Posts Tagged ‘ Google ’

More Great Tips for Pastors & Church IT Gurus

image1. Ninite

If you own or manage 1 or more PCs then it’s inevitable (if you’re using Windows XP/Vista/7) that you’ll need to do a reinstall one day.  Ninite is your perfect reinstalling solution.

Simply download the exe file (Ninite doesn’t even install itself), pick the software you want downloaded (heaps to choose from including Google Chrome, Skype, iTunes, MS Office (trial), Picasa and AVG (freeware anti-virus)) and click Go.  Walk away and each application you selected will download and install with default settings and NO junk like browser toolbars etc.  Could save a LOT of time especially if you work with multiple PCs.

2. Google Forms/Surveys

Free and easily customisable forms to survey groups, teams or even the whole church are easily created with Google Docs now.  Simply hit the Create New button and select Form.  Design your form (stacks of easy to use options like multiple choice, checkboxes, text fields, scales etc) and when people enter data you’ll receive the results in spreadsheet form through Google Docs. LOVE IT.  Saves time and money going into something like SurveyMonkey which I hear is pretty good but not free for organisations.

3. Google Sites/Wiki

Need to create an easy online location for policies, training manuals and other documents, info for your leadership teams?  Google Sites is the perfect idea.  You can have it public (like my church site C3NewLifewiki) or you can have it only available to select people you share it with (same as a Google Doc).  I’ve even got a family one that I use to share with extended family ideas for kids (and me!) for Christmas, plans for renovations in our new house and other things I want to keep that is handy to store online.  Check it out here.

2009
11/05
CATEGORY
Google
Internet
Productivity
Websites
TAGS




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Future Changing Ideas #1 Google Wave

You’ve probably heard about Google Wave by now.  If not, check out the video below or you can head to http://wave.google.com and browse around.

Wave is a game changer for many reasons, firstly because it changes the way we communicate.  Instead of sending an email to your team then having to sort through all the replies, get the right info to the right person and wishing everyone would just hit ‘Reply All’ everytime you just start a ‘wave’ and invite all relevant people.

The reason I think Wave could change the future of ministry so much is because it allows teams in different locations to collaborate in real time together.  If one person isn’t in the real-time collaboration, when they access the ‘wave’ they can rewind and play through the discussion to get up to speed.

Of course, in a ministry context we are often dealing with sensitive issues, ideas and concepts so vigilance in the area of confidentiality is essential.  But for teams trying to work together better, Wave could likely be the tool we need to do that. 

Essentially Wave is a central meeting place where you can chat, work on documents together, share ideas, watch a video and collaborate together on a project.  With an open API, Wave also allows organisations to create their own extensions and embed waves in their sites.

Can’t flippin wait!

2009
10/08
CATEGORY
Google
Productivity
Uncategorized
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Personalise Instant Searches – Google Chrome

Google Chrome I love Google.  And I love Google Chrome.  And now you can create your own Custom Search Engines within the program and it’s EASY!

Imagine setting up a search tool for any website you regularly search and customising it to be simple and easy to use for you?!  Imagine just having to type ‘Bible John 15’ in your browser bar to get it instantly?!  What about doing a Wikipedia search for Emperor Tiberius just by typing ‘Wiki Tiberius’’?!

Now you can… and you can customise it for any website.  Here’s a quick tutorial.

Firstly you need Google Chrome.  It’s the best browser there is so get it here.

Secondly choose what site you regularly search.  For this example I’m using Bible Gateway mainly because you can type in a scripture reference or a word and it’ll work it out for you and display results.  Do a search and copy it.  Remember what search term you used!

Thirdly open Chrome, hit the Spanner in the top right hand corner, select Options then you’ll see this:

Chrome default searchSelect Manage then you’ll see a host of options already available to you.  (You can also get here by Right Clicking in the browser bar and selecting Edit Search Engines.) You can modify one that already exists or hit Add and make a new one.

Chrome Edit Search EngineHere you can create your customised searches.  Create a Name, a Keyword to use in your browser (e.g. Bible or B) then paste the URL in and replace the search term with %s.  Then you’re done!  For BibleGateway use the following: http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=%s&qs_version=31 (Version 31 is NIV).

Now check to see if it works.  Hit F6 to select your browser bar, type in ‘Bible (Reference or search term) and watch Bible Gateway come to life and get what you need.

 

You can do it for any website you search.  Just remember to replace the search term used with %s and you’re done!  Here’s a few examples with thanks to ChromePlugins.org.

Google Images – http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=%s&btnG=Search+Images

Google Maps – http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=es&q=%s

I’m Feeling Lucky – http://www.google.com/search?btnI=I%27m+Feeling+Lucky&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%s

Digg.com – http://digg.com/search?s=%s

Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=%s

That ought to make getting what you regularly search for quicker and easier!

2009
03/11
CATEGORY
Google
Google Chrome
Internet
Productivity
TAGS







8 comments

Google Maps – Review Businesses

Google map reviewsGoogle Maps has a fantastic feature which I’d like to encourage everyone to use!  Whenever you search for a business or organisation you have available to you reviews that other people have left.

However, there is a surprisingly SMALL number of reviews (i.e. none!) for most businesses that I’ve done searches for and the reviews function has been available for some times now.

Imagine trying to find a decent coffee shop and searching for it on Google (even with your mobile device!) and finding 10 in your location but none with reviews.  If 1 of them had a positive review you’d probably try it wouldn’t you?!  I would!

I guess the fundamental problem is that when you’re searching for something you haven’t been there yet so you don’t know what it’s like.  Hence you’re not ready to write a review yet!  But you’d probably appreciate it if someone else did!

So this is my ‘bit’ to get you writing reviews for businesses, doctors, dentists, churches, supermarkets and coffee houses that you’ve been to.  Write about ones you love and ones you hate.  Get the word out there and help people find quality and a great experience.

In January I reviewed a dentist who was exceptional in Coffs Harbour when I had to get a tooth fixed.  Some businesses just deserve a good report!

2009
03/03
CATEGORY
Google
Internet
Websites
TAGS


3 comments

Comments – Facebook and Google

The world has gone comments crazy!  Actually, I love it.

Facebook comments now apply to most news feed items such as status updates, photos additions etc.  This allows greater community within the site as you can have entire conversations about a person’s status, ask them why, etc.   The back-and-forth commenting has become a facebook staple now.  I love how they keep thinking of new ways to deepen the community (and draw people back for greater advertising $ no doubt!).  Anyway, it gets the big tick of approval from me.  The ‘Like’ function is also very cool.  It’s similar to Digg in a way but also allows you to comment without commenting if you know what I mean!

facebook-comments

Google searches now also allow you to comment on the results.  The results can now be modified to suit you (handy unless you just bookmark everything anyway) and you can even remove results entirely.  A great thing for those doing searches which might land them in shady territory!  Here’s a Google comment I made.  Anyone can now view that comment and add to it.  Good idea if you like to know what the internet community thinks about a website, company etc.  

google-comments

To see the notes available on a page, click the Promote button and they’ll appear below the search result.google-search-wikiWhat do you think of the new additions to Facebook and Google searches?  Anything else you’d like to see?

2009
02/19
CATEGORY
Facebook
Google
Websites
TAGS


3 comments

Google Chrome – web browser

One would think that with all the browsers out there (think Firefox, IE, Flock, Opera, Netscape & Safari that there wouldn’t be room for another.  Now it’s time to rethink that point.

Google Chrome seems to be the latest and most up to date option around.  I’ve been a Firefox user for years (as soon as I could get away from IE that is) but I’m a mad Google fan so thought I’d give it a try.  I downloaded it here and tested it briefly this morning.

I’m impressed!

Safari has claimed to be the fastest loading browser since it was released… but I’ve never seen anything this fast.  But that’s not the best part.  The best part is that each tab loads separately from the others so if one site crashes… the tab dies (is ‘sad’) and you don’t lose what you were doing on the other tabs.

Rather than me explain how good it is… take a few minutes to read the Google comic about Chrome.  They’ve redefined the browser and made it work a stack better.  Here’s why they did it.

Google Chrome imported all my bookmarks and passwords seemlessly from Firefox 3, it’s easier to use, has a cleaner look and, as mentioned, loads faster than anything I’ve ever seen.  It doesn’t seem to autofil as much as Firefox 3 however.  I’ll post more in the comments section as I experience more with the software.

Try it out for yourself here!

2008
10/27
CATEGORY
Productivity
Software
TAGS



3 comments

Troubleshooting with Google

Since I’ve had my new Dell XPS 1530 machine (wonderful as it is) I’ve had a few problems pop up which I’ve been able to solve with the much needed help of Google.

Half the problem with using a search engine such as Google is that we often don’t know how to search properly.  What words you use in your search will reflect perfectly in your results so to find the information you need requires using the correct terminology.  This doesn’t mean you have to be a nerd and know tons of computer jargon, it just means you make Google work for you.

Here’s a few recent examples:

1. When installing Vista Service Pack 1 the software had an error telling me it couldn’t be done.  It was the 0x80070002 error which totally drove me nuts.  Essentially I couldn’t install SP1 via the Windows Updater nor by downloading the entire Service Pack file directly from Microsoft.  Eventually I fixed the problem (found on a MS Tech message board through Google) by inserting my Vista Business CD and installing the ‘update’ again.  SP1 installed perfectly after that.  Thanks Google and thanks users of MS Tech forums!

TIP: Error codes are easy… type the error code into Google and you’ll likely get stacks of websites with ideas.

2. More recently I had a printer error.  I could only print one copy of any document at a time.  Try and print 20 and only 1 came out.  Frustrated I turned to Google again and typed in, ‘Only one copy vista’.  The 2nd Google result was the one I needed and I learned that my Print Processor (in Advanced settings of your Printer Properties) needed to be set to ‘winnt’ not the other.

TIP: Keep your search short and to the point.  Use the OS you’re using (XP, OSX, Vista) and 2-3 other key words.

3. Yesterday I found yet another solution through Google.  I have a Network Attached Storage (NAS) on my network which all my files backup to automatically.  My computer, however always tries to open the network file and not the file saved on my computer so it can take forever depending on where I am in the range of the wireless.  I’m pretty impatient with computers so I wanted instant access and delivery!  I searched Google for, ‘vista business sync’ but didn’t get any helpful results.  Then I tried, ‘sync center access files slow’ and the first option was an extremely helpful article from Microsoft called, “What’s New In Offline Files for Vista”.  Handy!  I then found a useful ‘Work Offline’ button when selecting my mapped network drive in Windows Explorer.

TIP: Use the program name you’re having troubles with and be prepared to try a few different options.  The answer you seek IS there… it’s just a matter of finding it.

How do you use Google?  What search tips can you give other users?  Troubleshooting problems can be a colossal waste of time.  We need to get better at it and teach others to do the same!

2008
07/18
CATEGORY
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