New Toys, New Tools
I am beyond overdue on this last VALL president’s column. The presidency has been in Fred Dingledy’s capable hands for a month now. I think it just seemed strange to write some sort of farewell column when I’m not really going anywhere. So here are a few thoughts on the new direction in which we are headed.
Some of you are aware that of late there has been a lot of new technology in my life. I have canceled my land line and replaced it with a new cell phone and cell plan. I have purchased a netbook so that I once again have a personal computer at home and on the go. I have investigated switching from my current cable to FIOS. My phone has a QWERTY keyboard, flip phone, camera, speakerphone, web browser, etc. and assorted other features that my nephew will have to explain to me. It is going to be a fantastic communication tool for me. Of course it doesn’t hurt that my new ‘tool’ is also about three inches square when closed and has a shiny purple front embossed with flowers. My netbook has a 6 hour battery life, an Atom N280 processor, 160GB harddrive and weighs 2.4 lbs. It’s a powerful tool for web searching, music and video storage and generally managing my life in the digital sphere. Of course it is also cute, pearly white and called the Seashell – perfect for a beach lover like myself. So what’s my point? The point is that there are a lot of fantastic tools out there, a myriad of options with striking similarities and still for a lot of us the final buying decision rests with the parts that make these tools fun!
We have introduced some terrific new tools in VALL. We now have the means, via VALL Talk, to have our musings posted; to congratulate members on successes; to see photos of friends and colleagues; to have links to interesting and helpful articles, blogs and websites. We have the wiki so that members across the state can collaborate on projects, presentations and articles without clogging Inboxes. Last year was all about providing the tools. I encourage us all this year to spend some time putting the FUN in their FUNction.
So today, it being a fantastic summer day and me working from the patio, I am going to spend a little time in the VALL Wiki Sandbox. I’m working on the idea of a competitive intelligence sand castle, complete with turrets, a drawbridge and a moat. Come and play!
Leanne Battle
