Collaborating In The Cloud

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Collaborating In The Cloud

• Using Web 2.0 Tools To Get Stuff Done!

Robin Hastings Information Technology
Manager Missouri River Regional
Library robin.hastings_at_gmail.com
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Agenda

• Definitions What is collaboration 2.0? Why do
  it in a cloud?
• Collaboration in the Cloud Tools
• Putting it to use!

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Definitions

• What is collaboration 2.0? Why do it in a cloud?

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Collaboration
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Collaboration 2.0

• 2.0 adds distributed computing collaboration
  platforms
• Distance
• Asynchronicity

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Distributed Computing
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Collaboration Platforms
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Cloud Computing
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Cloud Computing

• Internet Cloud (cloud of data)
• PC thin client
• Not data storage
• Just a connection to the cloud
• Maybe backup storage
• Collaboration happens out there

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Benefits

• Social Networks Professional Networks
• Peer Networking
• Avoiding hierarchies (linkedin direct
  introductions, facebook friends, etc.)
• Blending Synchronous Asynchronous Work

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Collaboration In The Cloud Tools
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Tools of the Trade

• Categories
• Social Calendars
• Social Networking Sites
• Social Bookmarking
• Social Desktops
• Social Wikis
• Social Documents
• http//web2.econsultant.com/collaboration-groups-t
  eams-services.html - 125 sites...

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Social Calendars

• 30 Boxes
• www.30boxes.com
• Google Calendar
• www.google.com/calendar
• Uses
• Keep milestones, due dates, etc. where everyone
  can access them
• Give others a look at your schedule so they can
  schedule meetings, etc. with your time
  constraints in mind (without a million emails)

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Social Networking Sites

• Facebook
• www.facebook.com
• Ning
• www.ning.com
• Uses
• (Facebook) use as platform for custom apps
• (Ning) customize extensively
• Use message boards, private and group messaging
  functions to keep in touch
• Store documents in central location

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Social Bookmarking

• Del.icio.us
• http//del.icio.us
• Google Bookmarks
• www.google.com/bookmarks
• Uses
• Store references, citations and other data needed
  by the group
• Identify resources for group use
• Easy access to group documents, pics/charts and
  sites

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Social Desktops

• CentralDesktop
• www.centraldesktop.com/
• MyWebDesktop
• www.mywebdesktop.net/
• Uses
• Single desktop area for storage
• Unified working environment for all collaborators
• Most apps included (calendar, messaging, office
  software)

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Social Wikis

• Wetpaint
• www.wetpaint.com
• PBWiki
• www.pbwiki.com
• Uses
• Central, structured repository for documents
• Easy editing interface
• Built-in revision, rollback features
• Instant updates and notes access

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Social Documents

• Google Docs
• docs.google.com/
• ThinkFree
• www.thinkfree.com
• Uses
• Multi-user editing features
• Document storage
• Document formats (doc, xls, ppt, pdf, odt, etc.)

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GroupWare

• http//grou.ps
• Web site
• Desktop client
• Mobile interface
• Facebook App
• Drupal/Joomla (CMS - http//opensourcecms.com/ )
• Create your own groupware
• Host, manage, control your data

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Upcoming Tools

• MOLI - http//www.moli.com/
• Create interactive, collaborative websites
  without HTML knowledge
• A.nnotate.com
• Share offline docs online with ability to
  collaboratively mark them up

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Using The Tools
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Projects

• Calendar
• Organize milestones and other important dates
• Bookmarking
• Keep references, citations and resources handy
• Network
• Communicate, communicate, communicate
• Documents
• Create deliverables for project finale

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Backups

• Centralized backups for a group
• Cloud backups for you
• Version control (Google Docs)
• Easily recovered!

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Questions?