@tohanry: take a look at sharepoint while you're looking around. i had never used it much until my current job, and what they have done with it has been useful

natenovs

Interesting article Gina. We are actually looking to expand our IT department (from 1 to 2 people *chuckles*) and there is a chance (if I get to set it up the way I want) that we will be in 2 different locations and so some of this will be good.

Can't use Gmail due to security concerns, and so since we are using Outlook and MS Office, no need for GCal or GDocs... but the wiki and other items look worthwhile.

For IT people, if looking for a good free monitor/help desk program, use spiceworks. That is going to make my life 100 times easier when this expansion happens.

tohanry

Nice article. An addition I would make is Timebridge. [www.timebridge.com] My work mates are a group of loosely connected freelancers. Google Calendar helps, but scheduling a meeting with a client is tedious by email. Timebridge shows your free time from Gcal and let's a group schedule a meeting or conference call without depending on a shared calendar.

EAInsight

You could do all that on zoho :-D

"But everything is in Google now, damnit!"

pobox90210

Huh?

"Can't use Gmail due to security concerns, and so since we are using Outlook and MS Office, no need for GCal or GDocs... but the wiki and other items look worthwhile."

What security concerns?

kenN

Gmail has "security concerns" but Outlook/Exchange and the rest of the bloatware suite from MS doesn't ???? You gotta be kidding. Sounds like your "concerns" are more like "uninformed drivel".

moucon

How did I know before hand that this was going to be a google handjob?

Still interesting for me as always to see that the pros do it the same way the rest of us do.

EditorinChief

Interesting way of doing things. Most everything I do (as a phone admin and IT support) is done through a browser (Firefox,) Outlook (company decision, not mine) and good old DOS. Hell, I write all my tech documentation in Word 5.5 saved as RTF files. Can't beat that. ;)

battra92

Great post, although some trolls posted in the comments section over at Macworld. Before I left my old job I had converted them to many off the apps you mentioned and they are still using it in a big way. We however used Basecamp which keeps getting better and better with little updates, Campfire was our most underutilized app, looking at your post I am going to give it a second look as I seek to infect my new office staff(a copy of the lifehacker book is in the reference section of our library to save me some IT consultations)

guyfromtrinidad

I wonder if you use normal gmail and Gcal, or do you use google apps?

I run google apps, it pretty good, but sometimes I get upset because they roll out the beta stuff to normal gmail, and gcal before apps.

kwakthisway

Great article! Each day I'm more convinced that in a short time we'll be barely using computer-based software, tending more and more to use web-based applications.
I discovered the importance of these tools early this year, when my laptop broke down and I was computer-less for a couple of weeks. During that time, I realized how many great services (mos of them Google's, I must admit!) there are over the net to store and work on all of our files and info.
Your article is a great addition to my search for the ultimate web apps.

CeciSaia

I know you mention Gmail and Gcal, do you us the Google Apps? or a normal account?

kwakthisway

For me it's OOo, Firefox, PSP 5, and LogMeIn

OtakuboyT