Syncing, the key to the Cloud…

In this first installment of this series I’d like to highlight what I feel is what started my quest and what enables effective use of multiple computer setups and also working remotely by utilizing a transparent method of keeping key files always current.

Let me digress as I started this journey when I found a really great syncing application called Foldershare which served me will for many years … the sync app was supposed to keep my data synchronized between multiple machines so I would not have to worry about working on the current file or creating something on one computer and then transferring it when I worked on another … you simply download a client piece of software on all your computers you want coordinated, designate the folders to sync, and let the app work its magic … enter Microsoft who also thought this was a great service and who then bought it and rebranded it as Windows Live Sync … for some of you, having Microsoft behind the app may be a good thing, so your search can stop here … for all others, here is where I went …

I found Dropbox after searching and watching tech blogs who highlighted this as one of the best out there … I moved all my syncs to Dropbox by migrating all the folders I had put into Foldershare into my new Dropbox folder … I found the sync to be quicker and more reliable as far as keeping the proper versions of my files in order … another great feature is web access to my folder, as this allowed me to access my data when I travelled and didn’t have proper access to my own travel computer.  Another great feature of this is the ability to go back to a revised document … this saved my skin when I accidently overwrote a file .. simple to go to my folder on the web and revert to previous version … by downloading and saving I was able to sidestep a major disaster in the making …

  I was fine with Dropbox until I hit limits to the initial account (cost is always a consideration) … I started to search again and found SugarSync … several bloggers that I follow raved about it … so I signed up and am running them side by side on my computers … I have to say that they both do all the things I have come to expect … at this moment because I have far less data on the Sugar folders, it seems much quicker in execution … we’ll have to see how that is when I fill them up … Both application fulfill all my needs and function great … you could use either as I can tell and both offer free accounts of 2G to try … The annual subscriptions offer much larger storage options for those of you into photos and music … the prices for the next level are $99 for 50G on dropbox and $50 for 30G on sugar on an annual basis … try them both on the free accounts … I think you will like the quick and unobtrusive syncing that these applications allow … never having to say you’re sorry for your current files is priceless ….

A Hitchhikers Guide to the Cloud ….

For the past couple of weeks I have been totally laid out with a summer cold … first one in years and it took it’s toll … fuzzy brain and all …  Well, I’m back and I have been thinking about a kind of summary piece for all of you to bring you up to where I am currently ….

As you know I started this blog with the idea of searching for the best mix of hardware and software for mobility and utility … over the past years and myriad hardware choices, I have settled on the Thinkpad series of tablet PC’s as my primary machines for this purpose … one of the best testaments is always in the reliability, utility and support for the machine … I have had several opportunities to need support for my hardware and I have always gotten immediate and effective help from IBM (now Lenovo) … I needed to reformat my drive earlier this year and they got me the discs in a couple of days from Atlanta (I am in

Hawaii) and that was eye opening … not only are the machines super well built, but they will never be out of place in any business setting … very important point!  My current machine is a Thinkpad X61t …  review and photo courtesy of Tablet PC Review dot com

 

In the coming installments I am going to cover an assortment of topics highlighting the solutions that I employ for various tasks like syncing, bookmarking, notes, productivity, mapping, collaboration, project management, and a catchall section on hybrid solutions including how I am using my Blackberry Pearl as an extension of my work flow …  I have arrived on these choices based on integration and ease of use, productivity gains, and cost .. not all of the services I use are free, but most are and serve me will …  watch the blog for next installments coming soon …..

New Search Presentation … Google Squared …

Noticed a new type of search that Google rolled out today … they call it Google Squared and it is pretty good … here is shot of a search keyed by US Presidents .. notice how the info is presented in a matrix format that could be highly useful for many types of info gathering … this is first day out, so play and give them feedback .. I think this one has big possibilities … notice the recurring theme on my internet apps … I normally will come through MindManager and its new browser window … this allows me to save searches or apps by simply joining the open item to a branch … when you are done you can simply delete or keep it active for further use down the road … the browser in MindManager is an essential tool in my toolbox ….

Agriculture 2.0, Using Technology to Find Solutions …

In response to a Farm Foundation Challenge, I have created a white paper entitled, Agricultural Innovation Through Public Policy Initiatives.  This brief essay acquaints a first time reader with the systematic inclusion of many technologies that can be synergistically applied to solve many of the ills brought upon our environment and society by our wasteful ways.  The call to arms is necessary at this stage of the game as the tipping point of many critical systems are being approached.  This is a beginning read on ways to solve these problems, all well within the reach of our generation if we can move forward NOW ….

Agricultural Innovation Through Public Policy Initiatives

Using Firefox Xmarks to Create Super Knowledge Base

Here is a really neat trick using several items to create a custom knowledge base for either projects or just general use.  As I was putting together a white paper (to be described in the next posting) I needed to open up a lot of previously bookmarked items along with new research … it became a real chore keeping the windows open and shifting between items as needed, so here is the system that I came up with …

Using Xmarks (formerly Fox Marks), which has become my standard bookmark utility as it is cross platform using firefox, the system revolves around the hundreds of bookmarks that I routinely make throughout my day from feeds and reads … this first shot shows my new map in MindManager 8 using the browser to open up the Xmarks account … notice that I establish this connection in the MM8 map as the starting point … you can initialize any project or compilation completely by also establishing your google app (see older posting) directory and you would then have old docs ready to go (another aside, google finally enabled file compatibility with Office 2007 files this week) … when you open up your Xmarks web interface, you then have all your bookmarks compiled … notice the highlighted entry on the shot …

Now, the trick is to open any of the bookmarks in the browser … then hit the attach and notice what has happened in the second map entry … your article is now viewable and linked directly into the map … you can do this as may times as you like and create more singular entries … you can nest info on thoughts, you can create subsets of info, you can work in distinct areas … you are limited only by your imagination …. this simple trick greatly enhances work flow … you can go from page to page without losing track of your thoughts as you always have your defined structure bounded by the map …

By starting with the marks, you can use this trick as a reuseable template to grow ideas, erase areas no longer needed, and explore paths while having your trail always defined …