Last month I profiled Zoho Writer, which I said was the best Web-based word processor available at the time. I said that with the caveat that Writely, which had been recently acquired by Google, could possibly surpass it. Writely has received rave reviews from CNET.com and other tech reviewers, but I wanted to see for myself. I’ve been trying out Writely ever since I got an invite a few weeks ago, and now it’s available for public beta. I like the service, but I can’t help thinking, “I waited 5 months for this?”
Podcasts
Writely
August 22, 2006 — PeterFree Security Software
August 18, 2006 — Peter
It seems like not a month goes by without some sort of virus scare or Windows security update hitting the news. The Web can be a very scary place for the inexperienced computer user. And maintaining up-to-date security software can be relatively expensive. Companies like Symantec, McAfee, and now Microsoft all offer anti-virus programs, firewalls, and adware removers, but they don’t come cheap. More importantly, in order to keep those programs up to date on your computer, you have to have constant updates from the software providers, which usually requires a paid subscription.
In this article, I have profiled a few basic security programs you can download for free. It’s important to remember that free programs usually aren’t as comprehensive as paid subscription services. They often require more effort on your part to keep your software updated. (For an audio discussion of the limitations of free security software, click here.) But if you currently don’t have anti-virus or adware software on your computer, these free programs will go a long way to making your Internet experience more secure.
Odeo and Odeo Studio
August 8, 2006 — Peter
Blogging has put Web publishing at the world’s fingertips. It crosses the generation gap — grandmothers and grandchildren can all blog because it’s so easy. But some people aren’t satisfied with mere text and pictures — they want forms of multimedia expression. This often comes in the form of audioblogging or podcasting. At first only nerds or corporate bloggers could do podcasts, but now there are several free services that let you easily podcast right at home with nothing but a microphone.
