TOP TOOLS
TOP 10 TOOLS 2007 & 2008
Michael Chalk

Michael is an adult educator, in language, literacy, numeracy and technology in Australia.

Michael writes: "for production, and my own learning: Yes i like flickr, my email host (fastmail.fm), wikispaces, moodle, and i couldn't work without a web browser .. but i see this Web 2.0 hype as early days. Until we have genuine broadband in Australia, there just isn't much point. Looking toward the future, i hope we're aiming toward Web 10.5 .. i want much more than we have now. Still relying on desktop applications, and enjoying portable apps. (full list here)"

Michael's Top 10 Tools as at 25 February 2008

1. File Management
   2xExplorer, and its descendant, Explorer^2: This substitute for windows explorer is astoundingly efficient and effective - a "dual pane" explorer, which enables you to view both folders when copy/pasting; terrific for those who like keyboard shortcuts. Makes me wonder what people see in windows explorer (and also mac finder).
2. Inter-network
   I am a complete convert to del.icio.us! i like the way you can build in mini-comments for each entry, a little like micro-blogging. And i like the way you can follow other people's bookmarks (i prefer to follow people who write informative comments.) Since Yahoo created the new "official" delicious plugin, i've been crazy about this social bookmarking service. i especially like the way you can publish the RSS feed in another place. eg the front page in this place. (Eyes Roll - though i'm dreading what could happen if microsoft buys out Yahoo.)
3. Write, edit, publish
   Wikispaces: : Yes, i do enjoy the ability to create web spaces on the fly. Knowing you can ask someone else to contribute (without having to FTP) is amazing. It's not perfect, but it keeps improving. Yes i would rather have the software on my own server, but there you are. (Link? you are on the site.)
4. Write, edit, publish
   KeyNote: .. for creating an outline, or organised version, enabling you to think as you write. Keynote is a good "outliner" that lets you build up notes in tabbed format. Program is open source, and could be improved, but the main guy has given up. Maybe i'll take it on one day, as a software-building learning activity. Would love to see this combined with wiki via rss .
5. Write, edit, publish
   2xEdit: a tiny text editor that comes built in 2xExplorer. allows you to edit any file (even non-text, although it warns that editing non-text files could lead to trouble), with an F4 keystroke. Bypass the Windows "What do i do with this file" when you don't have the 'correct' .txt extension
6. Audio
   Audacity: i never imagined i'd be able to edit audio files, especially on the run - this program can be run from a portable drive, eg usb stick, or even from the iRiver that recorded audio with internal microphone .. open source.
7. Image folder browsing
   XNView: This great little program has some basic editing built in, so you can browse a folder, open files, edit and filter images, as well as run a slideshow. Yes i know windows does much of that now, but i like this much better. Works on Win, Mac and Linux. Free, but not open source.
8. Screen Capture
   Gadwin PrintScreen Quick, easy and free. Only trouble is it insists on saving its config file in one location, which you have no option to change ("My" Documents/Printscreen).
9. Editing for Web
   Fireworks (macro-adobe-media) i enjoy the 'batch editing' trick: you can lighten and optimise a folder full of images. Expensive, unless you have statewide educational licensing deal.
10. Dvorak keyboard .. is the most wonderful keyboard of all. Why would i want to strain my body to adapt to the technology (ugly qwerty), when it should go the other way around. Computers should adapt to human bodies. Why would i accept a culture that is blindly based on outmoded technology (the typewriter), when it is so easy to change. There is a great Keyboard changer for the Dvorak user, a small app that will transport on USB, aka "DvAssistant".i find version 0.7 works fine. There is a terrific Zine on the topic.

Michael's Top 10 Tools as at 22 August 2007

1. File Management

   2xExplorer, and its descendant, Explorer^2: This substitute for windows explorer is astoundingly efficient and effective - a "dual pane" explorer, which enables you to view both folders when copy/pasting; terrific for those who like keyboard shortcuts. Makes me wonder what people see in windows explorer (and also mac finder).

2. Write, edit, publish

   Wikispaces: : Yes, i do enjoy the ability to create web spaces on the fly. Knowing you can ask someone else to contribute (without having to FTP) is amazing. It's not perfect, but it keeps improving. Yes i would rather have the software on my own server, but there you are. (Link? you are on the site.)

3. Write, edit, publish

   KeyNote: .. for creating an outline, or organised version, enabling you to think as you write. Keynote is a good "outliner" that lets you build up notes in tabbed format. Program is open source, and could be improved, but the main guy has given up. Maybe i'll take it on one day, as a software-building learning activity. Would love to see this combined with wiki via rss .

4. Write, edit, publish

   2xEdit: a tiny text editor that comes built in 2xExplorer. allows you to edit any file (even non-text, although it warns that editing non-text files could lead to trouble), with an F4 keystroke. Bypass the Windows "What do i do with this file" when you don't have the 'correct' .txt extension

5. Write, edit, publish

   Word if only i could export all the macros, and all the autotext entries i've saved in word 2000, then i could try a different word processor .. Expensive, unless you have statewide educational licensing deal. Would definitely recommend beginners use OpenOffice Writer instead.

6. Audio

   Audacity: i never imagined i'd be able to edit audio files, especially on the run - this program can be run from a portable drive, eg usb stick, or even from the iRiver that recorded audio with internal microphone .. open source.

7. Image folder browsing

   XNView: This great little program has some basic editing built in, so you can browse a folder, open files, edit and filter images, as well as run a slideshow. Yes i know windows does much of that now, but i like this much better. Works on Win, Mac and Linux. Free, but not open source.

8. Screen Capture

   Gadwin PrintScreen Quick, easy and free. Only trouble is it insists on saving its config file in one location, which you have no option to change ("My" Documents/Printscreen).

9. Editing for Web

   Fireworks (macro-adobe-media) i enjoy the 'batch editing' trick: you can lighten and optimise a folder full of images. Expensive, unless you have statewide educational licensing deal.

10. Dvorak keyboard .. is the most wonderful keyboard of all. Why would i want to strain my body to adapt to the technology (ugly qwerty), when it should go the other way around. Computers should adapt to human bodies. Why would i accept a culture that is blindly based on outmoded technology (the typewriter), when it is so easy to change. There is a great Keyboard changer for the Dvorak user, a small app that will transport on USB, aka "DvAssistant".i find version 0.7 works fine. There is a terrific Zine on the topic.