The K-12 Open Source Classroom

Bringing Open Source (Free and Free) into the Classroom

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Teachboo…ah…book…um…

Sep 1

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Teachbook--Threat to Facebook?

Teachbook--Threat to Facebook?

It seems big, bad Facebook cannot take competition from a 2-employee, 20 user, yet to be released start-up centered on teachers.  Facebook recently filed patent suits against this tiny Chicago start up (http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/08/facebook-says-it-owns-rights-to-the-name-book.htm) to forbid them from using ‘book’ in their title.  Book?  We really are trying to patent the use of the word book?  With all the Oracle mess this week, this just takes the cake.  Oops, better watch my words, someone may patent cake.  In all seriousness though, when you compare logos, compare web design, and compare audiences, does Facebook seriously think this group of educators will pull profit from them?  It makes me think that maybe Facebook has been working on something educationally directed and Teachbook beat them to it.

We really do need to get a handle on this mess.  We just fill up our already busy judicial system for these frivolous actions.  What money does a 2 person start up even possess?  I hate to poke fun, but did Thomas English Muffins file patent suits against Barnes and Nobles?  I am pretty sure ‘nook’ (and crannies) are more valuable that ‘book,’ but I just teach and educate.

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Google Bell?

Aug 28

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Google Calling

Google Calling

What will they think of next?  On the heels of Google Video Talk, you now can place calls from your browser to landline and cell lines.  This reeks of Skype and other VOIP software, but you would be foolish if you did not see this coming.

So now you can dial phones right from your Gmail page.  You need to download the voice plugin (if you did not already use it for Video chat), and it DOES come in Windows, Mac, and Linux versions.  My screenshot shows me using it in Ubuntu.

So why excited about this in education?  Think of the ability for students to call whoever they need, right from their browser.  They can call historical sites, distance learning teachers, travel agencies, businesses, etc.  Just with a set of headphones/microphone.

Another helpful innovation from Google.  Truly, what will come next?

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Dexpot–Get ‘Linux-style’ Multiple Windows on Windows

Aug 26

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Dexpot

Multiple Desktops in Windows 7 with Dexpot

Yeah, I know, Windows on Windows.  So sad this does not come default with Windows, and not just XP, but their mighty Windows 7.  I NEED my multiple desktops.  I like a VM up on one desktop, the browser on another, maybe a document on a third, and of course, WinAmp or music on a fourth.

So why does Windows not come with this by default?  Well, it appears they have some kind of add-on, PowerToys for XP, but not as slick as Dexpot.  I recently downloaded it (http://dexpot.de/index.php?id=home) and it truly amazed me.  Lots of additional features, even beyond what Linux and Ubuntu offer.  As you see, I like my toolbar on the left side of my screen, hidden, and when I hover, it shows me all four of my desktops, and I can quickly click which I want.  I can also use a special key combination, but I have never been the type to remember those, so the toolbar hovering will work.  With all the many applications educators use in a day, I would think this would work well.  In our state, we have a data management system that they use all day long.  With that, teacher email, a plethora of proprietary student software, they could definitely benefit from Dexpot.

Yet another reason why the time has passed for closed source operating systems.  We need these features by default.  We should not need to add third party apps (although Dexpot is GOOD stuff) to get what I now refer to as basic functionality.

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Looking for a Good Digital Assistant

Aug 21

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Sandy

Sandy--On the Digital Unemployment Line...

I always possessed the need for a good app to organized my events, send me reminders, allow me to add reminders by email, etc.  I may have discussed Sandy awhile back.  I Want Sandy organized me very well.  It truly was like she read my mind.  I could go to the site and add reminders there, I could email them directly to her, I could cc her on emails, when I used Twitter, she was there.  Then about two years ago, she went away.  Ahh…the longing…

Since then, I bounced around a bit.  Ping Me kinda helped, but it also went away this year.  Reqall is my current option.  It works as well.  I can see all my reminders, I can complete reoccurring tasks, it even comes with a Blackberry and Android app…but it is not quite what I need.

Now I am giving Task.fm another look.  ’Outsource your memory’ is their tagline, and I definitely subscribe to that.  I will give it a whirl for a week or so to see, and then decide on abandoning reqall or not.  No Android app that I can see, so I would need to go through the browser.  Not impossible, but a little less than convenient.

I guess I bring this all up to highlight the importance of open source.  When a project releases its code, and if the bottom falls out of said company, the community can fork that project and keep it alive, if someone values it.  With proprietary software, that cannot happen by design.  So we become accustomed to I Want Sandy, Ping Me, and others, and when they close or fold, we are out of luck.  Another reason why we need open source more than ever.

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Evernote–Your All In One Notetaker

Jul 27

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Evernote Logo

Evernote--Your All Purpose Note Organizer

How did I never review Evernote? I only pretty much rely on it on my phone, web, and Windows computer (not sure about a Linux version). While not quite an open source app, Evernote does have a lot of appeal for usage.

So, a few years back, I used Google Notebook for everything.  This was before Google Docs, so I took notes there, pasted links, kept phone numbers, everything!  Well, eventually Google wanted users to migrate to Docs, so they stopped development of Notebook.  At that point, I could move to Docs, but I did not want everything on Google.  I looked around a little and chose Evernote.  They offered an easy Notebook–>Evernote migration path that I jumped at.  Soon I became dependent on Evernote more than I was with Notebook.

They really make things easy.  Currently I have 57 notebooks I use.  Those include ones for work (passwords, network settings, etc), family (computer specs, birthdates, etc), and home (car tire specs, my ‘loyalty’ card info, etc).  I began only using the web-based client, but soon after they released a Blackberry client.  That allows me an app that I can search for something quickly.  Obviously I need an internet connection, but when needing a specific setting, IP address, or password, this comes in handy.  Recently I also download the client app that allows me a desktop application to keep working with my notebooks offline, and sync when necessary.

I also like how I can take a picture using the Blackberry and post it as a note.  Can you imagine how helpful this will be with the 8MP camera on the Evo I will soon receive?  A great, useful app…that you should definitely check out!

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