Mining for Treasures Archives: utilities
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10 October 2007
Create Portable Documents
If you want to share various documents with students, you have to be concerned whether or not the students will have the application and the correct version of the software that you used to create the document. This is especially important when sharing SMARTBoard notes or tablet inkings on Moodle or with others via email.
Enter Personal Document Format (pdf). From web sites, we have been downloading pdfs which we can then either read on screen or print out and it will retain the characteristics of the original. Most modern web browsers include a plug in from Adobe, Acrobat Reader. But to create a pdf required paying for Acrobat, which was cost prohibitive.
CuteFTP Writer is freeware which enables a user to “print” a pdf document. Downloading and installing both CutePDF Writer and the converter will provide users with the ability to go to their print menu, change from a printer to CutePDF, and create a file that all users can open and print. This is a neat utility.
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1 October 2007
Getting Ready for Global Collaboration – Time Converter
Invariably, if you begin to network with individuals who are not on campus, you will want to schedule time to have a voice or text chat do do some planning. I know that I am pretty good about remembering what cities are in what time zone and when daylight savings time starts and ends for areas in the United States, but when planning for people who are outside the country, well that’s when I get lost.
Enter time and date.com (timeanddate.com). This useful web site allows a user to find out what time it is anywhere in the world, display the calendar for any year and country (complete with full moons and including holidays), and a useful utility that allows you to enter a day and the cities where people are located, and it will display times which are normal awake times so you can pick a time which may be more convenient for all of the parties.
I have found this site to be indispensable. I hope that you will too.
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25 September 2007
File Conversion Using Zamzar
Did you ever receive an attachment or a file from someone that you could not open because you did not have the correct application loaded on your computer? Ever need to change the file format of a video or audio file so that you could import it into another application?
If you have answered yes to any of the questions above, then Zamzar (zamzar.com) is the web site for you. This site is a virtual Swiss Army knife to allow you to convert from one file format to another, for free.
To convert a file, you start with step one and locate your file. You then proceed to step two, where you select the file type that you want to change it to. Supported types include:
Image - bmp, gif, jpeg, tiff,
Document – Word, html, Rich Text, pdf, PowerPoint, Text, Word Perfect, Excel
Music -iTunes, mp3, ogg, Windows Media
Video - avi, mpeg4,Flash Video, iPod, iPhone, Windows Movie, Windows Media
Complete step 3, entering in your email address and click on the button in step 4 to convert. When it is done, you will receive an email with instructions on how to download the new file.
It is that easy.
They also have a new service which I have not tried, which will allow you to save and convert a YouTube video, so you do not have to be online to show it.
