ChristopherGilmer » works http://drops.christophergilmer.com drops Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:43:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Web tools I couldnt have lived without in 2007 http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2008/01/02/web-tools-i-couldnt-have-lived-without-in-2007/ http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2008/01/02/web-tools-i-couldnt-have-lived-without-in-2007/#comments Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:21:25 +0000 Chris http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2008/01/02/web-tools-i-couldnt-have-lived-without-in-2007/ 2007 was sure the year of the web application. So many great ones have been built and improved upon.
Here are a few ones that I depended on in my day to day activities in 2007, no particular order:

  • Gmail
  • Gmail Apps for Domains
  • Zoho
  • Flickr
  • Picasa
  • WordPress
  • Twitter
  • Netvibes
  • Skype
  • Google Reader
  • Google Analytics
  • delicious
  • Firefox
  • Thunderbird
]]> http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2008/01/02/web-tools-i-couldnt-have-lived-without-in-2007/feed/ 0 Keeping it in the family with a domain http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/12/01/keeping-it-in-the-family-with-a-domain/ http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/12/01/keeping-it-in-the-family-with-a-domain/#comments Sat, 01 Dec 2007 12:00:05 +0000 Chris http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/12/01/keeping-it-in-the-family-with-a-domain/ Getting hooked up with your own domain name it cheap-o. Companies like GoDaddy offer names as low as $6.95 for .com’s, so there is no longer an excuse not to grab one up to add to your own personal brand strategy. Not only is it pretty cheap to accomplish, its also an innovative idea to
move the whole family under a unique domain.

The importance of personal brand identity for your online strategy is important. Its like having a personal business card. After all, your HotJohnnyBoy1306@AOL.com isn’t all that hot when its stamped on your resume. Now, Johnny@LastName.com thats hot. So what do you need to get started? An available domain name and web hosting.

The 3 simple steps:

  • Do a quick search to see if your domain is available. You should try and stick with the more common country specific or standard extensions like .com, .net, .org, .ca, .us, or .co.uk.
  • Sign up for an account with a domain name register like GoDaddy or DomainsAtCost, and register your domain choice.
  • If you want a website or blog, you can always forward your domain to free services like WordPress, or Blogger. After that, worry about getting some custom web hosting.

There you have it. Nothing to it. Go register your custom domain name now!

Stay tuned for “Your Domain, what to do next”.

]]> http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/12/01/keeping-it-in-the-family-with-a-domain/feed/ 0 Tools of the web trade part 2, the lesser used, but still used http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/11/02/tools-of-the-web-trade-part-2-the-lesser-used-but-still-used/ http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/11/02/tools-of-the-web-trade-part-2-the-lesser-used-but-still-used/#comments Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:00:04 +0000 Chris http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/11/02/tools-of-the-web-trade-part-2-the-lesser-used-but-still-used/ In part one, the original, I took you on a brief tour of the few applications that I use on a day to day basis in normal operations. But what about the ones that I kick around less frequently, but always find my way back to. Here we go, and I promise its not Google heavy:

GrandCentral – Call me on my free phone number. I can direct it to any phone line I want. Maybe I will accept your call, or maybe I wont. But GrandCental will, and I will listen to it later, online. When I want.

Flickr – Photo storage has its kind, and its owned by Yahoo. Ok, I like it. No Pro account yet, but I should have one as I just ran out of space, and who can go wrong with $24/year? If I missed an event, want to see what a specific area or person looks like, I’m bound to find something here. Plus Flickr’s CC images are awesome!

Google Analytics – If its a well rounded, and free, web tracking application you are after, Analytics is for you. I track all of my clients using this and can write up proper reports based on all the data I can grab from Google’s tool.

CrazyEgg – This analytical application lets you easily visualize what your website visitors are up to. Site clicks can be shown on heatmaps. Not only that, but you can get a good in depth look at such items as what OS or browser people used and where those people clicked on exactly.

Look out for Tools of the web trade part 3, what I’m playing with

]]> http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/11/02/tools-of-the-web-trade-part-2-the-lesser-used-but-still-used/feed/ 0 Tools of the web trade http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/10/19/tools-of-the-trade/ http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/10/19/tools-of-the-trade/#comments Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:00:13 +0000 Chris http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/10/19/tools-of-the-trade/ A lot of people ask what online tools I find myself frequently using. And thats a tough one. Writing for Download Squad gets me testing out many, and I mean many new and unique applications that some like to call Web2.0. However, there is a small set that I can actually say I frequently use on a day to day basis. Here they are (and lets just forget the fact that I write the Googleholic when reading this):

  • Gmail – great spam catcher, search is awesome, i like using the pretty stars to mark emails, cant live without filters though!
  • Google Docs – I tend to find myself switching between a desktop and laptop throughout the day. I keep my must have files that I’m working on in Docs and bang away at those wherever I am. Now with the new Google Docs mobile, watch out.
  • Google Apps – I rock this for my corporate email setup. Its free, comes with all the features of Gmail, its free, the admin is accessible from anywhere, takes a minute to setup a new account or change details and its free.
  • Google Reader - With one login I can access all the above, what more could you want? Reader ensures I stay fresh with all the news feeds I subscribe to in a clean interfaced app. If I’m on the road and want to reference an item I have stored, bang I can. And when its time to jet off to a far away land, the offline feature ensures I can keep on reading. Plus, I have a crush on those little yellow stars.

That was boring wasnt it? Part 2 is coming though, thats the one with all the cool apps.

]]> http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/10/19/tools-of-the-trade/feed/ 0 Lifecasting, do you do it? http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/09/19/lifecasting-do-you-do-it/ http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/09/19/lifecasting-do-you-do-it/#comments Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:15:45 +0000 Chris http://drops.christophergilmer.com/2007/09/19/lifecasting-do-you-do-it/ What tools do you use to broadcast your message and get out to the world what you are all about, personally or professionally? Wait, you aren’t thinking about that?

Employers and friends alike are scowing the internet and searching your name to see what comes up. How are you getting across what you are all about? Just like businesses, it is becoming increasingly more important that people start to Lifecast.

I will be putting together a report on “Lifecasting, the ins and outs and all arounds”.

Stay tuned.

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