. I should note that Google has taken some criticism recently of their licensing agreement on Google Docs (see http://tinyurl.com/yqr9r4). At the moment, I don't see a need for concern, but we should all remember that we're using a service that we don't ultimately control.

CUT DOWN YOUR PHONE BILL

We've heard of voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) or broadband phones. If you are not using a broadband phone service (e.g., Time Warner), you can still take advantage of the technology using services such as Skype.com. I decided to use Skype in January 2007, when I realized that I was going to be on a many long distance conversations with clients this year. For $30/year (plus a $25 headset), I can use Skype to call any telephone in the U.S. or Canada. Yes, unlimited phone calls for $30/year. Calling international is also very inexpensive. The call quality is very good and I have definitely received my money's worth. You can also send and receive instant messages through Skype as well as exchange video.

ONE MORE TOOL

Likely you've noticed that some of the URLs in this article are from tinyURL.com. Instead of emailing or printing long URLs, you can use tools such as tinyURL.com or DigBig.com to create short, easy to type URLs. Both services are free and very easy to use.

EVERY DAY & EVERY WEEK

I use at least two social networking tools every day. Besides blogging every day, during a typical week, I'm on instant messenger, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr. Depending on what I'm doing, I'll also be on YouTube and spending time in a virtual world (SecondLife.com). Over the last year, I've cutback some tools (e.g., MySpace) and adopted others (e.g., Twitter). The tools I'm using now are useful to me and are easy to use. I know that in the next year, the tools I use will continue to change. I keep an eye on my colleagues and see what they are using, as well as trial tools that sound of interest. However, I won't adopt a tool unless I know that there are others using the tool that are in my circle. Social networking tools are meant to be learned and used socially. So I'll learn the new tools with my friends and adopt what the group adopts.