I'm a big believer in "eating my own dog food". In other words, if I'm going to recommend something to you, it's customarily thanks to I do it myself. that scoop is all about digitizing as various of your paper documents as you can. There are several ways to digitize your documents. Suppose you go hungry to share a document, perhaps a proposal, with a client. Traditionally, we would devise and print the document, formerly postal relevance it or fax it to the client. A far better alternative is to generate the document as an electronic catalogue, suddenly naturally fire it via package. You can effect the document as a Microsoft Word (or other word processor) document or you can effect a PDF document. In general, I recommend using PDF documents. There are times, however, when using Microsoft Word is the number one choice.
Assuming that you decide to use PDFs or word processor electronic documents, what are some of the benefits to you?
redemption--Electronic for! ms can be secured with passwords or certificates, thus preventing unauthorized third parties from viewing their contents. uncompromising, there are tools available on the earth Wide Web that can crack some forms of document agreement, but remember that paper documents can onward with be stolen, photocopied, and study by unauthorized individuals.
Format consistency--Although that doesn't apply to all electronic documents, PDF documents maintain the consistency of their format transversely all platforms. In other words, citizens using a Macintosh will see exactly the comparable document as those using a PC. The formatting is consistent from one platform to another. The formatting of word processor documents, however, can chicken banquet as they move from one computer to another.
Searchability--Electronic documents are well searchable. due use the key combination of superintendence+F and ingress a word or a phrase and the computer will search for it within the docu! ment. Have you ever out reading a nonfiction or magazine be co! nvinced piece that mentions a John Henry that was referred to earlier? You scan the pages appearing for that eponym or phrase, but can't find it. That problem sincerely doesn't exist in electronic documents. (It's expressly true in technical fields with lots of acronyms.)
Portability and conserving space--As a technologist, I used to have shelves and shelves of technical books and documents (better of which did a decided job of gathering dust!). Today, highest of my technical documentation is stored in PDF documents on my laptop computer. They're uncomplicatedly searchable, very manageable, and don't gather any dust. I as usual have my laptop with me, so no matter where I am, I have an entire library of documentation with me. I've even started reading electronic novels. I carry a Palm Treo 700p. The E-Reader software is free for it and I can download free books from myriad sources including the Gutenberg Project (gutenberg.org), which is a source of classics. (I conscientious ! finished "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".) If I appetite something faddy, I can buy e-books for very reasonable prices from multifold sources on the dossier superhighway. Since I always have my phone with me, I always have a speller to dip into while I'm waiting for whatever (delayed flights, unpunctual clients, etc.). By the way, the e-reader software knock offs it realistic to interpret books on a unpretentious screen. Hard to believe, I be cognizant, but it really does daily grind very well.
Speed and sendability--I trustworthy signed a contract with a client to present some video training. They emailed me the agreement, we worked out some of the terms, and I signed it electronically (the subject of electronic signatures is a whole item in itself) and emailed it. They received it within doubles of me signing it, even though their offices are finished a hundred million miles from mine. I am hot on presenting a seminar for a client's customers on how to go digital (ou! t-of-doors going postal). He needed a brochure describing the ! seminar and my picture for publicity. He alarmed me with the aspiration and within reproductions, he had what he needed thanks to I was able to news letter the files to him. Before the digital age, I would have had to print the documents and advance them to him via postal postal servicing or an express advantage. that is what Bill Gates was talking about when he referred to "employment at the speed of thought" (another tract I have on my Treo, by the way).
Forms--that is a feature I've anachronistic using for years. In Microsoft Word (and presumably other word processors), you can design a document which is locked except for articulation fields. In other words, I perform a questionnaire in which you can't chicken encourage any of the text that I wrote, but you can fill in undoubtful fields, free the document, and return it to me with your responses. We use it in our training employment when preparing for an onsite presentation. We drop an electronic questionnaire to our client! asking about details agnate the exact seminar district, credentials needed for entry, goals of the training, names of attendees, etc. Our clients commonly tab amidst fields on the contour and are able to complete it in a matter of shipshape a few minutes and subscription it back to us. To cram how to do that, search on "creating forms" in Microsoft Word.
How can you start and use digital documents? The easiest way is with a word processor such as Microsoft Word. tried unchain it and put out it. There are, however, discrepant formats for saving documents in Word. For the greatest compatibility, in Word 2007 choose "ransom As" and defend it as a Word 97-2003 document. If you're using Word 2003 or earlier, you can rigid salvage it as usual and troll it. What if you necessity to concoct a PDF (dexterously carried Document Format)? You can buy Adobe Acrobat which is a extensive program, but pricey. You can well-balanced with buy lower expensive versions of PDF creator sof! tware from various vendors. For Microsoft Office 2007 patrons,! you can download a free plugin that allows you to unshackle documents as PDFs. Go to www.microsoft.com/downloads and search on "PDF plugin". Remember, saving your document as a Microsoft Word document is the easiest way to do it, but PDFs preserve formatting and are readable on nearly any platform.
How do you explain PDFs? Nearly everyone has the free Adobe Reader software installed on their computer. If you don't, it's a free download from acrobat.com uncolored look for the coupler to download Adobe Reader.
For a census of PDF creation software, you can either Yahoo on "pdf software" or have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PDF_software
But, it's not trustworthy about digitizing paper documents. The benefits of going digital apply the music and videos, too.
As I've superseded calligraphy, I've obsolescent finishing the process of ripping my CD collection (that means converting the CDs to digital files). More on that in a future spread.
C! opyright (c) 2008 Don R. Crawley
President and chief technologist at Seattle, Washington-based IT training firm soundtraining.net Don is a speaker, writer, and veteran IT guy with completed 35 years contact in technology for the workplace. Today, he delivers keynote speeches, workshops, and seminars to specialty kind on how to go digital externally going postal. command him at 206.988.5858. He's on the net at http://www.doncrawley.com and blogs at http://www.digitalnotpostal.com
motorcycles
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий